MKIII VRS TDI drivers getting more than 55Mpg...how do you drive?!

[davitc]

So I saw the similar thread and thought what a good idea.

 

This is a regular 55MPG over a  tank full not on one journey or special circumstance by the way.

 

I've over 20 fills now and I have about 42MPG calculated  manually. This is 90% Stop/Start or urban with the occasional 100+ mile trip mixed on Motorway and open A road.

[Czechers]

Not 55mpg, but I am averaging a steady 50mpg. There are things I do that I feel improve fuel economy; some obvious, others not. Some practical, others not.

Ensure tyre pressures are checked regularly.

Avoid heavy acceleration and braking; leave a decent sized gap to the car in front, and also watch the car in front of the car in front.

Plan journeys to avoid sitting in queues; e.g. I will drive through town if I leave work late as it's the shortest route and I know it will be fairly quiet, but if leaving work in rush hour I take the bypass as the traffic moves better.

Don't let the start/stop kick in if you know you'll only be stopped for less than 10 seconds, conversely let it kick in immediately if you expect to be at a halt for more than 30 seconds.

If you see a set of traffic lights has just turned to red, then there's no rush so gently coast towards them.

On a warm day (if in a secure car park) leave a window slightly open to reduce buildup of heat in the car and high demand on the climate control.

Ensure you aren't carry unnecessary weight; take large or heavy loads out of the car if they're not needed for that journey.

Don't make unnecessarily short journeys; as long as the weather is ok I prefer to walk if going any distance of less than a mile.

Don't speed! Not only is doing 90mph+ against the law, it's also bad for fuel economy.

[mk4gtiturbo]

Up until recently I was doing a 78 mile commute each day, mostly up the A3.  I noticed the car was more economical at 70-80 over 60-70, t seems to like it there!!

 

My average over 40k miles is below

[johnrowley]

Hi

I too find it more economical at around 70 to 75 . I usually do around 1000 miles per week for work, I'm a rep , mainly motorways and traffic jams ! Usually get around 55 over a tankful but has been as high as 62 on some trips. Though yesterday a spirited drive through North Yorkshire sales and up the a68 in sport and enjoying the car got it down to 42! Must try harder

[WayTooTall]

For a straight motorway cruise, I find putting into ECO and drive around 75 gives good MPG.

 

Other tips

 

Put the maxidot onto current mpg, and see how a taking a little pressure of the accelerator can give a boost to your mpg while not affecting speed that much (checking that the speed is again constant).

Look ahead to see what is coming up and manoeuvre in plenty of time so that you don't have to brake.

As said above, If you do need to slow down, coast not brake, if safe to do so, to let the energy recovery systems get the energy, rather than heat in the brake discs.

Try and keep the car at a constant speed. Don't be accelerating then braking, or accelerating then coasting

[Mence]

46 overall, I'm happy with it, that's driving fairly 'briskly'

Edited 15 August, 2016 by Mence

[Orville]

You'll need to strip out the interior, fit skinny wheels and go on a diet to average 55mpg on anything other than very flat empty roads.

[Gerrycan]

I'm not sure there is anyone getting an average of 55mpg? The highest one I remember of those publishing their results (Fuelly or similar in signature) is Gabbo at 52mpg.

 

Anyone getting close to the requirement will be doing a decent distance (at least 10 miles or more) each trip and without being too silly with the throttle.

I am curious though that a couple above have said that they get the best economy at 70mph or more where you would think that 50mph would offer up to 30% better consumption.

Does 'pootling' around clog up the DPF and force regens actually resulting in worse consumption than driving at higher speeds?

 

When I had my mk2 1.9d (non-DPF) and was forced to stick to our local urban speed limit of 60kph on some longer flat roads then I'd amuse myself by sticking it in top gear and seeing how close to 90mpg I could maintain. It was doable  but the thought of trying to maintain that sort of speed/consumption for a whole 60 litre tank on the open road would require a special sort of insanity.

 

Just for the record when I do the 60 kph thing in my 1.4tsi then I get about 80mpg.

Edited 15 August, 2016 by Gerrycan

[WayTooTall]

I know for me, I get seem to get better economy in ECO towards 80mph, rather than 70mph.  

 

I would expect at 50 it would be loads better, but the point was more than the engine seems more efficient at 77mph than 70mph.

 

I wonder if that is because the turbo is beginning to add a bit more benefit.

[davitc]

Loving the comments, keep them coming.

 

I can see 54MPG on a single 18mile journey  to work and that is mostly 40MPH zones. On journey home it is more like 45MPG IF I'm lucky due to traffic and this is 50% 40 and 70MPH roads. Totaling all the mileage up since bought the car on a spread sheet rather than using the inbuilt computer which is about 2MPG out by the looks of it.

 

I didn't get the vRS to be economical by any shot but I've seen so many high MPG's reported jus had too ask the question.

 

But defo true that stop start traffic is not good for the DPF or Fuel consumption, I used to be lucky and see 34MPG on a certain route home   that's not much different from the V8 Range Rover I used to own.

Edited 15 August, 2016 by davitc

[WayTooTall]

Another one. Reduce how much you use Cruise Control or Adaptive Cruise. While they aren't bad at fuel economy, they just aren't as smooth and efficient at a driver can be who is looking at the current conditions.

