Diesel consumption query

[Eber123]

Good afternoon,

I tried to get some information about the topic from the search engine, but I am not quite sure if I got the information I was looking for. So apology if this is the x-thread about that subject.

Fuel consumption to discuss is like talking about weather or politics everybody has their own approach. Never the less I was a bit worried when I check the diesel consumption from the van yesterday.

It is a 150 HP Ocean, diesel engine with 6 gear manual. I got it with 118 km and have now 690 km on the clock. I filled up the van yesterday and checked the consumption. According to the MFD it is about 9.8 l (or 24 mpg).

I thought that is a bit much (even for a large car like the California). Yes I use it in town driving to work, but try to behave myself, changing gears in time, don't overdue it with acceleration etc. I used the heater only for 30 minutes and no additional equipment is in the van.

My only hope is that it is to early to measure the consumption because the engine is still so new. How much do you use? Do you think I should drop into the VW dealer to check it out?

Eberhard

 

[Digger]

Same engine and manual. I average between 38 and 42 mpg. That figure is based on actual fuel used and mileage as per dash and satnav. I dont trust the onboard MFD as it always gives more mpg.
Also I dont do short journeys.

 

[Eber123]

Same engine and manual. I average between 38 and 42 mpg. That figure is based on actual fuel used and mileage as per dash and satnav. I dont trust the onboard MFD as it always gives more mpg.
Also I dont do short journeys.

I would be happy with this usage of diesel (which would be 6.2l / 100 km). I didn't get that with the VW Tiguan.

I will watch this a bit more and use the VW dataplug instead of the MFD.

Eberhard

 

[Kmann]

The engine uses a bit more fuel until it has settled and how you drive and where also has a great impact. I have just installed an app (on my phone), where I put data every time I fill it up, and it then gives me true figures (amount/distance/price).

I have the 102 hp and I discovered that there is a huge difference from going 110 km/h to 130 km/h regarding consumption - not to speak of 150 km/h. And I can not see it is using less Diesel than the 150 hp.

My latest reading vas 9.81 KPL with 95% city roads. Not too impressive.

 

[Rich20]

Short journeys and town driving kill the consumption. I also found mine improved after about 12000 miles. I don't really bother with trying to get the best as where I live it is very hilly and that too makes a huge difference.

 

[parrot2]

I have a 30,000 mileage 180 se and I drive carefully my mfd reads 37mppg on a journey but is in the high 20s on local trips.

 

[jts46]

Full tank to full tank is the more accurate measure of MPG

 

[WelshGas]

Good afternoon,

I tried to get some information about the topic from the search engine, but I am not quite sure if I got the information I was looking for. So apology if this is the x-thread about that subject.

Fuel consumption to discuss is like talking about weather or politics everybody has their own approach. Never the less I was a bit worried when I check the diesel consumption from the van yesterday.

It is a 150 HP Ocean, diesel engine with 6 gear manual. I got it with 118 km and have now 690 km on the clock. I filled up the van yesterday and checked the consumption. According to the MFD it is about 9.8 l (or 24 mpg).

I thought that is a bit much (even for a large car like the California). Yes I use it in town driving to work, but try to behave myself, changing gears in time, don't overdue it with acceleration etc. I used the heater only for 30 minutes and no additional equipment is in the van.

My only hope is that it is to early to measure the consumption because the engine is still so new. How much do you use? Do you think I should drop into the VW dealer to check it out?

Eberhard

So I presume - Cold Start - Short Journeys _ Urban driving. Each one is a killer for fuel consumption and damaging for the DPF.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Just to add to all the solid findings in the previous posts.
If you drive with real time consumption showing on the MFD it becomes very noticeable how small consistent changes in your driving style have a huge effect in keep the figure on the screen high up.

Though I'm sure fuel economy is not the reason anyone bought a Cali its worth doing on a regular journey over the period of a couple of weeks and you'll get a good feel for the impact you can have on the figure.

 

[Amarillo]

My MDF is reading 13 Km/L (7.7L/100Km) over the last 10,000 Km or so in a heavily laden 150 DSG Beach with bikes on the back. This is on a variety of roads and terrain around Europe.

