Fuel economy

[Amarillo]

Good afternoon,

Following these posts puzzles me a bit. Claims that the van uses around 5 l / 100 km of diesel is astonishing. I didn't get this on the VW Tigan which I had before the California.

I assume a California Ocean, with 2x adults loaded for a 2 or 3 weeks holiday (including a full water tank) weights up to 2.8 or 2.9 t.

A 2 liter engine with 150 HP and front wheel drive driving on a flat motorway cursing with 90 km/h might (just might) achieve this kind of consumption. Driving 120 or 130 km/h on a motorway with some hills, slowing down to 100 km (because of a truck which can't be overtaken at the moment) and accelerating to 120 or 130 km/h will bring up the fuel consumption to 7 to 8 l / 100 km. Which I believe is good.

A 2 liter engine with 204 HP or 199 HP and 4Motion might need a bit more.

I might get the wrong end of the stick .

Regards,
Eberhard

I try to keep my speed to under 100 kph, and very often set the cruise to 58 mph (93 kph) which is slightly faster than most HGVs.

But also note that my MFD very significantly over reads when I drive carefully and is mostly accurate when I drive faster.

I calculate my brim to brim fuel consumption every time I refuel along with my MFD figures for that tank and have a detailed record over 40,000 km.

 

[westfalia]

I try to keep my speed to under 100 kph, and very often set the cruise to 58 mph

That sounds like a real blast
Is that just to save 20p ?
whatever it is i definitely would not like it if i was thumbing a
lift and you picked me up.

 

[Amarillo]

That sounds like a real blast
Is that just to save 20p ?
whatever it is i definitely would not like it if i was thumbing a
lift and you picked me up.

I genuinely enjoy a relaxed drive on cruise control in the slow lane.

May half term and I blasted down to Spain at 140 kph: hated the drive.

The return was more relaxed and sedate at no more than 100 kph, and we still managed to get on a train through the channel tunnel 8 hours early.

Saving 20p is no more than a welcome bonus.

 

[2into1]

For our continental friends, our gallon is 4.546 L.

I know next to nothing about wheels varieties and tyre varieties.

I think I had Claytons replaced by Devonports and the tyres are whatever came with the factory wheels.

I inflate to the full load pressure as we are often four in the van with luggage and bikes, especially now we have the Skoda for shorter local trips.

I was just curious why the wheel change had impacted your consumption. The 17s come with either 215s or 235s wide tyres. I’ve been running the 215s which run at 10 psi higher than the 235s giving quite a hard ride, but thought they may be giving me better consumption

I was wonder if your dip in consumption was because you’d gone to the 235s.

 

[Amarillo]

For our continental friends, our gallon is 4.546 L.

I was just curious why the wheel change had impacted your consumption. The 17s come with either 215s or 235s wide tyres. I’ve been running the 215s which run at 10 psi higher than the 235s giving quite a hard ride, but thought they may be giving me better consumption

I was wonder if your dip in consumption was because you’d gone to the 235s.

The tyres are 235.

I suppose I should also check that the snow chains I have will fit the tyres.

 

[2into1]

My long term average is 33.8 mpg, and has taken a big hit since changing wheels and tyres from the 16” Beach standard to the 17” Ocean standard wheels in December 2018.

I was just curious why the wheel change had impacted your consumption. The 17s come with either 215s or 235s wide tyres. I’ve been running the 215s which run at 10 psi higher than the 235s giving quite a hard ride, but thought they may be giving me better consumption

I was wonder if your dip in consumption was because you’d gone to the 235s.

The tyres are 235.

That aligns with my theory. I'm running the 215s and have a spare set in the wings, but beginning to think I should have bet on the 235s for their lower pressures and I guess less harsh ride.
At least if I'm saving fuel then I see one upside.

 

[Amarillo]

That aligns with my theory. I'm running the 215s and have a spare set in the wings, but beginning to think I should have bet on the 235s for their lower pressures and I guess less harsh ride.
At least if I'm saving fuel then I see one upside.

Looking only at the figures since we returned from our continental tour, the hit appears to be 4.3 mpg. However, the new tyres did almost coincide with a service when they tweaked the way AdBlue is used, so the hit might not be caused by the tyres alone or at all.

 

[jts46]

my average after 145,000 miles = 32.7mpg always checked on brim to brim
13 yrs old cali and me only owner and driver.

 

[teeboy]

We had our DSG 180 5.1 for 38.7 months, we put in 4,107L of fuel, at a cost of £4,647.62, and we covered 27,447 miles.

This equates to 30.94MPG or 16.6 pence per mile - this was 2013-2016, so mighr be a bit higher now.

I am also fun at parties

 

[Loz]

We had our DSG 180 5.1 for 38.7 months, we put in 4,107L of fuel, at a cost of £4,647.62, and we covered 27,447 miles.

This equates to 30.94MPG or 16.6 pence per mile - this was 2013-2016, so mighr be a bit higher now.

I am also fun at parties

did you use the diesel heater during this time as that will affect brim to brim fugures?

