Fuel consumption

[Andresz]

Andresz

I am surprised no one has asked you about the Polyroof on your Cali - they are quite something and I've never seen one in the UK.

I have seen pictures on the net - any chance of some pics of yours?


James

James, right,

I will take some pictures of it. For the timebeing the manufacture site is showing it well:


http://www.polyroof.de/hochdaecher/...929173&cHash=0897931cf4a74beed4c5998c2eaaacd5

 

[David Eccles]

mine says its averaged 37.8 over past 7000 miles
am happy with that after a Split that did 22mpg!!!!!
T4s do have better results than t5s ....

 

[James]

mine says its averaged 37.8 over past 7000 miles
am happy with that after a Split that did 22mpg!!!!!
T4s do have better results than t5s ....

I challenge your T4 to match the 48/49 on a run at a steady 65 mph

I am not saying a T4 could not beat it but I need some convincing and i am happy to be wrong



James

 

[raynormor]

Consumption average for year 32.5 pretty consistent say 31.5 to 33 5. 8000 miles from new and only ever used for camping and iI try to maintain 70mph cruising although I do get carried away sometimes. Cheers Ray

 

[Fin]

I believe that our average is 34.7mpg at the moment, but I notice that it is getting better all the while, we've only done about 9-10,000 miles so far. We do quite a bit of driving on the continent and regularly get 40+mpg on the longer runs. I've been really pleased with the mpg we had a California on a 2008 plate 130ps which was pretty good but I think this is ever so slightly better.

 

[David Eccles]

mine says its averaged 37.8 over past 7000 miles
am happy with that after a Split that did 22mpg!!!!!
T4s do have better results than t5s ....

I challenge your T4 to match the 48/49 on a run at a steady 65 mph

I am not saying a T4 could not beat it but I need some convincing and i am happy to be wrong



James

I dont think anyone could beat that - blimey its amazing!!!! I know lots of people with T4s and 45 mpg seems a good average and they seem to have better consumption than my T5...but I have no factual evidence to back it up, only anecdotal.
There is a real range of mpgs for the Cali from owners ... and everyone seems to say it gets better as mileage increases...
but at end of day it really boils down to how you drive it I guess? One reason for wanting a Cali was to be able to blat down m/ways when needed and I find it hard to just do 60!

 

[James]

mine says its averaged 37.8 over past 7000 miles
am happy with that after a Split that did 22mpg!!!!!
T4s do have better results than t5s ....

I challenge your T4 to match the 48/49 on a run at a steady 65 mph

I am not saying a T4 could not beat it but I need some convincing and i am happy to be wrong



James

I dont think anyone could beat that - blimey its amazing!!!! I know lots of people with T4s and 45 mpg seems a good average and they seem to have better consumption than my T5...but I have no factual evidence to back it up, only anecdotal.
There is a real range of mpgs for the Cali from owners ... and everyone seems to say it gets better as mileage increases...
but at end of day it really boils down to how you drive it I guess? One reason for wanting a Cali was to be able to blat down m/ways when needed and I find it hard to just do 60!

I think the driving is very important - driving around town seems poor no matter what you are driving.

I am happy to sit at 60 - 65. Personally I get no more enjoyment driving any faster. Maybe if I had a different engine then I would. I have to say in the current loan Cali there's a nice whoosh and burst of power as you pull away.

I personally don't think MPG varies that much between Calis. As for T4's I guess they can be frugal but I've not heard of anyone beating the 40's. I am not saying its not possible but I think it's much a muchness.

I still hanker after a later T4 Multuivan German spec with the rail system.

James

 

[Anonymous]

I have a t5 gp 180dsg full on Karmann Motorhome 22ft long and fully loaded that pulls back 32 34 to the gallon on a run.if you drive it with no restrictions it dips to around 30mpg.I also have a Reimo t4 2.5tdi camper and that seems a lot better than my previous t5 cali that pulled back around 35 on a round trip to the French alps.I'd say the t4 pulls back high 30s on a run easily.

 

[Anonymous]

Oops I just let it slip I don't own a cali now!!!
I still love the forum tho, and will prob own a cali again in the future.
Hope kernow lad doesn't find out he will be saying I'm fake lol even tho I have prob owned more Vw campers than he's had hot meals .joke!!!

 

[choplee]

Oops I just let it slip I don't own a cali now!!!
I still love the forum tho, and will prob own a cali again in the future.
Hope kernow lad doesn't find out he will be saying I'm fake lol even tho I have prob owned more Vw campers than he's had hot meals .joke!!!

:laugh2 :laugh2 :laugh2

what made you sell the cali ..??? or is it a sore subject jay ..???

 

[Anonymous]

Hi no not a sore subject,we have had 3 cali's now and many vw camper vans I really do love them, but after a fair few trips to France ect staying on the aires we fancied trying a motorhome with a shower toilet and more room ect.or the mrs did!!! , we had seen the karmanns and always fancied one.they have had a big connection with vw now for 30 odd years, in germany you can actually buy karmann motorhomes from vw dealers,then one came along a gp model 180dsg in a rhd that was perfect,so we went for it. really enjoy not having to wake our son up at 3 I'n the morning when it's blowing a gale upstairs,3 I'n a cali downstairs double bed got a but much after a while.I blame the British weather! Ect!!haha

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

As for T4's I guess they can be frugal but I've not heard of anyone beating the 40's. I am not saying its not possible but I think it's much a muchness.