 

e.g. CC set to 75mph and it goes downhill will limit itself to that top speed, while without you may let the car gain speed to 80+ and then coast a bit when either going uphill or on the flat.

 

My main use of ACC is average speed camera zones.

[Gerrycan]

I would not be too critical of cruise control especially with diesel as I reckon the VW/Skoda version is better than a lot of drivers at maintaining a suitable throttle setting for a given speed.

One less distraction not having to look at the speedo improves anticipation of traffic and general safety.

 

My tip would be using adversity to your advantage especially if highway traffic is fairly heavy:

For instance if the general flow is a bit slower than you really want then you can burn an awful lot of fuel for little gain surging into gaps. Just settle back, relax, keep it smooth and get sucked along by every one else.

Where traffic is even slower then DSG owners might like to try the freewheel function in Eco mode. You are often better off coasting than maintaining a low speed at higher revs than tick over. Put the display in instantaneous consumption and see how good consumption can be even when coasting at speeds as low as 20 or 30 mph.

[Neily03]

 You are often better off coasting than maintaining a low speed at higher revs than tick over. Put the display in instantaneous consumption and see how good consumption can be even when coasting at speeds as low as 20 or 30 mph.

 

Can't as when in Eco and it's coasting the instantaneous screen on the maxidot just says "Coasting" and doesn't show the MPG....

 

[Gerrycan]

Can't as when in Eco and it's coasting the instantaneous screen on the maxidot just says "Coasting" and doesn't show the MPG....

Really? I have a manual so did not expect that.

Well if you put display in L/100 then when stationary the display will (should) display static consumption in L/hour.

My car is about 0.5L/Hour with no ancillaries running so coasting at just 30 kph is about 170mpg.

[WayTooTall]

Can't as when in Eco and it's coasting the instantaneous screen on the maxidot just says "Coasting" and doesn't show the MPG....

 

I would read that as using no fuel. On my car I just get --- when coasting.

[Neily03]

I would read that as using no fuel. On my car I just get --- when coasting.

Nope, when coasting the clutch is dipped so the engine is using fuel to idle.

[SuperbTWM]

Nope, when coasting the clutch is dipped so the engine is using fuel to idle.

under certain circumstances like short run ups to roundabouts I think coasting will be less efficient due to the fuel used at idle rather than using engine braking. The only way to get the benefit from coasting is if you coast a lot longer distance in comparison. Just my thoughts and opinion of course.

[Gerrycan]

under certain circumstances like short run ups to roundabouts I think coasting will be less efficient due to the fuel used at idle rather than using engine braking. The only way to get the benefit from coasting is if you coast a lot longer distance in comparison. Just my thoughts and opinion of course.

I would agree with you and probably the reason so many report getting better consumption in sport than Eco mode.

Coasting benefits are dictated by circumstances and the skill/knowledge of the driver.

On a hot day running the aircon will have substantial effect on consumption at slow speeds and relatively low impact at motorway speeds.

My 30 kph coasting scenario consumption reduces to 100mpg if the air com is operating .

[Neily03]

under certain circumstances like short run ups to roundabouts I think coasting will be less efficient due to the fuel used at idle rather than using engine braking. The only way to get the benefit from coasting is if you coast a lot longer distance in comparison. Just my thoughts and opinion of course.

 

Totally agree, thats why i never use Eco

[TDIum]

Lets face it chaps, we didn't get a VRS TDI hoping to get 70+mpg did we? 

 

After a week driving around in ECO-mode I got about 5% better fuel economy so I soon gave that up. I do still use ECO-mode on motorway journeys but for this I also use manual-mode on the DSG to prevent the dreaded coasting. I am convinced that ECO mode softens the engine mapping - not just the accelerator pedal - and this will help prevent the DPF from clogging up in the long term, but I have no proof of this. 

[SC03OTT]

I can't understand how using ECO on the motorway can be giving any benefit. A steady, high speed surely means that the reduced throttle response and air con benefits are basically nil.

[TDIum]

Agreed, there should be no difference on a steady throttle. 

[KarlO3V5]

I've seen in the 60s with some hard core Hypermiling but it takes the joy out of driving it. I'll get my go pro set up again and put another video together of it.

 

Think my average is about 43 on the car but then its been known for me to drive a little "spirited"

[KarlO3V5]

I can't understand how using ECO on the motorway can be giving any benefit. A steady, high speed surely means that the reduced throttle response and air con benefits are basically nil.

 

I cant stand the eco mode. Makes driving a speed a ****! Every time you get of the throttle the revs die to idle - then when you need to accelerate it lurches the car when it picks back up again. Lasted about a week then put it in normal. 

[WayTooTall]

I can't understand how using ECO on the motorway can be giving any benefit. A steady, high speed surely means that the reduced throttle response and air con benefits are basically nil.

 

Maybe there is more the different modes than just throttle response. It just seems to settle into a groove that bit better than Sport mode does. Could also be that in Sport Mode, the car is expecting you to stomp the accelerator at any time, and keeps that car "ready" for that, but in ECO it doesn't do that.