I picked up my '05 fabia vrs on Monday and I have say its a great little car but I thought I'd get better mpg . I use the car for commuting so far which is a 17 mile journey each way . The roads I use are mainly dual carriageways joint together by a few round abouts . I dont drive it hard at all and I dont really go over 75mph and im getting an average of 39mpg . Is this correct ? As I thought it would be more . If this seems low what sort of things should I look for that could be causing it ?

Hope that all makes sense lol .

Thanks in advance , Marc .

keep the windows closed.. air con off.. heater off.. radio off.. heated seats off.. heated mirrors off.. remove anything not needed from the car to reduce the weight.. smaller tyres are always better, not that you'd probably do that with a vrs - you'd be too embarrassed no doubts.. oh and stick to about 60-65mph and be light on the accelerator.. make sure your trip computer is on MPG so you can see what you're getting as you lift your foot off and when you put it down.. if you've got a big spoiler on the roof, get rid, spoilers will just add more drag.. replace your spare wheel with a can if you become desperate..

 

aside from that.. not a lot else I can think of.. sounds boring I know.. give some of it a try and see what you get each day.. and try doing a very early commute one day with less traffic, see if that helps.. usually does..

I picked up my '05 fabia vrs on Monday and I have say its a great little car but I thought I'd get better mpg . I use the car for commuting so far which is a 17 mile journey each way . The roads I use are mainly dual carriageways joint together by a few round abouts . I dont drive it hard at all and I dont really go over 75mph and im getting an average of 39mpg . Is this correct ? As I thought it would be more . If this seems low what sort of things should I look for that could be causing it ?

Hope that all makes sense lol .

Thanks in advance , Marc .

There is something wrong there - I get 45mpg actual (computer says 52mpg) and that is with 250bhp and a spirited drive.

Spirited drive is the key, cold engine will give 15mpg hot 60....

 

look at instant mpg over the course of the run, get it to the high number quicker should yield greater average mpg (its also more fun)

There is something wrong there - I get 45mpg actual (computer says 52mpg) and that is with 250bhp and a spirited drive.

Thats what I thought . Just don't know where to look first . Something is not right somewhere .

Check to see if your brakes are binding on slightly, this could affect it. HTH

Check to see if your brakes are binding on slightly, this could affect it. HTH

Is the hand brake on as well

im running around 230bhp and get 46mpg driving sensible more on a run

First port of call would be to give it a good service so:
-Genuine PD Oil + filter
-Air filter
-Fuel filter
-Run some FORTE Diesel Treatment through 3/4 tank of diesel to help clean the fuel system, pump and injectors

 

Tyre pressures can also have a big impact on mpg if they are underinflated. As can binding brakes and tracking being out (though if it was bad enough to effect MPG chances are you'd notice something when driving)

If that doesn't cure it then when was the cam belt last changed? The torsion value needs to be fairly exact on these and it's easy to knock out, the crank/cam lock tools don't always keep it set right. It being out can have a negative impact on mpg, it's something that can be checked with VCDS lite and an interface cable.
 

For comparison I get about 42-43MPG but I do a lot of short journeys during the week. On a run it'll easily do high 40s/low 50s not hanging about. Taking it easy closer to 60MPG. 

Check to see if your brakes are binding on slightly, this could affect it. HTH

I can safely say there there is no rolling resistance . All tyres correctly inflated and geometry is correct ......... oh and the hand brake is well and truly off lol

Is the engine getting upto temperature? It often takes 7 miles for mine to warm up on dual/motorway and that's with a 75% grill block.

Ignoring the computer, might also be worth filling the tank and doing the maths against the trip meter. I find the computer under-reads by 3-5 MPG but then I use some unorthodox driving methods.

