Fuel Consumption

[touringlegend]

Can someone explain to me how this works.

My car (1.6 Zetec Escort) normally travels around about 280 miles to a tank, but I was away a distance at the weekend, probably 2/3 motorway 1/3 country roads, and managed to get 335 miles although I reckon I could have got 350/360 miles to that tank.(But had to fill up when I was near a station)

I know obviously that in top gear you're using lower revs to go as fast as you would with more revs in a lower gear, but is that simply all there is to it or do modern engines default to using less fuel when the car's speed is constant ??

[rdjones]

I have a 6 month 1.2 Clio and I can get somewhere in the region of about 420 miles out of tank. Now most of that milage is done on the car park that they call the M1 on a morning, but even on long run's to far of places Knockhill, South Wales and Brands etc I have still managed to get a simaller distance out of tank.

[mjolnir]

i concur with the clio - i'm a courier with a 1.2 and can manage over 500 miles for every 40L tank (1 tank between here and glasgow, for example). doing things like sticking to 60mph on the motorways, slipstreaming behind trucks (though dangerous), looking ahead and not accelerating when you have to brake soon... if you google for fuel conservation tips you can get a lot of ideas

[garcon]

Cruising at motorway speeds (legal ones that is ) with a nicely warmed up and lubricated engine is far more economical than the stop/start of the morning rush hour on a cold engine. Just the way it is. Someone more mechanically minded than I might be able to explain why - I could try but fear I'd just end up confusing myself along with everyone else...
:confused:

I'm getting old and sensible these days - I've started looking at fuel consumption as a major consideration for my next car. My Impreza probably manages low 20s to the gallon on the daily commute. If that. Low 30s on a decent run (unless I'm giving her a well deserved thrashing... ). Average 260odd miles to a tank with the aircon on, 300-320 with the aircon off!

Compare that to my mate's company Audi A4. 1.9TDi (105 bhp), 5 speed manual. We took it to Newcastle for a weekend. 350 miles. On less than half a tank. He regularly gets 650 miles to a tank on the daily commute, which takes him halfway round the M60, more like 750 miles to a tank out of town/traffic!

[sjw75]

I had the same problem with lack of MPG with my Subaru as Garcon,when I got a new job that involved travelling a lot it had to go Ive now got a new "Toymota" Avensis, boring car but very comfortable and does 500 miles on a 50 L tank !! Dont worry though Ive not gone totally soft, Im buying a 205 Gti as a toy this month and fuel consumption just aint a problem where that is concerned !!!

Cheers

Simon

[noise boy 2]

The reason that cars do so much better at constant state driving is our old friend inertia. It only takes 20-40 or so hp to keep a modern car moving at freeway speeds, whereas to move a 2500+ pound car from a standing start to cruising speed takes more hp, and as a result more fuel, to acheive. The modern car overdrive trans helps in this process, as the engine only has to spin at a relatively (to its horsepower peak) low revs to generate the small amount of horsepower it takes to go down the road. Robert

[TimD]

Don't forget bits and bobs like clean airflow, wheel tracking and the like. That means keeping windows and sunroof closed, air conditioning off. And you'd be amazed what you unwittingly absorb into your driving. I'd let the tracking slide a bit lately so I spent the time yesterday putting the driving wheels back in line - the resulting difference has improved the speed through the gears, the cornering, and yes, the fuel consumption has improved too.

[Daimlerman]

My God I'm jealous, all i get out of my XJS V12 on my trip to work (generall a steady 60-70mph)is 17.5mpg


Please don't tell my bank manager.

[Barry Pomfret]

I run an Evo 6 which is " slightly" modified and it is currently doing between 12-15 mpg! The fuel warning light comes on at about 100 miles per tank.