37 MPG SOUNDS RIGHT TO YOU? OR I'M PARANOID?

[cambournepete]

I regularly get 36 or so mpg in my mazda premacy - a mid-sized mpv.
On a long trip it goes to over 40.
It hardly matters how I drive it, or whether I'm towing my trailer.

 

[motownmartin]

Totally clean driving lisence and never been snapped by a speed camera.

Ooooops, me thinks you might regret saying that, don't tempt fate and all that :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[woodbloke]

In the Landy (2.5l diesel) I can get 32mpg with all our camping gear and cycles thrown on the back...this is at a steady 55mph on the motorstrasse tho'. Drops a bit at higher speeds...even worse in town - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

Of course there are factors other than engine size/type and driving styles that significantly affect fuel consumption. The fitting of catalytic converters has increased fuel consumption and use of air conditioning increases consumption significantly. Far cheaper to just open the window.........

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[RogerS]

Mazda RX-8 - rotary engine - impossible to get better than 20 mpg ...on any sort of run. Rapidly gets worse the heavier the right foot.

Compare/contrast with the faithful Hyundai Santa Fe turbo-diesel. Quoted mpg of my model is 38mpg and I reckon to get 36 - which is pretty good going, I reckon. Mind you, I only pootle. :wink:

 

[StevieB]

use of air conditioning increases consumption significantly. Far cheaper to just open the window.........

Actually I am not sure thats at all true. Anyone watch Mythbusters on the Discovery channel? Great programme. They showed there was very little difference between aircon and an open window due to the increased drag from the open window. Test was done in a controlled environement at constant speed for a set period of time. Was done on American cars though.

Steve.

 

[mr]

Having the air con on in my car has a significant and noticeable (on trips of a couple hundred miles or more) effect on consumption.

Cheers Mike

 

[Paul Chapman]

On the basis of (very un-scientific) tests I have done, I would estimate that the use of air conditioning increases fuel consumption by at least 10 mpg. Other members of my family have noticed similar increases in fuel consumption in their cars when the air conditioning is switched on. The effect is so significant that none of us now uses the air conditioning.

The are probably two issues. First, the air conditioning takes power from the engine, which uses more fuel. If the particular car has a relatively small engine, this use of power to drive the air conditioning will result in a noticeable loss in performance, so there will be a tendency to drive the car harder which, again, will use more fuel.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[White House Workshop]

Sounds quite reasonable to me. Generally an automatic will use more fuel than a manual, given similar conditions and driving (and your brake pads will wear out faster as well :wink: )

Cheers :wink:

Paul

That used to be the case years ago but the fuel differential between automatics and manuals these days is generally within 5%, and that much can disappear if you're stuck in traffic for 30 minutes!

My wife has a small automatic - 1.4 litre engine, not overly powerful, and she averages about 35. She got close to 40 on a run once, but that was unusual. I have a large BMW automatic and on a run I get around 35, and once got close to 40 but that was on an almost empty road with cruise control on and sitting at 65. On the other hand, 20-23 is more like it in heavy town traffic...

On the other hand, the worst consumption I ever got on my bike was 42 mpg, and that was over 120 miles averaging about 95 mph (hit 130 at one point). I only stopped then to get fuel because the low fuel light came on! It normally gets abut 50, but goes up to 55 on a steady run. Much more fun than sitting in a tin box on wheels - and just as comfortable.

 

[Slim]

averaging about 95 mph (hit 130 at one point)

Do you want a medal? You should be banned for life for going that speed on a public road!

I very nearly killed a biker because he was travelling so fast. I wanted to pull out to overtake in the fast lane of a motorway, so I checked my wing mirror and saw a motorbaike a long way behind. I put my indicator on and luckily before I pulled out I checked my wing mirror again. The bike was almost up alongs side me. If I had pulled out, he would have been dead. He must have been doing at least 130mph. I would have been prosecuted and it would have been on my consience for the rest of my life. My life would have been ruined because of a selfish prat on a motorbike.

 

[Taffy Turner]

you should be so lucky Mark W, Try driving a 10 year old T5 getting around 22mpg if you drive like a Granny. usually it is more like 18mpg. :lol:

Yes - I had one of those briefly - it went like the proverbial of a shiny shovel, but it's average speed was rubbish on a long run, as you had to keep stopping to fill it up with petrol!!!!

Fortunately it was a company car that I was given while mine was on order, so I gave it back after a couple of months - I missed the performance but not the bills!

My BWM M3 did 25 to the gallon, and that made the T5 seem like a Reliant Robin in the performance stakes!

Taffy

 

[woodbloke]

On the basis of (very un-scientific) tests I have done, I would estimate that the use of air conditioning increases fuel consumption by at least 10 mpg. Other members of my family have noticed similar increases in fuel consumption in their cars when the air conditioning is switched on. The effect is so significant that none of us now uses the air conditioning.

The are probably two issues. First, the air conditioning takes power from the engine, which uses more fuel. If the particular car has a relatively small engine, this use of power to drive the air conditioning will result in a noticeable loss in performance, so there will be a tendency to drive the car harder which, again, will use more fuel.

Cheers :wink:



Paul

Paul - doesn't seem to make much difference to fuel economy in the Landy as it's got the aerodynamics of a brick and the performance to match :lol: - Rob

 

[White House Workshop]

averaging about 95 mph (hit 130 at one point)

Do you want a medal? You should be banned for life for going that speed on a public road!