 

[MattBW]

My average over the last year has been 33.7 in a Euro5 114ps Beach.

 

[TripleBee]

Good afternoon,

Following these posts puzzles me a bit. Claims that the van uses around 5 l / 100 km of diesel is astonishing. I didn't get this on the VW Tigan which I had before the California.

I assume a California Ocean, with 2x adults loaded for a 2 or 3 weeks holiday (including a full water tank) weights up to 2.8 or 2.9 t.

A 2 liter engine with 150 HP and front wheel drive driving on a flat motorway cursing with 90 km/h might (just might) achieve this kind of consumption. Driving 120 or 130 km/h on a motorway with some hills, slowing down to 100 km (because of a truck which can't be overtaken at the moment) and accelerating to 120 or 130 km/h will bring up the fuel consumption to 7 to 8 l / 100 km. Which I believe is good.

A 2 liter engine with 204 HP or 199 HP and 4Motion might need a bit more.

I might get the wrong end of the stick .

Regards,
Eberhard

Not 5 liter (I have an old vehicle), but close. This is my motorway speed.



And another time.


Oh, this is calculated by VW. Real economy is slightly higher, but not over 0,5 liter.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Oh, this is calculated by VW. Real economy is slightly higher, but not over 0,5 liter.

Calculated by VW... hmmmm. I suppose you remembered to switch off the 'cheat device' first??

 

[Loz]

Hurrah, after a few slightly longer journeys recently my consumption 2 mpg is up to 27 ...

 

[pjm-84]

Bloody hell that's heavy. Mine is high 30s. Recent trip back from Wales saw over 50mpg on the MFD and then a fast blat down the 110mile motorway stretch at 75mph dropped the overall to 39mpg (on the MFD) . Bike on the back as well

 

[WelshGas]

Bloody hell that's heavy. Mine is high 30s. Recent trip back from Wales saw over 50mpg on the MFD and then a fast blat down the 110mile motorway stretch at 75mph dropped the overall to 39mpg (on the MFD) . Bike on the back as well

Was that on Memory 1 or Memory 2?

 

[jts46]

and do you reset memory 1 to give accurate reading?

 

[Loz]

and do you reset memory 1 to give accurate reading?

I think memory 1 resets every trip and memory 2 is the longterm.

 

[pjm-84]

Just checked. Mem 1. Mem 2 is on 34.5mpg for 2995 miles.

 

[Frank L]

Good evening,

I just calculated the cost for diesel during our holiday in Europe (I will put up more information about this at a later stage).

We drove 6,287 km in 3x weeks 65% motorway (120 km or 130 km/h depending on the country's motorway limit) and 35% country roads / very small roads. The van was fully loaded and with 2x people.

According to the my calculation the average of diesel usage was 7.8 l/100 km (which, according to Goolge, 30.16 mpg/100 km).

The dashboard said something like 7.1 to 7.8 km, thinking about it actually not so far off.

Regards,
Eberhard

(Sorry if someone has already pointed this out).
I think your conversion is using the (smaller) American gallon .
Your consumption is better than you state, I reckon about 35 to 36 mpg . I think if you divide the l/100km figure into 282 you’ll get mpg.

 

[GSX1300R]

Just checked. Mem 1. Mem 2 is on 34.5mpg for 2995 miles.

We have roughly the same MPG on the trip computer we have 35.7 mpg over 2500 miles of local and continental driving....But if it’s measured by constantly topping up the tank it’s more like 33 mpg..

 

[SimonB]

I think memory 1 resets every trip and memory 2 is the longterm.

Memory 1 resets after about 2 hours with the ignition off.

 

[Calimili]

Trip to Italy earlier this month, with awning, vw bike rack+2 bikes, reasonable amount of gear for a 2 week holiday for 2 people, Ocean 4motion, 215 tires, speed of about 130 km/h (~80mph) It was doing about 37mpg measured at the pump, and pretty consistent with the onboard computer.
Tire pressure of course checked right before leaving as I’m fastidious about tire pressure on my cars or motorbikes

 

[Scorf]

Just returned from a quick trip down south and recorded my best MPG figures in the 6 months of ownership so far....

Fairly steady cruise, mainly motorways, showed 45mpg on the MFD but actual 'brim to brim' figures worked out at just under 41mpg. So MFD is running about 10% too optimistic!

Van was running 'Sports Bus' mode , so extra middle seats, multiflex board & bike rack all left at home........has 4500 miles on the clock, 150 DSG but chipped using a TDI Tuning box which was running programme 7 (195bhp), fitted with 255/45/18's inflated to 40psi.

 

[The Tall Luthier]

Resurrecting thread to ask a question.
Life is a journey in our Ocean so we drive everywhere at 60mph, pretty bohemian. This 6.1 was showing 48.7mpg on a 150 mile th motorway trip but when the fuel gauge got to its first red light the range showed as 95 miles. I topped up after 20 miles when the range displayed 85.
Have I got an ultra efficient Ocean or do I need to get it checked out?