MPG

[Mike_5041089]

I last posted this about 2 years ago, and it proved a popular thread then, so for the benefit of new 'vanners here we go again!

What's your outfit and MPG? Manufacturers produce Mickey Mouse fuel consumption solo figures, based on laboratory figures which bear little resemblance to real life. I'll kick off with our outfit - 1998 Peugeot 3.0 V6 auto estate pulling 1300Kg of 2004 Caravelair Eden achieves a solo 32MPG driven gently by she with the light right foot, at a steady cruise control of 55mph, about 20mpg towing, at 60mph, about 18mpg, and at 65mph+ less than 16mpg - all courtesy of onboard computer - what do you get?

 

[BOING]

mike

tdci mondeo 2 litre diesel 115 bhp

1993 elddis cyclone

car 1500kg

van 1300kg

87% ratio

car solo 61 mpg

van on back on cruise control=about 31 to 35 mpg

think that is good,whsat you think

 

[sparkes]

Mike

2002 Landrover Discovery 2.5 TD5 (my03)

2006 Bailey Senator Carolina

Car 2325kg with 250kg of people and things

Caravan 1800Kg (replated)

Match 87%

Car solo 31mpg. but i am far from heavy footed

Van on back 26-28mpg. No change with cruise on or off

Steve

 

[Rioja]

mike

tdci mondeo 2 litre diesel 115 bhp

1993 elddis cyclone

car 1500kg

van 1300kg

87% ratio

car solo 61 mpg

van on back on cruise control=about 31 to 35 mpg

think that is good,whsat you think

How can you drop by nearly 50% when towing ? Bit excessive !

 

[Steve L]

Mike.

Car - 1998 Renault Laguna 2 Ltr estate, 130 BHP, tow capacity 1300 Kgs (Renault manufacturer quote, and gross train checked on a weigh bridge)

Van - 1982 Link 575 20ft 4 berth twin axle. max weight 1360Kgs.

100% ratio so long as van is loaded 60 Kgs light.

Van load capacity 345Kgs max.

Car solo 41 Mpg (unleaded)

Towing 24 MPG ( without a wind defector on the roof of the car)

Towing 30 MPG with the deflector.

Using the Air con in the car makes no difference toMPG but having the windows open costs 3mpg solo and 2mpg towing.

No additional cooling fitted for water or oil. Use air con to activate first fan on radiator to keep engine temperature under control.

Can cruise all day at 60mph on motorway.

Steve.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

Car - 2003 Mercedes C270 CDI (5 speed automatic) bhp 183, torque 410 NM.

Caravan - 2005 Eriba Triton 410 (3 berth pop-top) MRO 800 kg, Max 1200 kg and typically we only load it to 850 or slightly more - saving 300+ kg of payload for the odd case of wine.

Ratio - 51% (the new C320 V6 CDI with 7 speed automatic gearbox, 225 bhp and 550 NM torque will be a 49% match)

Fuel Consumption Solo - Regular commute between Wendover and Rotterdam, last week I saw 52.7 mpg for the 300 mile journey (55+ mpg for the section in Europe, rather less for the wonderful traffic jams around the M25)

Fuel Consumption Towing - Last weekend away - from Cirencester to Wendover - 41.3 mpg - using the speed limiter to stop the car exceeding local speed limits rather than the cruise control

Robert

 

[RichardS1]

Mike

2005 Sorento auto diesel 30 solo, 22 towing.

2006 Senator Oklahoma 1500kg

Car carries while towing 2 adults, 2 kids and one ladrador I also have four bikes on the roof.

 

[BigRoy]

Good idea Mike

2001 Peugeot 406 2.0 HDI estate chippped to 125 BHP kerb weight 1380kg

2004 Elddis firestorm 505 MTPLM 1325kg

Solo 45 MPG

Towing 30 MPG

 

[cokey1970]

2005 Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDi Sport

2005 Bailey Ranger 470/4

I normally get around 45 mpg solo on an urban run and anywhere between 55 and 65 mpg solo on a run.

On a recent trip to Devon & Cornwall which was primarily motorway and dual carriageway, with a fully loaded car and van I was getting around 32 mpg.

