Hello all,

I am trying to find out what is a reasonable fuel economy figure to expect from a 2004 Skoda Fabia VRS. I am currently getting 45mpg on a longer run and it makes little difference if I drive as economically as possible or just make normal progress.

Motorways at 70 mph will see around 52mpg max.

The car has been well serviced and has had MAF sensor and coolant sensor changed for genuine items which were the first things I read about affecting fuel economy. I have also checked the timing and its spot on 0 degrees when checked with vag com.

Tyres are all up to recommended pressures and no drag from the brakes. 

Does anyone know of anything else to check as I've heard people getting 60+mpg from these cars on a run and I've never seen more than 53mpg. 

Should also mention EGR has been cleaned and blanked off

Thanks

Rear brakes binding? 

I have checked them over and definitely not binding anymore than they should be. Had new callipers not long ago on the rear

Wheel alignment?

I did have this done recently and the car tracks perfectly with no uneven tyre wear.

My experience....

 

Long term average according to trip computer is in the 47-48MPG mark. Best strategy I came up with is to keep to 60-65 and creep up on lorries (cruise control helps keep the demon right foot out of it). Pass lorries at 75 if possible, then back to 65. If the road is clear I prefer to go faster ratrher than have more MPG.

 

Best trip was in Summer, over 10 years ago, with 26 degree air temp. 80 miles around the M25 netted average of 62MPG.

 

You're asking at the wrong time of year. Cold weather increases cold warm up significantly. Winter diesel recipes have less energy per gallon than at warmer times.

 

Despite your cam timing, you could maybe fiddle with it to improve matters. Though according to the one article I read you know you can't get better when it won't start.

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&title=Big-Changes-from-Tiny-Adjustments&A=112521

 

J.

Thanks vindaloo thats a very interesting article. Will have a play with the timing I think and see if I can improve things.

Since the weather has got colder I've not noticed the economy dropping other than the longer warm up time obviously.

I have a well serviced 2005 VRS and if I drive it like a nun then I can get 50 mpg if I drive it like I stole it then I get 45 mpg

 

My opinion therefore is enjoy the performance otherwise what the point in having a VRS and forget about the economy

Ah well I just thought it was possible to see higher mpg as lots of people seem to be claiming. 

One of the reasons I bought the VRS was the blend of performance, reliability and fuel economy. Its not exactly bad at 45mpg but still not as good as I was hoping.

Pretty sure it should be more like 60mpg. I know a lot of people get around 45 but theres probably a lot of VRS with issues out there. maybe i've always just driven very economically

 

on my pd100 i'm currently getting around 60 but i think it's needs a good clean out of the intake etc and brakes checking over.  my pd130 hasn't seen a lot of use but seemed to get at least 55mpg on short and fast drives. This is an ibiza but it is much the same just a bit lighter

Edited 9 January, 20188 yr by corndog

No matter how gently or constantly I drive I can't see any more than about 53 on the motorway. Im struggling to think of any other parts which could be at fault. Going to play about with the timing and see how that affects things.

Out of my modified vRS I averaged around 45-50mpg with mixed driving.

 

Have seen a real 72mpg when driving up to snetterton for a track day following my mate his in ford ranger. 

 

As said before it's best to wait for warmer weather then see what your getting.

1 minute ago, stevobeavo said:

Out of my modified vRS I averaged around 45-50mpg with mixed driving.

 

Have seen a real 72mpg when driving up to snetterton for a track day following my mate his in ford ranger. 

 

As said before it's best to wait for warmer weather then see what your getting.

Back in the summer I was getting pretty similar economy and Its been fairly consistent so whilst I know it will be lower in winter it's never been great.

No being funny but don't believe everything you read on the internet, people quote what they see on the dash display as MPG which can be accurate or wildly inaccurate, you need to do tank to tank fill ups every time to get a more accurate measurement, whenever I see MPG figures mentioned and its from the onboard display I just chuckle and move onto the next thread.

 

I've owned my VRS for 9 years and been doing tank to tank fill ups for the whole time and recording the results, the figures are:

 

                       Best    Worst    Average

Std                 51.5      43.5         48.2

Remapped   53.6      40.3         48.5

GTB1756      62.8      42.6         49.9

 

 

^ Good info.

Might be worth searching on Fuelly or Spritmonitor to see what data there may be on either/both of those for the mk1 vRS.  Probably the best real-world info resources for mpg. Just make sure you select the right measuring units, i.e. UK rather than US gallons etc.

Yes I did wonder how accurate the dash display was. I tracked about 10 fill ups and they were actually above what the display was telling me by 0.5-1 mpg. 

I did a run the other night over 30 miles or so, on A- roads driving hard when it was clear and otherwise dawdling along at 50-60mph behind the traffic until an overtake was possible. Managed 45mpg still which is what I would get on the same run if I drove very conservatively.

Here's an annotated screenshot from Spritmonitor.de; covers 76 vRS's.

 

thanks for that wino, my long term average is about 43.8 over the last 8000 miles. That seems quite a way off the 'average' 48mpg which is showing on there.

 

3 hours ago, fabjrs said:

thanks for that wino, my long term average is about 43.8 over the last 8000 miles. That seems quite a way off the 'average' 48mpg which is showing on there.

 

 

Possible that your ECT sensor or the fuel temperature sensor has drifted out of spec. this usually leads to increased fuel consumption, it can also be the MAF.

Thanks sep, yes I've already changed the mat for a Bosch one, and the coolant sensor which I assume is the ECT?

Not sure where fuel temp sensor would be, is it the one mounted near the head in the fuel lines or is that a pressure sensor?

8 hours ago, fabjrs said:

Thanks sep, yes I've already changed the mat for a Bosch one, and the coolant sensor which I assume is the ECT?

Not sure where fuel temp sensor would be, is it the one mounted near the head in the fuel lines or is that a pressure sensor?

 

It's in the fuel filter housing, a plug connects it to the ECU.

On 09/01/2018 at 17:37, Jasonpaul71 said:

I have a well serviced 2005 VRS and if I drive it like a nun then I can get 50 mpg if I drive it like I stole it then I get 45 mpg

 

My opinion therefore is enjoy the performance otherwise what the point in having a VRS and forget about the economy

 

 

It was the same in my jeep patriot with the VAG 1.9 TD duse pump (spelling). 

Wow you got 50mpg out of a jeep! thats quite impressive

I have a PD100 Estate and carrying crap around but with decent tyres get around 45-50mpg easily but it goes to the 60s when I'm on the motorway for long journeys

I commute about 40 mile each way for work, 54 plate vrs. 

10 mile a roads 

25ish mile motorway (60 limit) 

Then rest a roads. 

 

Trip computer is usually between 52 and 54 on way there. 

Same journey back with the 60 motorway limit again I get 57 - 59.