Slow Bloke - boring driver!

[SlowBloke]

I joined this forum a few weeks ago but haven't said anything as I didn't have a Skoda. This changed yesterday when I bought a 2010 1.6 diesel Fabia.

As my handle suggests, I am a boring old ...

As a result I am not so interested in who get produce the best 0-60 time but how to get the best fuel consumption and make my car last as long as possible. It is probably the last car I will buy as I kept may last car 10 years and the one before that for 16.

I bought my car in the Birmingham area and drove it back to my home in Norfolk. The car was delivering about 60mpg according to the gauge on the dashboard which is fine by me. I hope to do better but it's a new car (to me, 10,000 miles and a year old).

I am full of question like the multitude of readings on the central panel on the instrument panel. I can tickle the buttons on the right hand stick under the steering wheel (the one which controls the wipers) and the button under the instrument panel and get many different readings half of which I don't understand. I want to fit more powerful dipped headlamp bulbs but can't get the old ones out. I am sure someone knows how to unclip the H7 bulbs in the projector lamps but I can't manage it yet.

So, I guess I am off to the Fabia forum to ask these things and probably annoy several racing types here.

I have a fairly long experience of tinkering with cars (about 150 years) and may be able to help with basic tasks like replacing brake pads so maybe someone will appreciate my contributions.

Thanks for your patience and I am looking forward to a long time sharing thoughts and ideas here.

SB

[yesiamtom]

150 years of tinkering experience - quite impressive!

Welcome to the forum, i only joined about 2 months ago but its a great place even if you only read topics most of the time.

I too am quite interested in getting good mpg from my skoda although i do like to drive it a bit quicker sometimes. Managed to get about 70 to/from work today even with some idiot drivers jamming brakes on in front of me.

[Skodaboy1983]

Welcome to Briskoda

Davy

[swordstoke]

Welcome Aboard!

[sharkrider]

the key to fuel economy is dont brake.... when you are approaching a roundabout back off much further than you normally would with the intention of letting it arrive at the speed you want to take the roundabout without braking... any braking is wasting the fuel you used to get up to speed..... on overrun the ECU cuts fuel to the engine... dont be afraid to accelrate away on full throttle, and engine is most efficient at full throttle...

welcome to the forum

you wont annoy people, it may be called "briskoda" but there are lots of people interested in fuel economy in todays climate! even me, and I normally drive mine like I stole it

Shark

[Robjon]

Hi SB,

From one BOF to another, welcome to the Forum.

Rob

[gallego1968]

Hi and welcome aboard.

[Petardo]

Hi!

I used to play the MPG game in my Megane dci but now I've got a Fabia vRS I'm all about the booost!

I found that the key points to maintaining 60+ MPG were:

1- keep the car well maintained and running well

2- Tyres - keep them inflated to 1 or 2 psi above recommended pressures

3- "Pulse and Glide" accelerate in pulses and let the car glide in gear using the engine braking to maintain a steady pace. This uses no fuel at all while doing this and is the single best technique that anyone can use to increase mpg.

4- Use a fuel additive

5- Change your driving routes to avoid lots of traffic lights (the mpg killers) and speed bumps etc.