Skoda Octavia 1.8 tsi engine

[Evening Star]

I have a 6-7 mile journey into work each day and I can get it to show in 40s regularly & occasionally 50's, but I need to have a very light foot for that.

[matthewA]

My journey to work and back is about 25 miles each way and today I got indicated on maxidot 38mpg one way and 43mpg the other - I did see 50mpg at one point. I get around 4 to 5 mpg difference between the 2 journeys quite regularly. The average speed for the journey is normally somewhere between 30 and 35mph and is a mix of urban, rural and 70mph dual carriageway. I have been putting the details in fuelly.com and notice that the economy has been creeping up month by month, 1st month averaged 34.6mpg, last month 38.4mpg and the car has done about 5000 miles now, I wouldn't say I am driving it hard either. I wonder how many miles I need to do before economy settles down. How many miles have you others got on your cars?

[CEPi]

Just came back home and my 1.8TSi on -12C is making around 250 horses, opened the neighborhood road a few times from snow as well, winter tires gripping like mad

[blackspaven]

Mine's a '58 with about 37k on it and it did get better and better for economy; at first it was only just creeping over into the low 30's, but it's way off what you guys are quoting! I've NEVER seen it get anywhere near 50!! :( There's no way i'd get anywhere near 40mpg after 6 miles, as it starts on about 14 and goes up from there, but it's only in the high 20's/low 30's after that sort of distance. It doesn't rise that quickly, only by jumps of about 0.3 for the first few miles so there's no way mine'd go that high that quickly. :no:

Like I said, I don't exactly cane it, and try to slow naturally as much as possible, so I like to think I drive fairly economically, but i'm just concerned now that either something's wrong with my display or sensor or whatever it is that reads it, my display is actually accurate as i've always heard they're over exagerated (although unlikely), i seem to be the only person in the world who CAN'T drive economically, or that my car has been f*cked from day one. :'(

[blackspaven]

Just had a look in the brochures I kept from when I bought the car and the urban is 28, extra urban is 47 and combined is 38 (all roughly), so i'm not getting as low as the urban most of the time. Perhaps it's just where i'm driving with more stop starts and not many long motorway runs as even 38 is not unheard of for the roads I tend to drive.

[ruffday]

Well I do a mix of normal roads and motorways and to be honest dont check it after a single trip but maybe every 3-4 days.

Ive just checked and on trip 2 the average mpg is showing 38.6 over the last 800 or so miles which I think is ok.

I do drive it hard and I do 2-300 miles a day.

Edited 15 February, 2012 by ruffday

[jrw]

lol @ the mpg figures! I got 34mpg in a 3.6 V8 Jag XJ8 on a 300mile round trip to London yesterday with 5 up. I was also doing the wrong side of 70 all the way there and back on the motorway and spent 1.5 hours in a traffic jam on the way out of London (A40 + rush hour = :( )

[fluffmeister]

lol @ the mpg figures! I got 34mpg in a 3.6 V8 Jag XJ8 on a 300mile round trip to London yesterday with 5 up. I was also doing the wrong side of 70 all the way there and back on the motorway and spent 1.5 hours in a traffic jam on the way out of London (A40 + rush hour = :( )

Petrol envy?

[jrw]

Petrol envy?

Petrol Envy? I think 34mpg out of a V8 with 5 people doing 70+ is excellent!

[fluffmeister]

Petrol Envy? I think 34mpg out of a V8 with 5 people doing 70+ is excellent!

It is, I meant the comment of "lol at MPG figures", you driving a filthy diseasel and all that. That V8 is having an easier time of shifting that along at 70+ mph, it's probably just on it's "sweet spot"., or maybe even just off tick over for it :-) Isn't the XJ8 an Aluminium body?

[jrw]

It is, I meant the comment of "lol at MPG figures", you driving a filthy diseasel and all that. That V8 is having an easier time of shifting that along at 70+ mph, it's probably just on it's "sweet spot"., or maybe even just off tick over for it :-) Isn't the XJ8 an Aluminium body?

the 'lol @ MPG figures' is meant at people kidding themselves that they are getting 45mpg as an 'average'. Yes you may get that once in a while on a good single journey but it isn't an average. It was also a reference to lol a user on here with a 1.8tsi who is adamant that it is in every way better than a diesel and gets better MPG and range....yet has failed to evidence it time after time with a fuelly account.

I don't drive a filthy 'diseasel' i drive a clean diesel with a DPF. Surely the C02 figures are enough to see that it is better for the environment!

The Jag is an 03 XJ8 with the aluminum body. It is still like driving a barge though! But the V8 is awesome! As for tickover, i am reliably informed that it does 2k RPM at 90mph

I have neither issue with petrol or diesel. I drive a diesel for cost issues due to my mileage but as i have cased, i chose to take the Jag yesterday which is a petrol!

[obi604]

A chain!

So I don't know much about these " chains " ( as opposed to the timing belts )

Do these also have to be changed at some stage or what ?

[ednmra]

Apparently it is rare except in very high mileage cars - and you usually get warning noises or bad performance if they stretch - but no particular fixed mileage for changing a chain in normal condition SFAIK

[DGW]

So I don't know much about these " chains " ( as opposed to the timing belts )

Do these also have to be changed at some stage or what ?

Some more light reading for you! It's the US market version of the 2.0TSI engine, but the differences from the 1.8TSI engine are minor. Having paid for 2 routine cambelt changes on my Mk 1 Octavia 1.8T 4X4, the fact that the 1.8TSI has a chain which doesn't need replacing as part of the service schedule was a major consideration when I bought my latest Octavia.

http://www.vaglinks.com/Docs/VW/Misc/VW.COM_2.0L_TSI_Turbo_SSP_824803.pdf

[Ultima]

The best Maxidot average I've had with a 1.8TSI is 54.6 mpg on a 45 mile round trip of motorway and dual carriageways with some stops. I was doing between 60 and 70 mph.

