60 MPG / 900 Mile Club / 1000 Mile Club

aggiegrad

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2003
Location
Sherwood, OR
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
On my recent solo roadtrip from Houston to San Jose (new job) I decided to do a mileage / range run. I was hoping to finally break the 800 mile mark. I pumped the tires to 42 all around, cleaned the snow screen, added a gallon of bio, some Stanadyne, and filled to the brim in Houston.

906.8 miles, 14.952 gallons. 60.6 MPG


I now know why the 900 club is so lonely. Almost the entire trip was with the cruise control set at 57-58mph. It is downright painful to drive this slow for SO long. The trip started out with the intention of breaking 800, but when I realized I could break 900, I got excited. It wasn't until I hit about 750 that I knew I might hit 900.

Freaking incredible cars!

It took me forever to fill up the tank in Lordsburg, New Mexico because I wanted to make sure I got every last bit of fuel in so I could get a relatively accurate mileage reading. I probably waited a total of 20 minutes after the initial click to let all the foam settle.

Another interesting note is that I was totally loaded. The trunk had probably somewhere around 300 lbs of stuff in the trunk, two dogs, and luggage behind the front seats and on the passenger seat and floor.

All I can say is wow.
 

snoopis

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2002
Location
Arlington, TX, USA
TDI
2002 Golf GLS TDI, 5spd
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Congrats! I've only hit the 800 mark once, and that was painful enough... I couldn't imagine driving slowing enough for the 900 club.

On the other end of the spectrum, I'm driving a Focus (rental car) right now, and put over 1700 miles on it last weekend. Fuel economy ranged from 21 to 30.5.
 

McBrew

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Location
Annapolis, MD
TDI
2003 Golf GLS TDI, 5 speed, Silver/Grey
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Welcome to the 900 mile club! We need a grill badge or something
. I've been able to squeek out 903 miles on a tank while doing my normal driving... part city, part hwy. Keeping the max speed around 55 MPH is key... at least with the hills I have to deal with. On flat land, I could od a little better. Anyway, I've got nearly 500 miles on my current tank, and I'm not at the half tank mark yet! It's so hard to keep going this way... I'd like to fill it up, calculate my mileage, then return to my normal (more spirited) driving. If I can stand it for a few more days, I might make it to 900 miles again. Oh, and I did do about 5 minutes at 80 MPH on this tank. Couldn't help it, foot got heavy!

BTW, I have been doing 65 MPH in the 65 MPH zone that I go through every morning. This is about 8 miles or so. I could take another route to work that would have me going through a 50 MPH zone, but there's usually more traffic that way. I think I get better mileage doing 65 MPH than I would if I were in that traffic.

Anyway, congrats! If I make it to 900 again, I'll have to get a picture this time!
 

mrGutWrench

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Location
Carrboro, NC
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon, 5-speed, 563K Miles (July '23)
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Welcome to the 900 mile club! We need a grill badge or something (snip)
__. Yeah. It's hard to get the "long" tanks but it's possible (for some peoples' circumstances). And 900 feels good and 1000 feels better!

__. I agree with McB, too, that traffic (slow-down/speed-up) seems to be a mileage killer.
'
 

aggiegrad

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2003
Location
Sherwood, OR
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

McBrew,

One of the tricks I used (I have no idea if it actually helped) was to only use A/C on downhill sections. I know you've done some experiments with VAG-COM looking at instantaneous mileage in different situations. Have you looked at this? Also, what have you observed with regards to weight?

I celebrated the 900mi/60mpg tank with a 80mph tank from the AZ/NM border to north of Los Angeles, and I agree with Maxthrust - 51 mpg.

I also wanted to take a picture, but all I had was a film camera with 100 speed film, and it was dark when I filled up. A picture could easily be faked, and I didn't feel the need to justify my mileage or range claims to Rogue or anyone else; I know I did it.

The only reason I was able to stay around the 57-58 mph range was that it was memorial day weekend and traffic was light, and I did a lot of early morning driving (got started at 2:00AM.) I seriously doubt I'll ever get 900 again - I just don't have the patience to do that again.
 

VelvetFoot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2001
Location
Sand Lake, NY
TDI
NB, 2000, Yellow
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

60+ mpg... the holy grail!

57-58mph is almost sub-VelvetFoot country, esp. going the tank's distance!


(Note on factors: Flat ground also helps...)
 

jsrmonster

Veteran Member - TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 22, 2002
Location
Red Lion, PA
TDI
15 Golf SW DSG, RC3 piped, 99.5 Jetta Rocket PD150 6spd 4motion, 2000 ASV110 RC6 "Silverbullet" 5spd Race Car, 2003.5 Cummins QCLB 4x4 "Blue Monster" Jeep CRD juiced, MB Sprinter van juiced up
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Hi,

Also keep your windows up. I notice egt raises 100 degrees when the windows are down at 70mph. The drag really increases. The AC really has no affect on the egts.

