Which engine?

[guitarman001]

I'll check that thread, thank you. 

 

Thank heavens it's not just me. Nobody else noticed it so it felt like I was a tuning fork getting hit at the right resonant frequency. 

[Warrior193]

It's an odd thing, but my understanding is that the alternator is supposed to go into regenerative mode, recovering energy when the vehicle is "coasting" I don't feel this happening with my Octavia - and I don't see any mention of this from other drivers either. I would have assumed that this regenerative braking would give some, even if only slight, sensation of "engine braking" while it is happening, but mine feels like it's just freewheeling (ie. coasting in neutral) unless I change down. Does anyone have any information to indicate if this regenerative braking only occurs when the brake pedal is actually pressed?

My Octavia is manual GB.     

[guitarman001]

I think as long as the motor is spinning you get energy back, sort of like a boost converter? I might be wrong but I don't think you have to actually be breaking? Let me know!

[themanwithnoaim]

Might be wrong but, I don't believe there is any electrical regeneration under breaking, the engines do manage alternator charging thereby, reducing engine load to reduce consumption.

 

Although, I vaugely recall some talk of it in a sales brochure, I dismissed it instantly as bull.

[skippy41]

Could I safely say that the 1.4 DSG 150 , is the one to go for????? without the need to worry about the DSG box

[Dempsek]

I am biased, and I would say yes and my reason is the 1.4DSG has performance, economy and affordabilty.

 

Around town I get 38mpg with 2 to 4 up and on a long run between 46 and 52mpg, these mpgs are not that different to my 1.6tdi manual Fabia estate.

 

 

[Gerrycan]

As Warrior193 says there is very little engine braking compared to say to my previous 1.9d diesel.

Descending into Adelaide from the hills there is a 3km drop with about 10% gradient. Laden trucks are obligated to restrict speeds by use of engine braking, all diesel trucks are fitted with a valve lifter so the engine wastes inertial energy by just pumping air (known as 'air brakes' and very noisy).

I have to use 2nd and 3rd gears in the 1.4tsi to restrict speed to the limits and even then I have to continually dab at the brakes. Never had to do that to this extent on any previous vehicle of any type (manual or automatic, diesel or petrol).

I've even put on the air conditioner to improve 'engine braking' but that works for only a short while.

[Warrior193]

On 4/2/2017 at 19:15, skippy41 said:

Could I safely say that the 1.4 DSG 150 , is the one to go for????? without the need to worry about the DSG box

Yes I'd say a very good choice - but consider optioning the paddle shift unless you intend to leave it in auto mode all the time. I test drove a DSG before ordering my Octavia, I usually prefer shifting for myself unless I have a hire car in the US - but personally I didn't like shifting the DSG in manual mode as I think that moving the stick forward to change up just feels wrong. This wouldn't be a problem with paddles, and is probably the only reservation on my final choice.    

[Warrior193]

Skoda do make particular mention about these vehicles being "Micro Hybrids" with re-generative braking, but if it is actually enabled (and working correctly) I can't feel it.

[flybynite]

These cars basically manage the charging of the battery by controlling when the alternator kicks in.

 

When you are 'driving' and need power and/or economy it will stop the alternator charging,  removing the alternator load on the engine. On the over-run or when braking it makes use of the 'free energy' by turning the alternator on for this portion where the alternator load does not have a detrimental effect on the performance or use fuel.

 

If the battery is full, it won't kick the alternator in at all. If you are draining the battery with lights etc it may charge continually. It is actually quite smart.

 

What you are not going to feel is the effect a normal alternator will have on a tonne of slowing car via a glorified fan belt, no matter what it does.

 

On some cars, especially older cars you could hear the revs dip as you turned lights on, but that is not going to have an obvious effect when you are driving. It has been done to generate advertising fodder and get an extra tenth for the emissions. I would be surprised if anyone feels it in the real world. I certainly haven't.

 

These cars coast like no cars I have had before, even with 4x4 dragging it down there is no engine braking on my 1.8 even in normal mode, unless you drop at least 2 gears.

 

[guitarman001]

Just a note on economy. 

I filled up about 2 weeks ago... 

 

46.88 litres at the pump (10.31 gallons). £53.40. 

20 or so miles left on the trip computer. 

 

Managed 486.3 miles on that with ~40 miles to go on the computer... so add 20 miles (roughly) to take me back to the 20 miles I had left when I filled up --> 506.3 miles. 

Just filled up again, 46.13 litres, £52.54.  

 

MPG since re-fuel showing at 49.8mpg. 

Actual = (506.3/10.31) = 49.1mpg going by those numbers unless I've done it wrong. 

So it's pretty much bang on, unlike Honda whose cars apparently exaggerate the economy numbers on the trip computer. 

 

Not bad! 

It's also almost bang on what Honest John reports, which was also super accurate for my old Focus, so I'd always check out Honest John if you want proper economy numbers. 

 

I do 50 miles a day plus a little travel at weekends so just over two tanks, or approx £125 or so a month for fuel. That's pretty good out of a petrol... for the sake of another 10-15 mpg from a diesel (and considering diesel cost and uncertainty right now) I think an extra £30 or so in my case for a petrol is well justified, especially how well the TSi engine drives. 

 

Brilliant!