 

[DavidW1]

I have an Isuzu 3.1TD which tows a Senator Oklahoma with loads of gear - I don't worry about MPG much and I wouldnt stop vanning even if it went to

 

[sue_5094052]

Hi Mike

2004 Skoda Octavia 110bhp 1.9 TDi 1450kg

2006 Ace Jubilee Envoy 1285kg MTPLM, 88%, though we would not run that heavy.

We get 50mpg when we're commuting and running around locally, and a minimum 60mpg on journeys. 70mpg is not unusual.

With the van on the back, we've got 36 - 38mpg on each of our 4 trips this summer, on a total distance of 1400 miles. I use cruise control whenever I can. Love it.

I am fairly light-footed.

Keith and Sue

 

[JohnW1]

I have an Isuzu 3.1TD which tows a Senator Oklahoma with loads of gear - I don't worry about MPG much and I wouldnt stop vanning even if it went to

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Hi Mike

2004 Skoda Octavia 110bhp 1.9 TDi 1450kg

2006 Ace Jubilee Envoy 1285kg MTPLM, 88%, though we would not run that heavy.

We get 50mpg when we're commuting and running around locally, and a minimum 60mpg on journeys. 70mpg is not unusual.

With the van on the back, we've got 36 - 38mpg on each of our 4 trips this summer, on a total distance of 1400 miles. I use cruise control whenever I can. Love it.

I am fairly light-footed.

Keith and Sue

Sue we have ordered an Ace Jubille Envoy (end bedroom) for 2007. No 2006 models available new. What do you think of it before we take delivery?

 

[BarryB_5039906]

Hi there

I find it strange that people can say they get 28 to 34 mpg (or whatever) when towing. When you do the calculations you arrive at a single value, or do they mean the towing figure varies between the two values?

I have owned several Discos over the years and towing figures have gone down from 25mpg to now 22mpg. This I think has been due to the increase in weight of our 'vans.

Our present 'van is a Buccanner Schooner loaded to between 1850 and 1900 kg, depending on the trip. We collected new V6 Disco in March with a computer trip showing mpg. I also did my usual calculations using tank to tank fill ups. This showed the computer to be accurate. With only 700 miles on the clock the first outing (300 miles)gave 18.6 mpg towing. I was not pleased and after much chuntering my wife asked if I would to trade the car in when we returned home........When I said no she replied well shut up then.....my wife being the realist hehehe. After about 400 miles running around Devon we moved to the Cotswolds and the mpg went up to 19.6

For the return home we improved again to 20.6mpg. Some weeks after another trip returned 21.9 mpg.

Overall I am now happy (and the wife is 'coz I am ). I would still hope for 30mpg next week as we are of to Italy.....but I know it will not happen. Years ago my father was thrilled when his Morris Oxford towing a ton of Welton got 21mpg at about 50mph, so with my 4.5 tonne outfit at 60mph I am OK.

What do other V6 Discos get?

Happy travels BarryB

 

[emmitdb]

Greetings,

Just got an Audi A6 Avant 2.5tdi with a multitronic box and cruise control. It kerbs at about 1675kgs

We tow a Lunar Lexon with a Max of 1400kgs.

On the way back from the continent last week (with the van and car full with gear and cheer!!!)I set the cruise at 50mph as we went up the hill out of Dover. We went up the M20, M26, M25 and M3 to its junction with the A303. At that point,(without me having turned off the cruise) I was getting 32mpg+ By the time I got home to Cornwall with a mixture of all road conditions it had reduced to 29+mpg.

I'm happy with that

 

[BrianStAlbans]

1997 Ford Maverick 2.7 tdi lwb 1875kg

2003 Elddis Firestorm 630 fb T/A 1650 kg

88% match

mpg towing = no idea, never measured

mpg solo = probably worse but frankly not bothered

Brian (",)

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

2000 VW Passat Estate

2004 Abbey GTS Vogue 217

92% match

m.p.g. towing - no idea

m.p.g. solo - no idea, I've never bothered to find out - when I mentally think that it's expensive between fill ups I will then begin to worry :O)

.... as long as I get from A to B safely and can afford to pay for the fuel I wont worry.

 

[BrianStAlbans]

Hi Lord B , nice to see you using the same on board computer that I use ;O).

When not towing the Maverick is used by my wife for her job and its running costs are paid for by way of a mileage allowance.

So our 4x4 is actually paid for by the NHS.

How many people can you upset in a single posting ;O)

answers below please.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Hi Lord B , nice to see you using the same on board computer that I use ;O).