Jeff
 

PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Utterly amazing!
I had no idea drag was that great from open windows.

--Nate
 

woofie2

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2004
Location
Republic of Southern Illinois
TDI
Former TDI owner
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Tint your windows
, to keep the temperature down in the car with the windows up, and run the vent fan, (or the A/C on low) the car stays cooler and well it looks cool.
I will be shooting for 900 at the end of the month when I leave on vacation or on my return trip from Colorado the beginning of July (got 40mpg in my gas Golf 3 years ago). I have seen 700 regularly in my TDI, last week I hit 680 when the fuel light came on and I was coming up on a station with $1.539 diesel so I had to stop.
 

ertzog

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 10, 1999
Location
SW corner of Michigan
TDI
2K Golf, 05 Sprinter 118
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

At 14.592 gallons/906 miles.... if you had been topped off at the start, you could have made it comfortably into the 1000 mile club, no question.
 

McBrew

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Location
Annapolis, MD
TDI
2003 Golf GLS TDI, 5 speed, Silver/Grey
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

aggiegrad, I don't think that A/C trick would work for me... the hills here are small, but many. In one mile, there sould be three or four hills. I don't think it would be good for the A/C system to be turning it on and off that much. The weather has been pretty moderate this past week... in the 70s... so I haven't had to run the A/C much. However, I don't hesitate to use the A/C when it would be more comfortable.

Jeff, good info on the EGT. When the weather is nice, I like to have the windows down if I'm driving sub 50 MPH. Above that, it can become annoying. When I leave work, my first 6 miles is about 40 MPH average... with about 6 traffic lights
. I'll drive with the windows down for that leg, but once I get on the highway (Rt.50, for you locals) the windows go up. Then I drive through Edgewater.. a bunch of traffic lights and 40 MPH speed limit. Again, if it's nice I'll roll down the windows until I get into 50 MPH roads.

I always calculate my mileage... but I don't usually drive for extreme mileage. Maybe once every 10 tanks or so I'll do it just to prove I still can. I have yet to take a long road trip in my TDI where I can play around with really extreme mileage! My long trips are either in my Sprinter or my RV. They get 24 and 12 MPG, respectively.
 

aggiegrad

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2003
Location
Sherwood, OR
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Tint your windows , to keep the temperature down in the car with the windows up, and run the vent fan, (or the A/C on low) the car stays cooler and well it looks cool.
That's about what I did. I only used A/C about 5-10% of the total time. When it got too uncomfortable, I turned the A/C on Max, either downhill or on flat ground. If I had to go uphill or when it was comfortable, I used the fan only on vent. Because about half of the tank was before dawn, I really didn't use it that much.

And yes, I do have tinted windows. In Houston, it isn't an option not to have it done.

57-58mph is almost sub-VelvetFoot country, esp. going the tank's distance!
Because the last 150 miles were early morning, I drove even slower - cruise set at ~52mph. I didn't mind going that slow because I knew I was going to make 900 easy and when the BEEEEP came at 856, I knew I would hit 60 mpg.

I also knew I would be in the middle of the desert around 1000, so I didn't want to tempt fate since I had already hit two major milestones which were a first for me.
 

philh

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2000
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Because the last 150 miles were early morning, I drove even slower - cruise set at ~52mph.
Didn't you tell me you were driving in fog?
 

CoeyCoey

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 29, 2004
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

This is a funny thread if you think about it. I am happy with 650 miles doing 85+ MPH! WooHoo!
 

McBrew

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Location
Annapolis, MD
TDI
2003 Golf GLS TDI, 5 speed, Silver/Grey
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

I said:

If I can stand it for a few more days, I might make it to 900 miles again.
Oh, well... I didn't make it. I got 52.3 MPG on the last tank. Not enough to get me back into the 900 club. I'm driving for fun on this tank. Let's see if I can get it down to 47 MPG!
 

tiesel

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2004
Location
Chicago, IL
TDI
former owner Golf A4
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

On the trip out to the Boston TdiFest I managed 925 miles with 15.9 gallons or 58 mpg. I used AC for part of the trip with mixed highway driving between 55-85 mph. My personal best.
 