Note I don't hammer it and 40 out of 50 miles is bypass / motorway.

Edited 24 May, 2017 by guitarman001

[gregoir]

I do not understand why you think you need to add any miles.

Start with a full tank. Note the mileage. Drive. Fill up tank. Note the mileage done since filling up.

Divide miles done by fuel used (in gallons) to get the mpg.

[guitarman001]

You're right.

So 486.3 miles and filled up 46.13l (10.14 gallons) so 48mpg.. so a 4% overestimate on the computer..

[gregoir]

Excellent . I can always get up to 50mpg on long trips sticking to the mandatory 50mph and 70mph limits on motorways. Speed makes a big difference. I got an exceptional indicated 60.5mpg over 200miles with lots of 50mph motorway speed restrictions. My current overall mpg (indicated) since I got the car is also 48mpg.

[howells]

Slightly off the original topic, but I have an Octavia L&K Estate 1.8 petrol DSG (2016). When I am going down a reasonably steep hill which needs some braking to keep the speed down, the car will drop a gear and the sudden extra drag is very noticeable! (I am talking here about the lower gears, e.g. dropping from 5th to 4th, or 4th to 3rd)

 

I have also found out recently that if I am (on overrun) going down a moderate hill and the car is slowly gaining speed, then a brief press on the brake pedal will 'give the car a hint' and it will drop down a gear and remain in that lower gear. In practice, this is a very useful trait once you get used to 'playing' the DSG gearbox. Cheers, Mike.

[gregoir]

55mpg indicated Derbyshire to a hot Edinburgh via M1. About 275 miles and slow in places. The air conditioning was effective as well.

[gregoir]

55mpg indicated Derbyshire to a hot Edinburgh via M1. About 275 miles and slow in places. The air conditioning was effective as well.

[dunc69]

 

On 25/05/2017 at 20:23, howells said:

Slightly off the original topic, but I have an Octavia L&K Estate 1.8 petrol DSG (2016). When I am going down a reasonably steep hill which needs some braking to keep the speed down, the car will drop a gear and the sudden extra drag is very noticeable! (I am talking here about the lower gears, e.g. dropping from 5th to 4th, or 4th to 3rd)

 

I have also found out recently that if I am (on overrun) going down a moderate hill and the car is slowly gaining speed, then a brief press on the brake pedal will 'give the car a hint' and it will drop down a gear and remain in that lower gear. In practice, this is a very useful trait once you get used to 'playing' the DSG gearbox. Cheers, Mike.

I get the same effect coming down a long, steep hill on my way home every day. It's a 50 mph zone and the DSG dropping a cog or two is very helpful. 

 

A very clever gearbox. Love it. 

Edited 27 May, 2017 by dunc69

[gregoir]

Return journey 55mpg calculated full to full, albeit in much cooler weather, 13C rather than up to 28C. Impressive.

[guitarman001]

Grégoire our numbers are near identical. The engine is brilliant.

[themanwithnoaim]

Hmmmm, I did some of this stuff once,  it was interesting, not as much fun as my usual style of driving though so, I didn't do it again.

[gregoir]

I wasn't  doing less than the posted speed limits and gave it some wellie on a favourite road the A701, southwards to Moffat. Getting a bit broken up in places nowadays, but great fun still. Sticking to less than an indicated 75mph on the motorway helps mpg a lot. 55mpg overall , including using the Cat and Fiddle road, and definitely not a deliberate  "economy run".

[Gerrycan]

8 hours ago, gregoir said:

I wasn't  doing less than the posted speed limits and gave it some wellie on a favourite road the A701, southwards to Moffat. Getting a bit broken up in places nowadays, but great fun still. Sticking to less than an indicated 75mph on the motorway helps mpg a lot. 55mpg overall , including using the Cat and Fiddle road, and definitely not a deliberate  "economy run".

If I drove in my 1.4tsi as you described I would not quite get your consumption, probably 5-7 mpg less unless I can get a beneficial factor:

A reasonable tailwind; incidental slip-streaming from other steady but fast moving traffic on the motorway; net loss in height from a to b; forced slow steady speed areas (road works); an optimistic speedo can contribute (an indicated 75 is likely a true 70?).

There are other factors but it is equally easy to get much worse consumption, especially with some enthusiastic driving on a gorgeous twisting, rolling country road with lots of braking and accelerating.

The current crop of turbo petrol engines from the VW group seem particularly efficient, especially the smaller ones and I note that many  of the other manufacturers have developed similar low boost turbo engines so it is a recognised reference.

I'm sure the new VAG generation with ACT and variable geometry turbo will be even more efficient but their complexity now worries me a little, especially as our family tend to keep cars beyond the warranty period.

 

 

[Geek42]

Went away for a week with the roof box on. Pootling around some up and down twisties in North Wales during the week (and I was pootling as we were often with friends in convoy) I was showing low 50's on the maxidot (means ~50mpg in reality).

 

Coming home 4 up, fully loaded and wanting to get back I managed 37mpg on the maxidot (means ~35 in reality).

 

Pretty much a full summary of the expected performance in one holiday there!

[gregoir]

Thank you. For the first time ever I have been on the wrong side with claiming excellent mpg from my car. For 45 years I've had to contend with those glaikit wee scunners claiming 50%  better mpg than me.