Fill to fill comparisons suggest the MDF over reads by about 5%.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Fill to fill comparisons suggest the MDF over reads by about 5%.
Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

More VW cheating ????

 

[westfalia]

My MDF is reading 13 Km/L (7.7L/100Km) over the last 10,000 Km or so in a heavily laden 150 DSG Beach with bikes on the back. This is on a variety of roads and terrain around Europe.

Fill to fill comparisons suggest the MDF over reads by about 5%.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

7.7L. That is amazing, fully loaded. No wonder it´s taken you so long
Joking aside, I only ever get an average of about 10.5 L/100km.

 

[Trebor]

Good afternoon,

I tried to get some information about the topic from the search engine, but I am not quite sure if I got the information I was looking for. So apology if this is the x-thread about that subject.

Fuel consumption to discuss is like talking about weather or politics everybody has their own approach. Never the less I was a bit worried when I check the diesel consumption from the van yesterday.

It is a 150 HP Ocean, diesel engine with 6 gear manual. I got it with 118 km and have now 690 km on the clock. I filled up the van yesterday and checked the consumption. According to the MFD it is about 9.8 l (or 24 mpg).

I thought that is a bit much (even for a large car like the California). Yes I use it in town driving to work, but try to behave myself, changing gears in time, don't overdue it with acceleration etc. I used the heater only for 30 minutes and no additional equipment is in the van.

My only hope is that it is to early to measure the consumption because the engine is still so new. How much do you use? Do you think I should drop into the VW dealer to check it out?

Eberhard

I found a big increase in mpg at around 16k Miles . On long journeys it has gone from high 20s mpg to 35 and even 37 if you keep below 70 mph . Even got 30 mpg at the weekend towing 1200kg box trailer with motorbike inside . Also get 2 or 3 more mpg with 215 Dunlop Winter sports compared with 235 Goodyear Vectors . All on MFD .

As an aside the errors people quote from MFD are they constant or variable with the same van ? Are they similar with all vans ie are they always optimistic ?

 

[Cali4nia-Dream]

Like Digger, we have the same engine and manual gearbox, now just over a year old. In the beginning we were getting low mpg in the 20s this was shortish runs, even a few nearby weekends away didn't help, and as we used the heater I couldn't do the full tank-full tank method.
Our first significant trip was the Hanover Factory trip and we noticed on that trip that the MFD figure started to rise noticeably even though this was generally high speed motorway driving.

mileage reported mpg
527 30.5
538 30.5
607 31.3
759 32.5
943 33.6
981 33.8
1288 35.5
1359 35.7

Since then the figures have continued to rise and we have continued to monitor the figures using the full tank-full tank method. with 4000 miles on the clock the MFD is suggesting 41.3 mpg, but my figures are around 39mpg. ( MFD around 5% above actual)

I found that things also improved following one of the recalls where they also seemed to adjust the way the DPF works, prior to that on stopping it often sounded like a jet engine, now its more of a gentle hum.

 

[Eber123]

Thank you for the feedback.

The weather forecast for the weekend is not so good, but still we plan to drive from Dublin to Belfast to visit the Christmas market. That is about 200 km one way, so I will monitor the consumption.

The reading of the MFD is not the actually usage, it is the average usage that came back with 9.8 l. It is a heavy vehicle, but I was surprised. But with only 700 km on the clock it might be early days.

Eberhard

 

[Volkywagen]

I have same engine a gearbox as you with relatively similar miles on clock and I’m also getting similar figures. New engines will use more as they bed in, but also if you are running with your AC on, even small things like your heated mirrors, and minor electrical usage will also increase MPG. If your leisure battery’s are being charged on the go after usage this will also contribute. Water in the clean and grey tanks also adds extra weight, heavy camping gear....Etc etc. it all mounts up!!

 

[rod_vw]

Long term results for various LWB high-top VW campers, all with manual transmission.

