Hi everyone,

I've posted a few things skirting around fuel economy but I'm not convinced I'm getting anywhere near what I should be in terms of MPG.

The whole purpose of getting a VRS was the economy with a bit of fun (that's how I justified it to Mrs R). But since getting my 05 plate VRS, I'm only getting low 40's to late 30's bimbling around and high 40's on motorways.

I don't think it's been mapped previously as there's no difference in performance from other ones I test drove and there's the usual flat spots between gear ratios. So I doubt this is the cause.

I don't tend to hammer it about, but will shortly be doing 70 miles a day and want to maximise the fuel economy to avoid having to replace it with a Renault Clio!!!! The computer says I've got 430 miles to a full tank but when I reset the trip counter, I'm only getting to 350 before the fuel light is coming on...

Advice and experiences welcome.

Cheers

Hi everyone,

I've posted a few things skirting around fuel economy but I'm not convinced I'm getting anywhere near what I should be in terms of MPG.

The whole purpose of getting a VRS was the economy with a bit of fun (that's how I justified it to Mrs R). But since getting my 05 plate VRS, I'm only getting low 40's to late 30's bimbling around and high 40's on motorways.

I don't think it's been mapped previously as there's no difference in performance from other ones I test drove and there's the usual flat spots between gear ratios. So I doubt this is the cause.

I don't tend to hammer it about, but will shortly be doing 70 miles a day and want to maximise the fuel economy to avoid having to replace it with a Renault Clio!!!! The computer says I've got 430 miles to a full tank but when I reset the trip counter, I'm only getting to 350 before the fuel light is coming on...

Advice and experiences welcome.

Cheers

I get high 40's on the motorway and my motorway driving tends to be quite spirited. General day to day driving is early 50's. 40 mile trip through London earlier in the week and averaged 38 which was bad for me, that said my average speed for that journey was 11mph.

The other thing you may wish to bear in mind is that my fuel light comes on with about 70 miles to go so that would make your range stack up.

That said low 40's is bad, have you come from a petrol car? What RPM are you generally changing gear at?

2007 vrs SE

I do 6o miles a day over mixed A and B roads with little traffic driving at a steady 50 - 60 when conditions allow.

I always fill the tank right up as soon as the light comes on, I consistently get between 49 - 53 mpg calculated at each fill up. On a recent 800 mile motorway trip doing a steady 70 - 80 mph I got 51 mpg.

The trip computer is hopelessly inaccurate and gives about 20% over optimistic readings. I always log my mpg at www.fuelly.com

I recently had a remap from shark performance which has increased the mob by about 4-5 mpg.

Assuming you have a Fabia VRS, mine has always been 45mpg tankful to tankful, (or 10 miles per litre).

This mpg increases a bit on a long journey but not much.

Do about 6.000 miles annually and change all the filters, every year.

You might find that you need to change your air filter mate - when I first purchased my SE I was getting around 350 miles from a tank - Skoda recommend changing the air filter every 40k miles - I (and pretty much everyone else on here) recommend every 10k. Simply by changing the filter my MPG rose drastically. I get around 450 miles to a tank when I brim it from full and if I use the expansion tank and drive carefully I can get up to 600 miles from a tank!

Assuming you have a Fabia VRS, mine has always been 45mpg tankful to tankful, (or 10 miles per litre).

This mpg increases a bit on a long journey but not much.

+1

full to empty i will get about 380-420 depending on how i'm driving, so taking into account how many miles you'll get after the warning signal i reckon you're not too far from me.... and a smidge over 500 if motorway driving, i have a 2005 vRS too

definitly change the air filter as this is the cheapest route to go down in terms of finding why the economy is not so good. Mine needs changing but based on recent journeys il leave it untill it starts to go bad. went to meadowhall yesturday which is about 15 miles or so for me. 58mpg on the computer on the way there just plodding along at 70. 58/59mpg on the computer on a recent run to wales, with a certain twisty road section returning 64.5 on the computer around the snowdonia area using 5th at around 50/60. very impressed

How much is a new air filter? Also where from?

I've just brought a 29,000 miles 1.9tdi from a skoda dealer- how's the best way to check the air filter is or isn't new?

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I've posted a few things skirting around fuel economy but I'm not convinced I'm getting anywhere near what I should be in terms of MPG.

The whole purpose of getting a VRS was the economy with a bit of fun (that's how I justified it to Mrs R). But since getting my 05 plate VRS, I'm only getting low 40's to late 30's bimbling around and high 40's on motorways.

I don't think it's been mapped previously as there's no difference in performance from other ones I test drove and there's the usual flat spots between gear ratios. So I doubt this is the cause.

I don't tend to hammer it about, but will shortly be doing 70 miles a day and want to maximise the fuel economy to avoid having to replace it with a Renault Clio!!!! The computer says I've got 430 miles to a full tank but when I reset the trip counter, I'm only getting to 350 before the fuel light is coming on...

Advice and experiences welcome.

Cheers

When I was commuting, I managed 47ish MPG commuting 16-18 miles to work. Mostly motorways but congested ones. M40, M25, M4.