First port of call would be to give it a good service so:

-Genuine PD Oil + filter

-Air filter

-Fuel filter

-Run some FORTE Diesel Treatment through 3/4 tank of diesel to help clean the fuel system, pump and injectors

 

Tyre pressures can also have a big impact on mpg if they are underinflated. As can binding brakes and tracking being out (though if it was bad enough to effect MPG chances are you'd notice something when driving)

If that doesn't cure it then when was the cam belt last changed? The torsion value needs to be fairly exact on these and it's easy to knock out, the crank/cam lock tools don't always keep it set right. It being out can have a negative impact on mpg, it's something that can be checked with VCDS lite and an interface cable.

 

For comparison I get about 42-43MPG but I do a lot of short journeys during the week. On a run it'll easily do high 40s/low 50s not hanging about. Taking it easy closer to 60MPG.

Is the engine getting upto temperature? It often takes 7 miles for mine to warm up on dual/motorway and that's with a 75% grill block.

Ignoring the computer, might also be worth filling the tank and doing the maths against the trip meter. I find the computer under-reads by 3-5 MPG but then I use some unorthodox driving methods.

Yeah engine always gets upto 90 degrees

I'm running a 06 vrs standard apart from air filter. Much of my commute is similar to yours and I average 47-54 mpg. To me there seems something a miss but still learning mechanically myself so couldn't pin point it sorry :-(

Not to sure on when the cam belt was changed last , would it run lumpy or just not run right . Don't know anyone with vcds to check things over .

If you have a laptop you can download the software for free "VCDS lite" and get an interface cable from e-bay for around £8-10. Plenty of guides on how to check the torsion value.

 

On a side note if you don't have any documented history of when the cam belt was done I'd strongly suggest you get it booked in asap as they need doing every 4 years or 60k. It should have been done at least once, twice if the service schedule has been stuck to but people often overlook such things. 

If you have a laptop you can download the software for free "VCDS lite" and get an interface cable from e-bay for around £8-10. Plenty of guides on how to check the torsion value.

 

On a side note if you don't have any documented history of when the cam belt was done I'd strongly suggest you get it booked in asap as they need doing every 4 years or 60k. It should have been done at least once, twice if the service schedule has been stuck to but people often overlook such things.

It has full service history but theres no actual documents to prove it has been changed . Well nothing in the servive book .

I'll sort out getting vcds lite right away .

I'm running a 06 vrs standard apart from air filter. Much of my commute is similar to yours and I average 47-54 mpg. To me there seems something a miss but still learning mechanically myself so couldn't pin point it sorry :-(

No worries mate . At least I know something is definitely not right .

What they all said, and check the fault codes for things along the line of "Coolant temperature sensor - implausible value" since these cars have a 2-channel sensor and the guage could read right but the EMS be getting a "not warmed up" signal.

Are you talking mpg as in you have worked it out on fuel used yourself?

 

Or just going by your trip computer?As these can be inaccurate. 

 

As above, fill it and reset trip mileage, run it right down and refill then work out your true mpg from fuel used

Clean EGR,check MAF values with VCDS

What they all said, and check the fault codes for things along the line of "Coolant temperature sensor - implausible value" since these cars have a 2-channel sensor and the guage could read right but the EMS be getting a "not warmed up" signal.

Can this be plugged in using vcds only or can I use my snap on machine ?

Are you talking mpg as in you have worked it out on fuel used yourself?

 

Or just going by your trip computer?As these can be inaccurate. 

 

As above, fill it and reset trip mileage, run it right down and refill then work out your true mpg from fuel used

Im just going by the trip computer . I managed to get 42.9 mpg average on the way to work this morning , but I was driving like a grandad though .

Can this be plugged in using vcds only or can I use my snap on machine ?

My garage managed to diagnose a faulty CTS using a SnapOn. Confirmation given by rubbish mpg now I've had the car back from a protracted VOR due to a part being factory order long enought to get a consumption.

 

Also, the trip computer is usually optomistic in any consumption mode except "available range".

My garage managed to diagnose a faulty CTS using a SnapOn. Confirmation given by rubbish mpg now I've had the car back from a protracted VOR due to a part being factory order long enought to get a consumption.

 

Also, the trip computer is usually optomistic in any consumption mode except "available range".

Sorry don't mean to sound stupid , whats cts ?