We get around 30-32mpg from our 2.4D T4 Westy. Think we got 34mpg on the M1/M6 run up to Scotland

Probably not completely accurate as we don't have a computer, just calculated by hand. Engine is 21 years old and on 170,000 miles, so well and truely run in

However, the following should be noted :

- the engine has had a turbo added.
- the gearbox is not standard according to my mechanic. I think she spent most of her life around the Bavarian Alps, so I'm guessing the box was changed for this. Or maybe it was changed to make better use of the turbo, I don't know. At 60mph in 5th she pulls 3,000rpm, which seems too high to me.
- we spend a lot of time on back roads and driving up and down scary bendy hills.
- we're on winter tyres the whole year (yes I am that lazy). Probably doesn't help.
- she weighs about the same as an obese elephant...

dan

 

[beardie]

My personal experience is that 43 to 45 mpg on a full fat Cali is possible, but I should define possible.

Its 52 to 55 mph on dry roads (it does make a difference), air con off, no head wind and most controversialy slip streaming at a reasonable difference a lorry !

Using similar techniques allows an extra 20 mpg on a diesel golf

Google hypermiling for any further hints - dont need those wing mirrors do you :?

please be careful if you try slipstreaming, for obvious reasons

 

[KernowLad]

Oops I just let it slip I don't own a cali now!!!
I still love the forum tho, and will prob own a cali again in the future.
Hope kernow lad doesn't find out he will be saying I'm fake lol even tho I have prob owned more Vw campers than he's had hot meals .joke!!!

:lol:

I don't thinking rooting out a proper fake was really all that terrible.

Seeing as this is the first camper we've had then you are likely to have owned more than me... :clap

 

[Bjohnson]

Just back from a few days in Cornwall and on the run from Looe back to Bristol we averaged 42.3 mpg cruising at a steady 65mph with the the cruise control on the whole way.

The first 10 or 12 miles from Looe to the A38 were A roads, after that its dual carriageway and motorway all the way home.

I'm really happy with the consumption, especially as the Cali only has about 900 miles on the clock so far.

 

[bh-15]

On a 340 mile run from Newcastle to the tunnel got 33.5 mpg, this was by filling to the brim & the computer. The return trip was 28.5mpg due to wind direction, driving style, uphill etc..
Have had over 40 but only because decending from Alps, normally expect 32 - 34 on a run fully loaded on long run.
Cali only done 8000miles & think mpg still improving.
However cali prefers to sit at 75 - 80mph otherwise find overgeared in 6 gear, at 60 mph have to drop to 5th gear on inclines unless following wind.
180 4 motion manual 11 plate cali.

 

[BillyBain]

We spent Christmas in Cornwall and on our 160 mile trip from Bristol to Watergate Bay we only got 28mpg into a strong headwind and then 34 on the way home with a tailwind at 70mph on criuse. I'm putting this rather disappointing result down to the fact we've only done 2000 miles as in our previous T5 130 we often got high thirties to low forties. Loving the DSG though..

 

[choplee]

I'm afraid guys that the cali is a heavy old girl and will never get that great fuel figures compared to a homebrew T5 ....
I have had t2's and t25's and if you think the cali fuel figures are bad then run an old bus :crazy

 

[James]

I'm afraid guys that the cali is a heavy old girl and will never get that great fuel figures compared to a homebrew T5 ....
I have had t2's and t25's and if you think the cali fuel figures are bad then run an old bus :crazy

Agreed lee. My Vanagon returned about 22 mpg even on a run and it wasn't helped by being an auto!

It's exactly why I had a LPG conversion done

James.

 

[BillyBain]

I don't know what our previous T5 weighed with an aftermarket conversion but I assumed that because the conversion was quite basic as far as technology with wooden cabinets etc that it would weigh in more than our new California. Given that and the new facelift engines I thought fuel assumption would be if anything a little better.

 

[nickstjt]

I get way better MPG in my Cali (34-39MPG on trips to/from Leeds over Xmas) then I ever could in my previous car - an X5 3.0sd, so I am perfectly happy. Mind you, it can't get to 60 in 7 secs and I do miss that a little bit :lol:
--Nick

 

[choplee]

I don't know what our previous T5 weighed with an aftermarket conversion but I assumed that because the conversion was quite basic as far as technology with wooden cabinets etc that it would weigh in more than our new California. Given that and the new facelift engines I thought fuel assumption would be if anything a little better.

Having a much lighter rock n roll bed and nowhere near as much trim and extras kicking about and having a lighter pop top did give the fuel figures a better time over the full fat Cali ...
To be honest though if anyone can afford a Cali then the fuel figures shouldn't really be in the top five they think about ... I know it wasn't with me and I didn't have a clue about the fuel economy I was more worried when I could take delivery .... Lol

 

[arenthotelsbetter]

We spent Christmas in Cornwall and on our 160 mile trip from Bristol to Watergate Bay we only got 28mpg into a strong headwind and then 34 on the way home with a tailwind at 70mph on criuse. I'm putting this rather disappointing result down to the fact we've only done 2000 miles as in our previous T5 130 we often got high thirties to low forties. Loving the DSG though..

Camping in Cornwall in December Billy? That's brave.
Sounds like you're really getting your money's worth.
Can you recommend a campsite down there? With my brand spanking new Cali I'll be cranking that DSG and heading to Cornwall next June - currently booked into 5* hotel but feeling like a bit of a plonker. :crazy

 

[Kitty A]

180 DSG We have just been from London to Bristol and back. Mr A got 33.7mpg on the way there and I got 41.4mpg on the way back. Mr A likes over taking stuff.

 

[calikev]

That's amazing :clap :clap most cars would struggle to get that