The best tank average I've worked out is 43.5 mpg but I've only done 1500 miles in it.

Edited 18 February, 2012 by Ultima

[obi604]

Some more light reading for you! It's the US market version of the 2.0TSI engine, but the differences from the 1.8TSI engine are minor. Having paid for 2 routine cambelt changes on my Mk 1 Octavia 1.8T 4X4, the fact that the 1.8TSI has a chain which doesn't need replacing as part of the service schedule was a major consideration when I bought my latest Octavia.

http://www.vaglinks.com/Docs/VW/Misc/VW.COM_2.0L_TSI_Turbo_SSP_824803.pdf

Thanks for that.

Is timing belt another name for a "cambelt " ?

Eg. I got my timing belt done recently and I also had to get the water pump done at the same time, is this also the cambelt or am I totally wrong here

Edited 18 February, 2012 by obi604

[obi604]

.

Edited 18 February, 2012 by obi604

[chris j]

The best Maxidot average I've had with a 1.8TSI is 54.6 mpg on a 45 mile round trip of motorway and dual carriageways with some stops. I was doing between 60 and 70 mph.

The best tank average I've worked out is 43.5 mpg but I've only done 1500 miles in it.

I'm amazed at yours and others average mpgs with the 1.8 - I see 40+ on the maxidot average maybe 100 odd miles into a steady 70 motorway run with the wind behind me, and it's never gone above 42. Day to day driving I'll see 34 around town and 36-37ish on rural roads. Doesn't seem to make any difference whether I drive economically or with a lead foot.

How are people's oil consumptions? I've got 17000 miles on the clock and gone through maybe 3 or 4 litres so far, bit of a change from my old Focus diesel which hasn't needed a top-up between services in 10 years.

[ednmra]

Almost no oil used between (fixed) services - if I do put a cupful in it is mostly for peace of mind.

Re: mpg I find it drops off above approx. 60 m.p.h.

Best of my readings (48.9) was at about 58 mph while on cruise control. But if I'm cruising at 70 mph the mpg is low 40s if road is level.

Obviously there are noticeable differences (on the read-out) when climbing or descending grades.

[DGW]

Is timing belt another name for a "cambelt " ?

Yes.

[Ultima]

I'm amazed at yours and others average mpgs with the 1.8 - I see 40+ on the maxidot average maybe 100 odd miles into a steady 70 motorway run with the wind behind me, and it's never gone above 42. Day to day driving I'll see 34 around town and 36-37ish on rural roads. Doesn't seem to make any difference whether I drive economically or with a lead foot.

How are people's oil consumptions? I've got 17000 miles on the clock and gone through maybe 3 or 4 litres so far, bit of a change from my old Focus diesel which hasn't needed a top-up between services in 10 years.

To get the average reading in the mid 50's I was going into neutral on some of the downhill motorway sections and did a bit of 'drafting' behind some of the faster artics.

Edited 19 February, 2012 by Ultima

[matthewA]

How are people's oil consumptions? I've got 17000 miles on the clock and gone through maybe 3 or 4 litres so far, bit of a change from my old Focus diesel which hasn't needed a top-up between services in 10 years.

So far in 5000 miles I've topped up half a litre but maybe that's because it's new. No doubt I'll find out in another 5000 miles.

My best Maxidot average over about 1200 miles is 40.5mpg but from using Fuelly I'd say it's optimistic by 2mpg so really it's more like 38.5mpg, so not massively different from yours.

[blackspaven]

Day to day driving I'll see 34 around town and 36-37ish on rural roads. Doesn't seem to make any difference whether I drive economically or with a lead foot.

Makes me feel a lot better, sounds like you're getting pretty much the same readings as me.

[drmason]

I’ve read this thread with interest. I was looking for a new car last summer and wanted an A3, a friend persuaded to try an Octavia and I was absolutely amazed. I luckily found a low mileage (just under 10k) four year old 1.8 TSI elegance fell in :love: love within minutes of starting the test drive. The A3 I’d been looking at was lower spec, higher mileage, and smaller engine… and it would have cost me £6,000 more! That’s a lot to pay for four hoops on the front grill… one expensive squirrel mincer.

I’m surprised that some people are unhappy with the fuel economy. I brim my tank at every refuel and compare the actual mpg vs trip computer on my geeky spreadsheet . In reality, the mean fuel consumption is 37.7 mpg, and the mode is 37.2 mpg. On longer motorway journeys I’ve got 43.4 mpg but that’s with cruise control at 60 mph, though the worst was 34.7 mpg (this was back when I first bought the car… you know… driving it like its stolen ). My trip computer fairly consistently over reads by about 5% (about 2 mpg). The trip computer average (39.7 mpg) is almost spot-on the Honest Jon owners ‘real mpg’ (39.2 mpg), so I assume most of the people who’ve submitted their mpg just read it off the dashboard.

So, I don’t think mine drinks fuel, and doesn’t need oil between services… the only think it does drink is windscreen washer fluid cos of the headlamp washers.

I’m a total Skoda convert.

[ell0070]

Over the last 6,500 miles, ours is averaging 34mpg according to Road Trip, with the trip computer generally reading about 2mpg higher. This is in Jersey with speed limit of 40, and a lot of stop start driving with a remap.

Oil wise, I've probably put in 2 litres in 3 and a half years and 23,000 miles, and the oil light came on yesterday, so another top up needed.

All in all, a cracking car. 2 services down, and not a single fault code found - my mechanic says he'll give me a medal if its clear next time.