Real World MPG - 6 speed Manual

silvrmax04

Active member
Joined
Dec 18, 2011
Location
MD
TDI
2012, 2015 Passat TDI SE
The EX has been great with 120k and still running strong. I now own all diesel powered vehicles. Wouldn't have it any other way. The VW is my first foreign car ever. I was always raised on buying american. But with them never honoring the warranties and the BS that comes with it, well I figured why not. Besides it is half american and half German like me. So that helps me sleep at night. I hope it last a long time with no major problems.
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
keep them coming people
150 miles roundtrip today, 90% highway, 40-50 degrees, 65-67mph most of the way, rolling hills.......52.5 mpg (MFD) driveway to driveway.
 

radtech83

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Location
Indiana
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SE 6MT White
I know this isn't a hypermiling forum but I can't wait to start reading about peoples results of trying hypermiling techniques with the 6MT TDI. I think 65-70+ mpg is possible.....
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
I know this isn't a hypermiling forum but I can't wait to start reading about peoples results of trying hypermiling techniques with the 6MT TDI. I think 65-70+ mpg is possible.....
When it warms up I think mid 50mpg's is very doable with 62-65mph speeds on the highway, maybe 60mpg doing 60mph with coasting and very careful driving...maybe! Heck, I'm just happy with 46-47mpg on my commutes, not very often I get to do road trips. My wife has used the car on some longer highway treks and done real good with multiple 50+mpg trips. Watching the MFD, driving at 65mph, you see 55-60mpg pretty consistently on relatively flat terrain......I don't think I will see 60+mpg actual mileage, but that is not to say it can't be done, this car does seem to have some amazing potential in warmer weather.....sure will be fun trying, but getting 50+ mpg's takes some focus and effort, you can't just plug along blindly and expect this kind of fuel economy.
 

RI_TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
May 8, 2001
Location
Providence RI
TDI
'05 B5.5v, '89 DOKA Syncro
It may not do much if you had it. Air resistance goes up quickly as the speed increases.
Each successive gear reduces the mechanical advantage the engine has to exert force against the ground as a trade-off to enable the engine to keep up with wheels that spin faster and faster. If you had zero air and rolling resistance, adding gears would allow a vehicle to go faster and faster, and the main concession would be lower and lower acceleration.

But we have rolling and more importantly air resistance. If memory serves the relationship between airspeed and power is a cubic function - meaning to double the speed of a given object one would need 8 times (2×2×2) the power. Adding a seventh gear would be asking the car to overcome a sharply rising air resistance with even less mechanical advantage than in 6th gear. The likely result is you'd really have to have your foot well into it to maintain speed, and the efficiency would be lost.

That said, I am certain higher fuel efficiency would be achievable by tweaking the ECM, the transmission and final drive ratios, the aerodynamics, etc. But the car would probably become perceived by the general public as weak and less enjoyable to drive. They have to design and build for the broad audience.
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
My best tank average so far......649 miles/13.4 gallons = 48.4 mpg's

I lowered my commute speed to approx 66 mph(from 73-74) which brought up my average.

I see 52-58mpg's on the highway portion of my commutes at 66mph, based on the MFD that is a 10-15% increase from the mpg's I was getting at higher speeds.
 

poppytdi

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2011
Location
central Pa
TDI
2010 Jetta DSG , 2012 Passat SE DSG,1996 Dodge 3500,2005 GMC envoy XL
12,000 miles on my 2012 Passat TDI,DSG 46.7 MPG average by actual gallons.
Mostly highway driving.
Mileage is equal to 2010 Jetta 6M I traded in.
Great Car so far.
Only took 1 bottle 1.89 liter of urea to fill the tank at 10,000 mile service.
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
poppytdi: VW dealer DEF (urea) only comes in 2.5gal bottles. (9.4 liters).

Please check your records and correct your post if necessary. We're all trying to learn how much DEF is being used in these engines.

Thanks.
 

radtech83

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Location
Indiana
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SE 6MT White
more posts please. I'm new on this forum and I have a question. Do you have to have a TDI Jetta to track your MPG's? So when you upgrade to a Passat you have to have fun and drive it like it is a 911 in the far left lane?

Has there been a hypermiler thread with the TDI Passat in the past?
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
Do you have to have a TDI Jetta to track your MPG's? So when you upgrade to a Passat you have to have fun and drive it like it is a 911 in the far left lane?

