Skoda petrol consumption poor

[Morgana]

23 hours ago, Offski said:

& a few years back it was 140 pence a litre, then 100 pence and even 99, then, 110 & now 130 pence.

 

???

Is it a manual 1.6 petrol you have?

 

If you have an Auto you do have a Tiptronic gearbox. 

In your OP you wondered if it was 'stuck in sport'.

 

*Has that Air Filter been looked at yet.  Dirty air filters increase fuel consumption.*

As to the 'tiptronic' gearbox it did not have a Service Schedule / Guidelines for a ATF change, and maybe now some do change it.

No not a manual, an automatic gearbox. I think it is a Tiptronic gearbox after all. Interesting that you note an ATF change. I'm not sure if that has ever been done, even on a full service. But will ask the engineer who did the service. From what I've read online, it seems this can also be a cause.   

 

Heater on yesterday on the daily drag to the hospital... slight 'burning' funny sort of smell coming from the heater for a while. Although I was in a queue of traffic at the time, wondered if it was was the car in front. Just wondering. Heater hasn't been used for a long time!  But the AC has been used a lot over the summer, so fan on a lot. 

 

Also note the air filter might need a change... thank you for the pointer.

Edited 21 September, 2018 by Morgana

[Morgana]

All these checks are just going to have to wait until I have time to take the car to the garage. I don't have a lot of time to do anything at the moment, what with my Dad being in hospital. Hopefully next week. Still doing the fuel mpg test as recommended by yourselves. I've only done 30 miles urban so far! To the hospital and back. :( 

Edited 21 September, 2018 by Morgana

[Ootohere]

All the best and best wishes for your Dad.

 

Do not bother with the Tiptronic fluid that is unlikely to be an issue, it will not increase the fuel consumption if the gears are changing smoothly.

 

Just the Air Filter checked or replaced when you can, where you had the car should have done that. 5 minutes while the bonnet was open.

Later see about the Spark Plugs getting replaced.

[Morgana]

Thanks Offski. Will do so asap. 

 

The outside of the gearbox fluid is so dirty I cannot see the level in it. Doesn't look like it has ever been touched while I've had the car, for over two years.

 

I would take it for a run up the M6 for an hour and back if I had the chance.. the M6 here in South Cheshire, is being made into a 'smart' motorway and traffic is very slow ATM.

Edited 21 September, 2018 by Morgana

[shyVRS245]

On ‎17‎/‎09‎/‎2018 at 17:31, Morgana said:

Hi and thanks for all the replies!   So i'm currently doing what Xman suggests, and have been and  filled my car up to the click.. Ummm, £45 ouch!  I put £40 in last Saturday!

 

Anyway, it's filled to the full up click. I will drive it around for a bit (Is a 14-mile journey enough?) and then will go back and fill it up again to the click, and see how much fuel goes in back up to the full mark - is that the right way to do this? 

 

I don't think my fuel gauge is that accurate either - however, I know I'm using a lot more petrol than I normally would, and not going anywhere different. It's not cold weather, the tyre pressures and all that have been checked. I know the price of petrol is ridiculous ATM, but I've noticed I'm putting a lot more in the tank, and running low a lot sooner, and have been for quite a while. The long journey on Sat tipped me off on this, but I already suspected it.  

 

I will update you on the topic when I have the true mpg figures. It should be doing at least 45mpg (on a longish run, unladen, two people) as that's what it was doing before this latest problem. I reckon it's doing around 25-30mpg at the most right now. 

Good job you don't run an Octavia Vrs245 then. Filled on Sunday £51 and then 3 days later another £49.

[Ootohere]

There was no 'Service Schedule or Guidelines for the Tiptronic having fluid changes when they were launched, then i heard it was 100,000 ,miles, then on forums 60,000 miles,.

and many will never of had anything done.

 

If interested ask Skoda UK and they can ask the Tech Department then they can confirm they have no idea really.  They are after all just another Communications Manager.

http://skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us

 

[Morgana]

Still doing the hospital runs.. 30 miles there and back again... and likely to be doing so for a while. I'm up to 60-odd miles on the trip now...but all urban miles so far. 

If it isn't the level crossings, or the road works (road work season here!), or the congestion/grid lock at rush hour times... there is always something which stops you from getting a good run. it's very frustrating! 

