Mission, increased mpg!

[booke23]

Excellent.

I assume you reset the #1 trip mpg memory and trip mileage when you filled up. If so, brim the tank again once you've done 200 miles or so and manually calculate your mpg and compare it to what the trip computer is telling you. Once you do this a few times you can get an accurate idea of how many % your computer is out.

There is a good chance that the 53.2 mpg you got today is not accurate and you actually got more than that!

[Mark1983]

Thanks Booke23

I tried resetting it but it didn't work, maybe im doing something wrong....

I a scrolled through to the MPG display and held the button next to the speedo. It did nothing :(

So the 53.2 was an increase from the 42 or so it was showing yesterday...

What does that mean?

[tomgtturbo]

When you want to reset the trip for mpg you have to push in the little button on the bottom of the wiper stalk mate for a few seconds. You should then see it reset

[TriggerFish]

To reset it, there's a button on the underside of the wiper stalk.

Press it once to switch between the two MPG things - one if short term/per journey and the other is until you choose to reset it. IIRC anyway.

Hold the same switch in to reset an option, like MPG, average speed etc.

Edit - beaten by Tom!

Edited 4 March, 2013 by TriggerFish

[Mark1983]

Thanks! Will do that when I head home and report back

[vRS Joe]

Welcome aboard sir!! what mods are u running?

Bigger Garrett turbo with associated mods (FMIC, De-cat, 4 bar MAP etc) runs 225-230 bhp.

[Mark1983]

How old is it vRS Joe?

[grr666]

Has anyone tried low resistance tyres? Lol

Low resistance also = low grip.

[Mark1983]

Low resistance also = low grip.

That's put paid to that idea then!!

[TriggerFish]

I'm not an expert, but when I was looking for tyres the other day, some of the big tests were showing that the best braking/G tyre wasn't always the one with the highest rolling resistance.

While the eco-tyres I had before were rubbish, don't always assume that the sportier/better the tyre the less MPG it will give. I guess that works both ways round too!

Notice how the tyre in 5th for example has more RR than the ones above it, but yet grips less? (Just a limited example.)

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2012-Auto-Bild-Max-Performance-Tyre-Test.htm

I also wonder how long the purchase cost of new tyres would take to pay-back if they were only being replaced for economy (rather than replacing worn ones).

[Brun747]

All this effort in increasing you mpg and you're gonna trust what the car tells you the mpg is!

Why not get the real figures and calculate yourself?

[vRS Joe]

All this effort in increasing you mpg and you're gonna trust what the car tells you the mpg is!

Why not get the real figures and calculate yourself?

I think we all do? It's well known that the trip is very inaccurate.

[VWD]

I did see someone mention "coast a little". Perhaps C.O.A.S.T might improve safety and Mpg.

C= Concentration and Courtesy.

O= Observation ,to see thinghs happing ahead .

S & T= space 7 time- to get speed right and time events happening ahead.

In other words to look ahead ,and anticipate events to make reduced dramatic speed changes a non event. WHY rush up to a set of lights that will change as you reach them . The lights have been on green for some time, why try and beat them ,when it's obcious you will not,and have to hammer the brakes . And equally have wasted fuel on the attempt. Keep the revs low. it's a deisel, and it's got lots of low rev grunt.

My trip MPG says 50 MPG - which ties up with my rough calculation of my use . That's round town at low speeds .

Edited 4 March, 2013 by VWD

[DanHam]

My trip is 8-9 mpg out, I think it can be adjusted in VAG com though.

[Mark1983]

All this effort in increasing you mpg and you're gonna trust what the car tells you the mpg is!

Why not get the real figures and calculate yourself?

I already have matey, my trip comp is more or less spot on

My last tank saw me 430 miles & I put in 10.12 gallons to brim it again. I haven't got my notes to hand (gone to bed) but I think it's approx 42.5mpg based on that, and the trip comp says 43.

It's a bit premature for me to calculate this tankful as I only started this morning but will post up displayed MPG and calculated readings on my next fill up

[booke23]

I think it can be adjusted in VAG com though.

Unfortunately not on the Fabia.

It can be done on an Octavia though.

[Mark1983]

Does anyone have any thoughts on going from 3rd to 5th, 4th to 6th etc??