When not towing the Maverick is used by my wife for her job and its running costs are paid for by way of a mileage allowance.

So our 4x4 is actually paid for by the NHS.

How many people can you upset in a single posting ;O)

answers below please.

Lmaooooo Brian. When I worked for the Ambulance Service sometimes I would work an extra shift at another station and I too got a mileage allowance - it was a nice little earner :O)

pssstttttt - just adding fuel to the flames Brian ;O)

 

[DavidW1]

Re. How many can you upset in one post: Well Brian I like a challenge - in a recent thread on Satnav it was stated by most that our speedos over read by up to 20% which would mean that any calculation of MPG based on the milometer is void.

Would the cars on board computer be similarly affected? Probably as they get their distance input from the same source.

No names but I think some of the posts stating that manufacturers purposely ensure that speedos over read are from the same people who are now claiming detailed MPG figures.

Another reason for not bothering to work out MPG I'd say, if indeed one is needed!

 

[gavin_5121842]

Re. How many can you upset in one post: Well Brian I like a challenge - in a recent thread on Satnav it was stated by most that our speedos over read by up to 20% which would mean that any calculation of MPG based on the milometer is void.

Would the cars on board computer be similarly affected? Probably as they get their distance input from the same source.

No names but I think some of the posts stating that manufacturers purposely ensure that speedos over read are from the same people who are now claiming detailed MPG figures.

Another reason for not bothering to work out MPG I'd say, if indeed one is needed!

2003 Honda CRV (petrol) 1999 Swift Alouette Solo -- glug glug With van on back -- glug,glug,glug,glug!!

 

[rob_jax]

Hi David,

Thought provoking point. Speedometers over-read by design, so why believe data taken from the odometer?

Some of it may be due to the fact that the dashboard display says "52.7 mpg" and it's some sort of computer, so it must be right?

Well I know the speedo is optimistic, but the mileometer is spot on, and the fuel flow sensor - absolutely no idea of the accuracy.

If you have a fuel computer you may as well quote it - it's a no-brainer to read the display.

If you are keeping a log of litres poured into the tank and miles driven, then it's up to you - but there is a 10% expansion zone in the top of most car fuel tanks and it's very difficult to fill up the car to exactly the same level each time - so apart from your own "benefit" - you can't use this method to accurately gauge mpg.

I've just had a new set of Mercedes approved Pirelli tyres fitted to the rear wheels of my C270 CDI - by approved that just means that have the correct load, speed rating, and rolling diameter for the C270.

Compared against SatNAv - my car speedo over-reads by 2 kph at 100 kph - with brand new tyres

Compared against SatNav - my car mileometer is exactly right - with brand new tyres

How can this be? Well the mileometer just counts (electronic pulses) the turns the rear wheels make (and as they wear it will start to over-read - smaller diameter - the car thinks it's gone further than it actually has) and today, they are spot on.

The speedo is also fed with the pulse data from the rear wheels, and then a computer converts the pulse counts into both a digital display (in the fuel computer) and drives an analog speedo in the main driver display. This has been programmed to make sure that you never? see a speed lower than you are actually travelling. Hence the 2% error over estimate in the Mercedes.

Close, but no banana.

Robert

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

Richard S:

Identical to me; My Sorrento is a second car and, since new last October have dome 6000 miles only. However, mpg whilst solo is only 26 mpg and when towing (steadt 56 on cruise) I see around 20 mpg. Frankly I think it's awful.

Yes we too have the Senator Oklahoma !

Any thoughts?

John

 

[Guest]

I can't say I worry to much about fuel consumption, but we get about 19 to 20 mpg with the X5 when towing and 20 - 24mpg when driving at reasoanble speed single.

If you want to hoon around you can dump it to 10 - 12 mpg single, the car has been chipped and is set up for towing. Son inlaw reccomended it, and it seems to work fine. He had his turbo diesel VW done the same and towing fuels consumption is much better on that as well.

 

[rob_jax]

Euro,

I must say I did worry a great deal about fuel economy - with the C270 returning 50+ mpg solo I could drive for 600+ miles with stopping for fuel.

Some squirming from the navigators' seat after two hours, but if you turn the radio up it soon goes away.

Then after a few ambulance trips to hospital this year - and a final diagnosis of a bicuspid aortic valve (I was born with a missing valve flap) - I now take drugs to help the condition - and now it's me looking out for the pissoir.

Robert