Poor MPG

Tigz · Post by **Tigz** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 11:35 am

My commute to work is around 70% B-Roads and 30% rush hour town traffic.
Around 35 miles per day.

I normally get between 20-21MPG but on a day I am really pushing the car (ie. if I'm following my mates VR6 to a show etc) then I've got as low as 19MPG over a full tank of Ultimate.

Last week I booked the Friday and Monday off work, filled up the tank and set off to listen to an audio book I'd downloaded.
I decided to see how many miles I could get, if I didn't drive the car hard.

Air con was switched off, I drove around the same roads I take on my commute, and around the B-Roads I drive for fun.
I tried not to accelerate hard, changed gear at 2krpm and did not exceed 60MPH.

It took until Wednesday before the light came on, and 30 miles later I filled up with fuel.

I had done 285 miles, and it took 40 litres to fill up the car.
26.9MPG

Now VW claimed over 30MPG is possible, I've seen a couple of independent reviews which claimed the same.
I could not drive any more economical.

Tyre pressures are spot on, the sub, box and amp weighs a much as an average passenger.

Does it sound like there is something wrong, or is this really all this engine has to give?

ModifiedMadness · Post by **ModifiedMadness** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:12 pm

Sounds about right to me Tigz, the most I have ever got was all from Motorway driving and was 320 miles.

The least is probably somewhere around 270

dino · Post by **dino** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:38 pm

You will hardly *ever* reach the manufacture claimed MPG.

Don't forget they test in a controlled lab where they can set the conditions.

Dangerous Dave · Post by **Dangerous Dave** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:59 pm

I drove the car quite hard and I always got around 34-37 mpg out of it and on a long run I hit 43mpg which was over 400miles before the light came on. Most of the time I got 290-310 before the light popped on.

I would check that your rear brakes aren't sticking, they are well know for this and seized up with cr*p 3 times in the 4 years I owned the car.

Your calculations are also slightly out 40L of petrol is 8.79 gallons (4.55L in a gallon) so if you got 285miles thats 32.4mpg.

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:13 pm

When I rag the hell out of it I still don't get below 30. It's quoted as 39 combined but I get 33 average. 41 is my record

Tigz · Post by **Tigz** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:14 pm

Dave thanks for the tip.
I'll check the brakes this week.

The converter on my phone tells me 40L is 10.56 gallon US.
Is a US gallon less than a UK gallon then?

Redline · Post by **Redline** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:32 pm

1 liquid U.S. gallon = 0.833 Imperial gallon

1 Imperial gallon = 1.201 liquid U.S. gallons

Tigz · Post by **Tigz** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:37 pm

Do I feel sheepish!

Redline · Post by **Redline** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:41 pm

Ah it's not easy with the messed up system of weights and measures we have in this country!

I tend to use this: http://www.robinwhite.fsnet.co.uk/conv/mpg.htm to save myself the bother of the maths.

Dangerous Dave · Post by **Dangerous Dave** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 11:19 pm

Tigz wrote:Dave thanks for the tip.
I'll check the brakes this week.

The first times mine went I noticed my mpg dropping and once jacked up it was like the handbrake was on as I could only just turn the back wheels by hand !

There is 3.78 litres in a US gallon.

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:18 am

http://www.torquecars.co.uk/Tuning/uk-m ... ulator.php

I use that site