I very nearly killed a biker because he was travelling so fast.

Why should I be ashamed of doing that speed where it is perfectly legal to do so? Did I say where I was? No I didn't, and you jumped to an incorrect conclusion. So yes I'll have the medal please for successfully negotiating the high speed autobahn traffic in Germany - where I was actually one of the slower moving vehicles for most of the time.

I agree there are some selfish prats around, on bikes and behind wheels, and many behind wheels seem to think that just because they've put their indicator on it gives them a god-given right to pull out. Good job you checked, otherwise a biker's family would have had you on their consciences for the rest of their lives too. It works both ways.

Please don't make assumptions when you aren't in possession of the full facts.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Paul - doesn't seem to make much difference to fuel economy in the Landy as it's got the aerodynamics of a brick and the performance to match :lol: - Rob

Yes, but it's cool 8) 8) 8)

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Slim]

averaging about 95 mph (hit 130 at one point)

Do you want a medal? You should be banned for life for going that speed on a public road!

I very nearly killed a biker because he was travelling so fast.

Why should I be ashamed of doing that speed where it is perfectly legal to do so? Did I say where I was? No I didn't, and you jumped to an incorrect conclusion. So yes I'll have the medal please for successfully negotiating the high speed autobahn traffic in Germany - where I was actually one of the slower moving vehicles for most of the time.

I agree there are some selfish prats around, on bikes and behind wheels, and many behind wheels seem to think that just because they've put their indicator on it gives them a god-given right to pull out. Good job you checked, otherwise a biker's family would have had you on their consciences for the rest of their lives too. It works both ways.

Please don't make assumptions when you aren't in possession of the full facts.

OK then, I apologise. However, do you not think it would have been sensible for you to mention that you were on an autobahn at the time. :roll: A statement like that is just asking for a response.

I ride as well, and I know full well that travelling at those speeds, whether legal or not, you will not last long. People will pull out on you as to them it will appear safe for them to do so. They will not assume that you are travelling so fast. I checked my wing mirror, and it was clear, so I initiated the pulling out manouver. I did not prepare for the fact that the motorbike was going 60-70mph faster than I was and that he would cover so much distance between me checking my wing mirror and pulling out. Harldy my fault is it?

I and most other drivers do not believe we have a god given right to pull out just because we indicate. If a bike is going so fast that he catches up someone pulling out the it is quite clearly their fault.

Sorry Andy, I didn't mean to hijack your thread.

 

[RogerS]

Going slightly OT but still within the motoring area, having switched to driving the 4x4 a lot more than the Mazda, I've experienced a marked difference in other motorists' behaviour.

Previously when driving the Mazda RX8, not stupidly fast but fast-ish (50 - 60 mph) and within the prevailing road and weather conditions etc, I've noticed that very few people will pull out in front you.

Having switched to the 4x4, I tend to drive maybe 10-15mph slower and the nett result is that I spend far more time either making emergency stops or serious deceleration because the dozy git that's just pulled out can't seem to find the accelerator peddle.

Now I'm not sure whether it is because my speed is slower or it is because people perceive the cars differently due to the difference in body shape etc.

I need to experiment a bit more - change the speeds around between the two cars - but just wondered if any other people had noticed a similar difference in behaviour.

 

[Fecn]

Now I'm not sure whether it is because my speed is slower or it is because people perceive the cars differently due to the difference in body shape etc.

I need to experiment a bit more - change the speeds around between the two cars - but just wondered if any other people had noticed a similar difference in behaviour.

I noticed the same thing changing from a 2-seater merc to a 2-tonne white van... Now everybody seems to think I'm invisible and cuts me up at every opportunity... The speed i drive at is exactly the same as it always was.

 

[White House Workshop]

[
OK then, I apologise. However, do you not think it would have been sensible for you to mention that you were on an autobahn at the time. :roll: A statement like that is just asking for a response.

Fair comment - sorry. I thought the thread was about mpg and that was my focus, which was to show that even at high average speeds bikes can have good economy. I shudder to think what my car would do at those sorts of speeds. :?

 

[Slim]

Fair comment - sorry. I thought the thread was about mpg and that was my focus, which was to show that even at high average speeds bikes can have good economy. I shudder to think what my car would do at those sorts of speeds. :?

I used to have a 125cc vespa which had a 6 litre tank and would do about 140 miles to a tank. That works out about 105mpg. God I miss it!

 

[Woody Alan]

Paul wrote:-

On the basis of (very un-scientific) tests I have done, I would estimate that the use of air conditioning increases fuel consumption by at least 10 mpg. Other members of my family have noticed similar increases in fuel consumption in their cars when the air conditioning is switched on. The effect is so significant that none of us now uses the air conditioning.

I find that quite astounding as I have kept "accurate!" records for my car for the last six years and can say that the air con does have an effect, probably 1-2 mpg. but not to the degree you suggest, (certainly not enough to be uncomfortable in preference to miserly and risk the air con going faulty by not keeping the seals working)
What I can see from my table is that winter has a much more pronounced effect 2-4 mpg less in winter with aircon off, but most of my trips are local and short so it's all guzzled in warm up time, wish I had a choke that I could push in once rolling and let out at the lights. If (and I imagine not) anyone is wondering why I keep the records it's because it's an easy way to check whether the car is ailing in some way. In six yeays my Volvo v70 has a total average of 25 mpg mostly all local driving. That's accurate not these computer trip doodahs.

Alan