Running in - how much of a difference have you seen?

[Orville]

Engine internals need to be warm for best efficiency. Oil thins as temperatures increase and there will be less internal resistance/friction once warm. During the winter the engine can take longer to warm up, so the first few miles suck more juice. Rolling resistance can also be higher due to cold gearbox/diff oil and wet roads.

[toni8b]

I feel like my winter tyres definitlely slow down the car at start (at least at these warm temperatures). I am using WinterContact TS850. With my summer Dunlop Crap Maxx it felt much faster with less wheel spin.

[neiln]

Yes but there is more than the cold start at play when economy on 200 mile run is down 5mpg

[octavianestate]

Just covered from new 2000miles on a 2.0 tdi Dsg estate. Struggling to even reach 40mpg. It is due at the dealer soon for other repair work (as it's the worst car I have seen thrown together) so i will get the fuel concern checked. Just wondering what other owners are experiencing with the mpg from new?

[Galathrox]

Had my VRS DSG Estate a just over 3 months now and put 5k on the clock. Generally between fill ups i've been averaging around 44-48MPG, and recently i've been as low as 40. I do a lot of motorway driving and lots of trips in and out of London, so journey conditions vary quite a bit. I'm happy with those numbers for now, and expect they will rise into the low 50's as time goes on. Really, its not a slight on the car its more the journeys I have to make on a daily basis. On longer runs up the motorway cruising between 70-80 i've seen mpg in the mid 50's which is plenty for me It's a VRS after all. 

[iDENTITi]

Mpg seems to have gradually got worse on mine.

I could average high 70's on the way back from work in early summer (got the car in May).

End if the summer I was lucky to get high 50s now I'm lucky to even get low 50s, but the cold hasn't helped.

Nor has my battery discharging by itself!

[Orville]

Wet roads increase rolling resistence and reduce mpg by ~10%. It is wetter in the winter so mpg tends to go down.

 

If in any doubt doubt dirve throgh a puddle and "feel" the car slow itself down.

Edited 3 January, 2015 by Orville

[KevinP]

Definitely improved on all fronts after being run in properly. Drives beautifully now and fuel economy noticeably better. 1 year old and 23k on the clock. Still not as torquey as my last company Focus 2.0TDi however. With the sports pack as well, that was easily the best "ordinary" car I have ever driven.

[andyvee]

Just covered from new 2000miles on a 2.0 tdi Dsg estate. Struggling to even reach 40mpg. It is due at the dealer soon for other repair work (as it's the worst car I have seen thrown together) so i will get the fuel concern checked. Just wondering what other owners are experiencing with the mpg from new?

What kind of journeys are you doing? I've just hit 3k and I'm averaging about 47-48 in a CR150 DSG estate.

 

My previous CR150 DSG hatch averaged a shade over 50mpg over 20,000 miles in a year.

[Genoa1893]

My car is just around 4000Km. After a relatively long journey (1200Km, average 6.3l/100Km, about 44.8mpg, with 5 people and luggages) with the last 300Km with quite a heavy foot, car feels better and better.

 

My long term mileage decreased (I like to use my engine) but I saw extremely low consumption on trips on countryside roads (about 56mpg), although on a supposed thirsty 4x4.

 

To be improved: noise insulation.

[Mence]

There was a definite change in the feel of the car at about 6000 miles, hard to describe exactly but it felt more 'settled'.

Since then it has driven well and felt really nice, fuel economy over the last 3000 miles is 44.8 according to the infotainment.

[octavianestate]

What kind of journeys are you doing? I've just hit 3k and I'm averaging about 47-48 in a CR150 DSG estate.

My previous CR150 DSG hatch averaged a shade over 50mpg over 20,000 miles in a year.

[octavianestate]

Around town mostly with the occasional dual carriageway drive. My other diesel car usually returns 45mpg around town (its a manual ford tdci) with lively use of throttle. The skoda needs gentle throttle just to edge toward the high 30's. Combine this with a smaller than expected fuel tank means at present almost as frequent fuel stops than my rx8 used to experience.

[Gerrycan]

Around town mostly with the occasional dual carriageway drive. My other diesel car usually returns 45mpg around town (its a manual ford tdci) with lively use of throttle. The skoda needs gentle throttle just to edge toward the high 30's. Combine this with a smaller than expected fuel tank means at present almost as frequent fuel stops than my rx8 used to experience.

 

Stating the obvious, you have some thing wrong with your Octavia. Do you do a long enough run to complete a DPF regen?

I loved my old 1.9d Mk2 without DPF, but realised that a Mk3 DPF diesel was unsuitable for our mostly urban driving.

[Gabbo]

I'm just coming up to 30,000km (19,000 miles) & haven't really noticed any change in fuel economy since new.

Averaging 52mpg but as the others have stated, winter & the cold/wet conditions can have a large effect on fuel economy.

 

Driving back to the UK over Xmas I averaged 47mpg when driving in heavy wind & rain.

Continuing the journey on the other side of the channel in more favourable conditions & the economy was back into the mid-50's.

[octavianestate]

I mentioned the woeful mpg with the dealer principle today and he was concerned that yes there is something wrong with the car. Regens and urban driving aside it is after all a low rpm diesel engine usually known as such for being relatively frugal unless VAG have cracked the market in producing a diesel which is no better than a petrol engine.....

[Genoa1893]

Some quick 400Km later with two friends, both on highway and peripheral urban driving, mileage of my AWD improved again (at a very good 46mpg).

[pipsyp]

Around town mostly with the occasional dual carriageway drive. My other diesel car usually returns 45mpg around town (its a manual ford tdci) with lively use of throttle. The skoda needs gentle throttle just to edge toward the high 30's. Combine this with a smaller than expected fuel tank means at present almost as frequent fuel stops than my rx8 used to experience.

Two things Octavian:-

The fuel economy will improve with miles for sure, been the experience ive had with the past four TDI VW/Skoda cars I have had.

Also the Mk3 only has a 50l fuel tank. Annoys me too as although the car is more efficient than my last, the 5l drop in fuel capacity noticeably affects the cars range. Also there is speculation that when the car gets down to zero range there is still perhaps several litres of fuel still in reserve (to reduce the risk of running out) but i havent been brave enough to try it.

[octavianestate]

Fingers crossed it will improve.

[pipsyp]

Oh it will do for sure. My current 2.0 150 wasnt good at all to begin with, still nothing like the manufacturers figure now (and I dont suppose ever will be) but im now seeing almost 50 mpg on every reasonable run I undertake...on a longer run mid to high 50s is possible...sadly i have a bit of a lead boot so dont drive particularly economically most of the time.

[andyvee]

Well, 3000 miles done in 99.59 hours and I'm looking like this

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[Genoa1893]

...so you're stuck in the middle of somewhere with your fuel tank completely empty (0 ml), yet you are taking and sending this shot for briskoda???...

[andyvee]

Done about 5 miles with it on 0 range and it is on my drive

I'll fill up in the morning, garage is 100 yards away at the bottom of a steep hill

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[octavianestate]

Do these diesels need priming if they run dry?

[Genoa1893]

Great Andy, I start being disturbed as soon as the fuel needle approaches (from far) the red markings...   and thanks for informing that even at 0 ml there's some room, indeed