MPG

[WhipLash]

I’m just curious to know if anyone actually tracks their MPG? Would you consistently keep an eye on it or is it just a figure in the cars manual that you care nothing about? Do you try to keep fuel usage at a minimum or do you really care?

What can be done to improve fuel consumption? I know the usual – correct tyre pressure, drive with windows closed, without a roof rack, minimum load, gently accelerate and brake…but which one has the biggest impact? What else can one do, if anything?

And the reason I ask? Well how does 26.9MPG sound then? :sad:

[Phil]

For me its the cost of the fuel.

IMHO with petrol prices changing so much, its hard to keep track of what mileage your really getting in money terms.

[WhipLash]

OK, so it makes sense to ensure you are getting it at a good price, but you still don't need to know that detail to know your MPG!

Here's how I work it…

I fill the tank right up to the brim and zap the tachometer back to zero. Next time you go to fill up read the mileage done since the last visit. Now fill up the tank again to the brim, noting the amount of litres of petrol/diesel you have just bought.

So now to work out your MPG use this formula, where Miles=miles done between fills, Litres=litres petrol bought the second time around.

MPG=Miles / (Litres / 4.5461)

So on my last fill I got 42.25 litres of petrol and had covered 250 miles. So my MPG=250 / (42.25 / 4.5461), which equates to 26.9 MPG approx.

Well at least that sounds correct to me! :D

[BeCos]

Yep that's the only way to do it accuratley. On two recent trips to Belfast, about 400 odd miles in two days I managed to get 36MPG from the 155 2.0. Nothing wrong with that !!

But it's gone to a new home now........sniff.....snifff!

[Junior]

Whip, check also that you are filling it to the brim, with VW's theres a small air release valve inside the neck of the tank opening. After about a half tank I stop and open this valve and the air gulps out ... I keep it open and continue on refilling.

It does make a difference to getting a *full* tank

[WhipLash]

Well I just carried out another calculation…

This time I drove the car smoother through the gears and accelerated with a lighter right foot (well I did try my best most times!) I thought this would have made a significant difference, but to my total disbelief the calculated MPG is almost exactly the same at 26.83MPG – remember the last figure was 26.9MPG!!!!!!

This last calculation was done using Statoil petrol, and the previous one Texaco. I've filled back up with Texaco and will continue to drive more smoothly (well attempt to anyways :clown: ) to see if the actual brand of petrol makes any difference.

I’ll report back here again in another 250 miles or so!

[Junior]

Christ Whip, you must have some engine in that Matiz that it drinks that much fuel in a week !!!

[Justin]

about 200 miles for £35!. The trip gadget says 18mpg. Its lucky I only do 6,000 miles per annum

[Anders]

18mpg, and they say rotary engines are thirsty? I get about 15mpg from the RX-7, and that's with lead slippers in city traffic.

What do you guys think a reasonable distance of highway driving is for a full tank? I'm not interested in any gloating from the diesel crowd, please. The 156 used to return over 400 miles on a full tank, which is obviously consistent with Ben's findings. I think 300 miles is about the acceptable minimum.

[Toad]

I can squeze 300miles from a full tank in town driving
And 500miles when travelling distance say to Waterford,
Best recorded was 535miles from a full tank & cruising @ 70-90mph through the the UK Hollyhead to Brighton, at night, with only 3 stops.

[WhipLash]

18MPG? 15MPG???? Do you guys have shares in oil companies or something? Do you find it annoying having to fill the tank up so often?

I haven't taken the car on a long motorway journey yet, so I can't report on long distance fuel consumption.

BTW, does anyone actually compare their MPG to the manufacturers claim for the car?

On looking at the Accord, Honda claims 25.2mpg Urban, 40.9mpg Extra Urban, and 33.6mpg Combined. So I guess I’m not too far off the Urban figure after all!



[Edited by WhipLash on 4th April 2001 at 11:03]

[Joe]

I get about 34-35mpg on short journeys of 10/12 miles (in and out to work). Thats about 370-390 miles per 55 litre full tank.

On a longer journey I can manage over 40mpg. I use a similar method of calculation ye have described here.

This is with a 1.6L car by the way.

I think the manufacturer's claims are usually a bit optimistic. From memory, mine is claimed to do about 39mpg on the "combined" run. As I said, I never manage that normally.

[BrianS]

I heard a rumour once that petrol from North Sea oil gave a better mpg than Saudi or US oil. I could never spot much difference between Statoil and Texaco though (or the others.) Its the price as far as I'm concerned. Isn't there a website that lists the cheapest filling stations in Dublin? I must do a search on that.

[WhipLash]

I agree, there are too many petrol forecourts who are simply ripping off the punter. I usually buy from the same place every time, mostly Texaco or sometimes Statoil. At the moment both places are charging 63.9p per litre. I haven’t seen any cheaper on my journeys in Dublin – a lot of places are currently charging 65.9p.

[BrianS]

This is the only thing I could find.

http://www.irishprices.com/list.html

It says Kilternan has the best prices today!!

[BrianS]

I just spotted that it was last updated in mid-march!! Probably not so reliable....