 

If I take it to 100 miles urban motoring and then fill back up to the click, will that do? I wonder if urban miles will give a reading?  Obviously it will be less mpg for a mixture of urban and motorway, but would it be enough to indicate MPG? Or do I need to go and get a good long run in. The chances are pretty slim I will be able to do that for a while. 

[xman]

If you are stood for a while at level crossing, you can save a fair bit of fuel by turning the engine off. Hopefully you don't wait at these or traffic lights while in D, with foot on brake. At least put it in N.

 

100 miles will be reasonable, probably give you a figure that is ± 5%, your recent pattern gives you an urban type consumption

Edited 25 September, 2018 by xman

[Morgana]

Thanks for that, Xman... Up to 80-odd miles now... but all urban. 

 

The level crossing in my village is an absolute pain. Often waiting for two trains going in opposite directions at the same time. Waiting time around 10 minutes, sometimes more. I always put it into P and turn off the engine. Also put it in N when idling at traffic lights, or in a slow moving traffic jam. 

 

ETA... and it's roadworks season once again!  

Edited 26 September, 2018 by Morgana

[Morgana]

Ok! So I've done 114.6 miles and filled it back up to the click. It took 14.26 litres to fill it again. That's mostly urban, although I did do a quick 15 miles on the duel carriageway at a decent speed this afternoon. I will take it back to the garage tomorrow and let them do the maths!!

 

[shyVRS245]

1 minute ago, Morgana said:

Ok! So I've done 114.6 miles and filled it back up to the click. It took 14.26 litres to fill it again. That's mostly urban, although I did do a quick 15 miles on the duel carriageway at a decent speed this afternoon. I will take it back to the garage tomorrow and let them do the maths!!

 

That's 3.14gallons and an average of 36.5mpg.

[Morgana]

1 minute ago, shyVRS245 said:

That's 3.14gallons and an average of 36.5mpg.

Thanks, Shy.... that's not bad for mostly urban driving I suppose.  I wish I could do this test on a longer, faster run... but not a hope at the moment while my Dad is in hospital... I need to go almost every day and just gathering strength for the next hospital run on the days I don't go. 

[shyVRS245]

4 minutes ago, Morgana said:

Thanks, Shy.... that's not bad for mostly urban driving I suppose.  I wish I could do this test on a longer, faster run... but not a hope at the moment while my Dad is in hospital... I need to go almost every day and just gathering strength for the next hospital run on the days I don't go. 

Yeah when my wife uses my car for her 26mile commute she averages 33mpg due to the time of day and therefore volume of traffic taking her an hour so average speed of only 26mph, but my commute is the same distance yet I usually average over 40mpg with an average speed of 43mph for comparison.

[shyVRS245]

9 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

Yeah when my wife uses my car for her 26mile commute she averages 33mpg due to the time of day and therefore volume of traffic taking her an hour so average speed of only 26mph, but my commute is the same distance yet I usually average over 40mpg with an average speed of 43mph for comparison.

Recent example on our return from Sandown on the Isle of Wight. Not bad for a 300bhp car!

[Ootohere]

Just shows that a 1.6 petrol with not much power and a automatic pre DSG & totally practical can do pretty good economy as a commuter.

Especially  if compared to 1.0 & 1.5 TSI's even the latest with Cylinder deactivation.

Cars can be bought as keepers and run at less than the depreciation that you get of driving a new car away from a Dealers, or even for about 3 months lease costs of new cars.

 

[xman]

Nothing wrong with your car Morgana, don't give the garage an opportunity to prise money from your purse or worse, fiddle with your car and break it!! 

[Morgana]

Due for a winter service in November, thought I might bring that forwards maybe?

 

If I do get a chance to go a good distance, seeing as I've just filled up to the click again, can I repeat the test?

 

thanks for all your help, guys!   

Edited 26 September, 2018 by Morgana

[Ootohere]

Just leave filling up for another 250-300 miles, there must be enough fuel in the tank with the economy you are getting, and you have a low fuel warning anyway.

 

Unless there is  going to be a fuel shortage in the next couple of weeks, or a big price hike.

Mid October and Winter Fuel starts being delivered, and then that is a whole new thread, but the petrol or diesel in winter really does not affect economy, 

colder weather can warming up engines, but then once up to temp they run more efficiently.

That really is a big debate, every winter.....

[KenONeill]

@Morgana - You can repeat the "fill to the click and set trip to zero, drive a bit, refill to the click..." test as often as you like. I tend to do it every time I fill up.