MPG readings up slightly to 54.2mpg....having to drive like an old boy tho lol

[Mark1983]

A friend also suggested half filling the tank (saves around 20kg?)

[booke23]

A friend also suggested half filling the tank (saves around 20kg?)

Funnily, I always think I get better mpg when the tank is nearly empty. Diesel weighs 0.82kg per litre.....so when the tank is nearly empty there is over 30kg less fuel in the car.

Of course the car will be more economical when it is 30kg lighter, however weather this improvement in economy would actually be noticeable on the trip computer, I'm not so sure.....I think I just imagine the improvement....and recently it has been quite mild when my tank has been nearly empty which will of course give better mpg anyway.

[Mark1983]

Thanks Booke23,

I'll experiment with that too then on my next tank not sure if I will be able to discern on this tank if the lower half is more productive than the upper half - im thinking probably not becos the upper half with presumably hold more fuel with the filler neck, and I won't be able to allow the lower half to run dry. Will report findings back

Did a trip up to London yesterday (50 miles of motorway each way) but the trip meter only went up 0.4 which was a shame - car now reads 54.4

I realise 54.4 is a vast improvement over the 42 or so I was getting, but considering you have to drive like uve had a stroke at the wheel im not sure it's worth it in terms of driving pleasure.

...that said, according to my dyno graph I still have 100 BHP and 220lbs/ft at 2.2k which is where I change and to be fair can still pull away from other traffic from a stop, it's just all the short shifting im hating really.

A trip to London that used to take an hour or 50 mins if I really stepped on it, now takes about 1.5 hours (65 - 70) on the motorway, and I find myself getting really bored :-/

Do all VRS owners have to drive like the elderly to reach these figures or are you able to throw some fun in too?

I haven't checked my EGR valve or MAF sensor yet so that's the next thing on my list.

Thanks all for reading

[Mark1983]

Ok, so im down to my final quarter of a tank.

I can report that the first half of my full tank saw me 290 miles. It was disappointing from there on though with the next quarter giving me only 100 miles taking it up to just under 400 miles. The trip computer now reads 53.3 MPG and is suggesting i can go another 110 miles so say 100 before i fill up.

Only time will tell....

[aolt]

The fuel light comes on with around 7litres left in the tank. This is typically 70miles to go in my car. I normally get MPG of 52 to 55 in my 1.9 TDI PD100. Best I have got was 59MPG for the whole tank, but that was driving like a granny, and it was very boring!

[robt100]

lighter acceleration (makes a HUGE difference)

Never get why people say this.... I usually accelerate in the peak torque range (PD100 TDI) then put it in 5th at about 40-50 and foot flat till my desired speed, then just keep it there. Only time I'd lightly accelerate is anticipating traffic or where there is a 10mph increase in speed limit (IE: 50mph to 60mph zone).

The place where mpg is made up is not slowing down too much for corners, save 5-10mph on the bend and you save a second or two of foot flat aceleration.

I'm always carrying a full boot of heavy equipment (its the estate/combi) plus half the rear seats full. Usually average 62mpg to a tank. and on a trip from Cambridge to skegness and back managed 71.3mpg!

The other thing is tyre pressures, and also tyre types at times. Had conti eco-wotsits on the car all round when I bought it. Have since changed the fronts to Kuhmo solus KH17's. Lost 2mpg on average from what I can tell, but I have SO much more longitudinal grip, on the old tyres the ABS kicked in pretty much every time I hit the brake, much better on the Kuhmo's, even if I have lost a little economy.

[Ben90]

Good point about saving speed on corners - you're committing the worst of crimes in mpg terms - braking and then accelerating seconds later. Get a RARB fitted if you don't have one, makes for much more confident cornering. Momentum saved in corners = fuel saved might take a while to pay for itself though

I also cleaned my EGR out on sunday, then achieved 58.2mpg on a good blast straight after - I wasn't even trying to be economical, I was trying to burn some crud out after 2 weeks of short, cold trips! needless to say I was surprised.

[W4RDY]

On my trip computer it usually says 56+ when town driving then 42+ when motorway driving below 80mph. Yet I do about 400-450 miles a month and I have to fill up twice from the light coming on and I don't drive crazy just normal. I'm basically getting something like 20mpg :(