The major things that hurt MPG are cold starts and short journeys. If your 70 miles each way includes a good portion of relatively flowing motorway, you should see >50mpg with relative ease. I find best revs for economy are above 1500 but below 1900-2000. Driving in the 65-75MPH range and use of cruise control also helps, I find. Left to its own devices, my right foot becomes a little heavy.

You could consider a mild remap as that might save you 5-10% fuel if you're lightly booted.

J.

I've not quite used my first full tank yet (only had car a few weeks) and it says I've averaged 65mg on the computer. Clearly talking trash!! I've done 390 miles and it says I've got 115 miles left in the pot, so it looks like I'll 500ish or just under. My driving is 60 miles a day on a & b road's, I usually stick to 50 or 70 depending on the road, but occasionally remind myself why I bought the VRs :-) If I make 500 miles I will have got 54mpg.

I've not had chance to give it a once over under the bonnet yet but I'll have a look at the air filter and replace if it's dirty. Skoda say it got a full service when I picked it up but if they only recommend air filter every 40k (surely that’s rubbish?) then it might not have been changed. I will be changing it with the oil every 10k, as I have done with every car.

How much is a new air filter? Also where from?

I've just brought a 29,000 miles 1.9tdi from a skoda dealer- how's the best way to check the air filter is or isn't new?

Thanks

They're about £12 I think - if in doubt change it.

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Skoda_Fabia_1.9_2003/b/OEM/p/Car-Parts/Engine-Parts/filters/air-filters

When was your car last serviced?

An in-efficient car wil under perform. Definitely checking the interval when the oil was changed, along with already mentioned air filter.

Sticky rear brakes are a common fault also, which highly effect MPG. Check out this thread for more on that if you haven't already:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/137832-handbrake-cable-issue-on-my-vrs/

yeh thats poor, i would get 400 miles before fuel light in a 190 bhp Vrs drive round stop start milton keynes

As suggested change all filters and consider a MAF swap if things dont improve

Maybe try an Italian tune up if the above doesnt help!!!!

Some people have suggested binding back brakes may lead to reduced MPG - but surely you'd notice over time?

You may find an air filter is dated - pollen filters certainly are. However you can't prove anything by looking at that date.

When I bought my 2007 car last year I complained to the dealer than the date on the (very dirty) pollen filter was 1/2007 - or around the time the car was made. The dealer assured me it was changed at the 2009 service. It WAS changed at the 2011 service since I checked around the corner after driving out of the garage car park - but the new one is ALSO dated 1/2007

Edited 17 September, 201114 yr by DRJ

yeh thats poor, i would get 400 miles before fuel light in a 190 bhp Vrs drive round stop start milton keynes

As suggested change all filters and consider a MAF swap if things dont improve

Maybe try an Italian tune up if the above doesnt help!!!!

For a mechanical biff, what's a MAF? Also, Italian tune up's?

MAF is the sensor that tells the car how much air is going in. If it's duff, it will be injecting the wrong around of fuel giving you poor fuel consumption and a drop in power.

Italian tuneup is where you thrash the living hell out of an engine for a good few miles to get it nice and hot and burn up any carbon deposits that engines get when they're never really loaded up or are just used for short journeys.

Also, looking at my service book. The air filter was changed 25k ago. Would it really make this much of a difference?

How do I find out if the mad sensor is Duff? If it is, is it an expensive job to sort?

Also, looking at my service book. The air filter was changed 25k ago. Would it really make this much of a difference?

It certainly could do! Change it, it's only a few quid and takes 5 minutes.

MAF is the sensor that tells the car how much air is going in. If it's duff, it will be injecting the wrong around of fuel giving you poor fuel consumption...

What am I looking at to replace this and is it something simple to do or do I need a garage to sort it?

Try the air filter first. You can change the MAF yourself but you may as well start with the air filter as it's a lot cheaper, and if it's done 25k really should be changed anyway.

It was last serviced in November last year, only done 5k since! However, as before the air filter was last changed 25k ago. How do I tell if the MAF sensor is knackered or does it need someone with VAGCOM to interrogate it?

Ultimately, how do I establish what is causing the poor fuel economy? Will a scan tell me if it's running on a crap map and if so, can it be reset back to OEM?

On another less urgent matter, can someone with VAGCOM programme the fog lights to stay on for a few seconds after locking it? My wife's car has this 'follow me home' lighting and she quite likes it for when she comes home from work. Her car park is very poorly lit...

It was last serviced in November last year, only done 5k since! However, as before the air filter was last changed 25k ago.

The air filter recommended change interval is 40,000 miles. However mine was changed early at 29,000 miles since the garage said the car needed a 4 year/40,000 miles service. I didn't mind since it was fully covered by the service contract.

Italian tuneup is where you thrash the living hell out of an engine for a good few miles to get it nice and hot and burn up any carbon deposits that engines get when they're never really loaded up or are just used for short journeys.

...and stamp hard on the brakes from a good speed a few times to give any glaze and/or sticky pads something to think about!