Amazing MPG

[syrup1971]

24 mile journey home tonight home tonight

Average speed 44MPH (Cruising at 55MPH on mway + traffic)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/syrup1971/7679033264/

 

[Stu]

Very nice, not sure I'll ever see that in mine.

 

[m4rky]

Very nice :grin:

We get an average of 38 on a good run which we are very pleased with

 

[choplee]

you must have the only cali in the world with that mpg unless you was on the back of a tow truck fella ... :lol:

 

[syrup1971]

I was trying, but not too hard. Mostly trip set to 55MPH (so probably around 52MPH real speed), a bit of freewheeling down hills, and some 30MPH stuff on the M4 when the traffic kicked in.

Based on my trips into work (the reverse trip), where I struggle to get above 46MPG, there must be a few factors at play. I can only assume there is more downhill on the way home than the way in, perhaps the engine is warmer in the afternoon, having warmed up through the day, perhaps the prevailing wind also helps?

Anyhow, I don't expect to get that figure everyday, but nice to know it can be done ...

Chris

 

[Stu]

a bit of freewheeling down hills,

Strangely Chris this will not generally save you fuel. When free wheeling (clutch depressed or gearbox in neutral) the engine requires fuel to keep running however if you allow the van to roll with zero throttle demand no fuel is used as the inertia and motion of the van will keep the engine turning.

If you want to prove this look at your instantaneous fuel consumption on the DIS. Try free wheeling and you should see an MPG figure. Try it again but with a zero throttle demand and you should see ---.

 

[syrup1971]

Strangely Chris this will not generally save you fuel. When free wheeling (clutch depressed or gearbox in neutral) the engine requires fuel to keep running however if you allow the van to roll with zero throttle demand no fuel is used as the inertia and motion of the van will keep the engine turning.

Not sure I agree with you Stu. If you leave the engine engaged, then the car slows down, on the other hand, in neutral, the car gathers speed down the hill. At the bottom of the hill, if you have left the car in gear, then the additional fuel required to get it back up to speed, is more than outweighed by the tiny amount of fuel the vehicle uses when idling (car in neutral).

Probably depends on the length of the hill, and the gradient etc.

Pretty sure that VW added a freewheeling option to the latest DSG (seem to remember reading it in the manual), so they must consider it a good idea.

Chris

 

[ExploreCampers]

a bit of freewheeling down hills,

Strangely Chris this will not generally save you fuel. When free wheeling (clutch depressed or gearbox in neutral) the engine requires fuel to keep running however if you allow the van to roll with zero throttle demand no fuel is used as the inertia and motion of the van will keep the engine turning.

If you want to prove this look at your instantaneous fuel consumption on the DIS. Try free wheeling and you should see an MPG figure. Try it again but with a zero throttle demand and you should see ---.

I agree with you there Stu, you are spot on as usual.

But, there seems to be a new trend in freewheeling for new cars, possibly because they are getting so efficient that the fuel used to idle is so minimal that there are gains to keep the car coasting. They are building this into the car and I know the new Porsche Boxster will disengage the transmission and coast while of throttle. Apparently it feels a bit odd!!

 

[James]

Impressive figures.

I'd like to see that a steady 65!!!!

James

 

[Custardtart]

I picked up a 140PS Cali Beach and drove it 1.5 hours home along mixed quality A-roads (not motorway).

I averaged 36mpg which I thought was stunning for a zero miles engine.

Typical cruising speed was 55mph but lots of big hills, junctions, town traffic etc .

It's not that long ago I couldn't get that sort of economy from my cars.