Has there been a hypermiler thread with the TDI Passat in the past?
I think you will find the Passat drivers are very conscious of fuel economy, and it is fun because these cars are amazingly frugal on the highway. Hey, if you want to get in the left lane go for it, but fair warning, the 911 will run you over. Seriously though, this car runs plenty strong if you want to cruise in the fast lane, and I'm actually finding mine seemingly quicker by the day. I'm not a hypermiler, nor have I seen anyone discussing it here, I bet someone will soon enough and my guess is the results will be pretty darn good.
 

radtech83

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Location
Indiana
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SE 6MT White
I think you will find the Passat drivers are very conscious of fuel economy, and it is fun because these cars are amazingly frugal on the highway. Hey, if you want to get in the left lane go for it, but fair warning, the 911 will run you over. Seriously though, this car runs plenty strong if you want to cruise in the fast lane, and I'm actually finding mine seemingly quicker by the day. I'm not a hypermiler, nor have I seen anyone discussing it here, I bet someone will soon enough and my guess is the results will be pretty darn good.
gergg you are always replying to my post, thank you! I'm done with the left lane. I've raced cars and cycles it don't do anything for me anymore. BUT I get the biggest kick out of saving money on fuel and increasing my MPG. I hope to get a TDI Passat some time later this year. Really waiting to see what a driver using hypermiling techniques can get out of the 2012 6MT TDI.

It's just a matter of time........:D
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
BUT I get the biggest kick out of saving money on fuel and increasing my MPG
Funny, I joked to my wife that was one of my new hobbies......MPG's....but, I can't keep my foot out of the throttle forever, driving fast is fun too!
 

lojeff10

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 29, 2011
Location
NJ
TDI
2012 Passat - 6sp MT
I have about 5000 miles on my passat. I am averaging about 44.7 mpg. I drive mostly highways. While we haven't seen horrible winter weather here in NJ, I am curious if these already great mpgs will go up in the spring with warmer weather and non winterized diesel. I think I saw one jetta owner claiming 4 mpg better in summer. Are the southern passat owners seeing better mileage with warmer winters?
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
I have about 5000 miles on my passat. I am averaging about 44.7 mpg. I drive mostly highways. While we haven't seen horrible winter weather here in NJ, I am curious if these already great mpgs will go up in the spring with warmer weather and non winterized diesel. I think I saw one jetta owner claiming 4 mpg better in summer. Are the southern passat owners seeing better mileage with warmer winters?
My guess is you will see a large upswing in mpg's after the temps rise. Seems to me the real drop in mileage happens with temps in the 20's and below. What have your average temps been up there?
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
All of us "winter" buyers are in for a treat. Spring fuel will help bump up MPG, PLUS, as our engines are breaking in, we'll have stonger engines, as well!

MPGs, and power (compression) should continue to increase for...25k...maybe 30k miles! At least, that's what the Gurus (guri?) have said...with compression tests to prove it...
 

lojeff10

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 29, 2011
Location
NJ
TDI
2012 Passat - 6sp MT
Most mornings recently have been below freezing with a handful of mornings in the teens. The commute home has been more typically in the 40's with some in the 30's.
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
Most mornings recently have been below freezing with a handful of mornings in the teens. The commute home has been more typically in the 40's with some in the 30's.
Yeah, wait until you get above 60 degrees :D
 

Manyvws

New member
Joined
Dec 12, 2011
Location
Maine
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SE 6 spd std
Hey Guys
On a recent interstate trip my 12 TDI SE Std returned,
70+mph, 4 adults, and a fair amount of long uphill grades,
46.8 mpg!
Just gets better and better
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
Hey Guys
On a recent interstate trip my 12 TDI SE Std returned,
70+mph, 4 adults, and a fair amount of long uphill grades,
46.8 mpg!
Just gets better and better
Sounds about right....drop to 65-66mph and you would have been over 50mpg's,
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
Filled up again....663 miles/13.7 gallons = 48.3 mpg's (FWIW....MFD read 47.6 mpg's)

I did notice this week driving a few legs of my commute in 60 degree temps that my avgerages were above 52 mpg's, so that certainly helps the overall average.
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
Filled up tonight ----768 miles / 14.4 gallons = 53.3 mpg--- weird thing is my MFD read 49.1 mpg, doubt I was getting 4.2 mpg over MFD as that has never happened before. It has to be the fill-up inconsistencies.... I will say that the car seems to be getting better and better fuel economy, today I took a 200 mile trip, 45-55 degrees(80% Highway @ 65mph & 20% Country roads) and averaged 57mpg......that's some good mpg's right there.
 

radtech83

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Location
Indiana
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SE 6MT White
Filled up tonight ----768 miles / 14.4 gallons = 53.3 mpg--- weird thing is my MFD read 49.1 mpg, doubt I was getting 4.2 mpg over MFD as that has never happened before. It has to be the fill-up inconsistencies.... I will say that the car seems to be getting better and better fuel economy, today I took a 200 mile trip, 45-55 degrees(80% Highway @ 65mph & 20% Country roads) and averaged 57mpg......that's some good mpg's right there.

keep posting gergg
 

NSTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2002
Location
Nova Scotia
TDI
15 Passat
Try using an Excel spread sheet for mileage, it gets rid of the variables of fillups. I used to keep my mileage on each tank, plus an average for all tanks. The old upsolute chip added about 1.5MPG to both cars.

I do not have a 12 Passat TDI, may get one later this year.

Don
 
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