1992 T4 LWB high-top 2.4l 78ps 5cyl diesel - 75500miles - average 29.18mpg
1999 T4 LWB High-top 2.5l 102ps 5cyl diesel - 68059miles - average 34.41mpg
2002 T4 LWB High-top 2.5l 102ps 5cyl diesel - 37000miles - average 39.34mpg
2007 T5 LWB High-top 2.5l 174ps 5cyl diesel - 46392miles - average 30.45mpg
2010 T5 LWB High-top 2.0l 140ps 4cyl diesel - 42500miles - average 31.93mpg
2013 T5 LWB High-top 2.0l 180ps 4cyl diesel - 45000miles - average 34.16mpg
2016 T6 LWB High-top 2.0l 140ps 4cyl diesel - 11536miles - average 35.8mpg

All calculations were (are) done from fillings and speedo readings, no corrections for possible inaccuracies of the miles readings.
The camper fittings (except the 1992 T4) have been almost identical, the drivers have always been the same persons and the usage always very similar. Everyday use plus long UK trips and long European holidays. The latter two vehicles are still in our ownership.

It is fair to say that a High-top is less economical than an elevating roof model.

Rod

 

[Eber123]

Hello,

With all the feedback I believe I can expect that the diesel consumption will improve in the weeks / month to come. I just need to be a bit more patient with our new baby.

Thank you for all the feedback.

Eberhard

 

[Digger]

Would be interesting to hear how the petrol owners are getting on with their consumption?

 

[Cary Blackburn]

The engine uses a bit more fuel until it has settled and how you drive and where also has a great impact. I have just installed an app (on my phone), where I put data every time I fill it up, and it then gives me true figures (amount/distance/price).

I have the 102 hp and I discovered that there is a huge difference from going 110 km/h to 130 km/h regarding consumption - not to speak of 150 km/h. And I can not see it is using less Diesel than the 150 hp.

My latest reading vas 9.81 KPL with 95% city roads. Not too impressive.

What App is that?

 

[SimonB]

I notice a big difference between Motorway driving on cruise control and driving on A roads where cruise control isn't so useful. When we came back from the shop open day on M1, A42, M42, M5 we got a mid 40s mpg but driving up to Snowdonia which is a similar distance but mainly A roads it is mid to upper 30s mpg.
On the Motorway I tend stick to 55-60mph as going much faster seems to decrease the mpg significantly.

 

[andyinluton]

Would be interesting to hear how the petrol owners are getting on with their consumption?

Probably too busy filling up to be on here posting.

 

[stephen watson]

I use Sprintmonitor to record my mpg. It's based in Germany so gives you the option to compare your consumption with lots of similar engine/gearbox combinations without needing to be a California (eg Multivans, Caravelles).

Please can someone cleverer than me answer this:

I'd always assumed that if I used full to full tank filling measurements and distance travelled from the odometer I'd get completely accurate mpg. I've also always known that speedos slightly over read. Does this mean that the odometer isn't accurate by the same percentage? And following on does it mean the only truly accurate mpg is from a full to full fill up and distance reading from a GPS device such as a sat nav?

 

[Digger]

I cannot speak for all but my speedometer is accurate confirmed by hand held radar tests. (must be a faulty unit) I too thought they always read high but at 41 and 51 and 70 it is almost spot on (less than 1mph out)
I checked my consumption by filling to sight level and refill same to measure just for own information. Now I don't bother as my fuel bill is irrelevant compared to the joy travelling in my Cali.

 

[Ben Nevis]

I use Sprintmonitor to record my mpg. It's based in Germany so gives you the option to compare your consumption with lots of similar engine/gearbox combinations without needing to be a California (eg Multivans, Caravelles).

Please can someone cleverer than me answer this:

I'd always assumed that if I used full to full tank filling measurements and distance travelled from the odometer I'd get completely accurate mpg. I've also always known that speedos slightly over read. Does this mean that the odometer isn't accurate by the same percentage? And following on does it mean the only truly accurate mpg is from a full to full fill up and distance reading from a GPS device such as a sat nav?

Also depends on the accuracy of the pump metering you fill up from