McBrew

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Location
Annapolis, MD
TDI
2003 Golf GLS TDI, 5 speed, Silver/Grey
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Sweet mileage, tiesel! I just filled up the other day. I lost the receipt, but I had already figured it out to be 43.7 MPG. That's pretty good, since I've been hovering right around 50 MPG recently. I didn't drive much faster than 65 MPH on that tank. 70 MPH for maybe 20 miles and a little bit of 90 MPH to excercise my right foot
. I think I had about 810 miles on that tank and the light hadn't come on yet.

I had a gallon of bio and about 10oz of PS. I'm out of bio now... so I'll probably get a bit lower on this tank. Yep, that's right... I tend to get a little better mileage on ~B5.
 

amorfeusz

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2003
Location
Seattle, WA
TDI
2004 Black Passat GLS Wagon 150k+, 2009 Jetta Sedan
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

I tried putting in about B5 per your suggestion and for the first time I reached the 600 mile club (since I lost my '03 Jetta) - on a 2.0L PD with 40city/60highway - 35.1 actual MPG

The interesting thing is how the MFA error was greatly reduced - I'm not sure if this is just a one tank fluke but will try and repeat the 'experiment'. I always fill to brim, let stand, and top off (vented)

http://usebiodiesel.com/passat_tdi.htm

Can't wait to go get some more B100 for blending
 

gdr703

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Location
Vancouver, Canada
TDI
Golf 2 door 2002 Indigo
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

I've been able to squeek out 903 miles on a tank while doing my normal driving... part city, part hwy. . . . . . . Anyway, I've got nearly 500 miles on my current tank, and I'm not at the half tank mark yet! . . . . I might make it to 900 miles again.
Sounds familiar, so I thought I would add:

3 in a row.

21st June: 911.6 miles / 14.77 USgal = 61.7 mpUSg
06th July: 912.2 miles / 14.68 USgal = 62.1 mpUSg
22nd July: 916.5 miles / 14.59 USgal = 62.8 mpUSg

Current tank is looking good for a fourth.

This car is amazing.

cheers.
 

VelvetFoot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2001
Location
Sand Lake, NY
TDI
NB, 2000, Yellow
Re: Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

excellent gdr703!
You should really be getting to 1000 miles with those numbers and change the title of the thread!
 

marcusku

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2003
Location
Madison, Wisconsin
TDI
Golf Sportwagen, 15', red
Re: Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Agreed, 1000 miles should be easy if you are getting 62 mpg. If you can make over 900 miles by the time the light comes on, it is standard procedure to go for 1000 miles. I only made the 60+ mpg club once. I drove the whole tank between 57-60 and got 62.3 mpg. There is nothing quite like watching that trip odometer flip over to 1000. Ahh, the memories.
 

Ernie Rogers

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2001
Location
Pleasant Grove, Utah
TDI
Beetle, 2003, silver
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Gdr,

Your car is clearly performing above the average. Tell us what you ascribe it to.

Ernie Rogers


I've been able to squeek out 903 miles on a tank while doing my normal driving... part city, part hwy. . . . . . . Anyway, I've got nearly 500 miles on my current tank, and I'm not at the half tank mark yet! . . . . I might make it to 900 miles again.
Sounds familiar, so I thought I would add:

3 in a row.

21st June: 911.6 miles / 14.77 USgal = 61.7 mpUSg
06th July: 912.2 miles / 14.68 USgal = 62.1 mpUSg
22nd July: 916.5 miles / 14.59 USgal = 62.8 mpUSg

Current tank is looking good for a fourth.

This car is amazing.

cheers.
 

gdr703

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Location
Vancouver, Canada
TDI
Golf 2 door 2002 Indigo
Re: Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

excellent gdr703!
You should really be getting to 1000 miles with those numbers and change the title of the thread!
I am sure the car is capable of it, as the refueling happens close to the low fuel light going off, so theres probably still 1.9 USgal left, plenty to see the 1000, or on my car 1610 km.
Its the driver that gets nervous. duh!
 

gdr703

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Location
Vancouver, Canada
TDI
Golf 2 door 2002 Indigo
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Your car is clearly performing above the average. Tell us what you ascribe it to.
Happens every year about this time.
Is it the weather? 25degC (77degF) days and 50-60 % humidity, little rain.
Is it the fuel, are the refineries stock piling home heating fuel, and we happen to get some good stuff.
Or, something else?
Not sure.
I've had the car since Jan 2002, and each year I have a peak at this time.
I do not have an air con in the car. I do use the vent fan a lot though!

cheers.
 

aggiegrad

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2003
Location
Sherwood, OR
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS TDI
Re: Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

As lonely as the 900 Club is, I can't imagine that there are more than a handfull of people in the 1000 club.

Let me know when you hit 1000, and I'll change the title of the thread.

Congrats!
 

gdr703

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Location
Vancouver, Canada
TDI
Golf 2 door 2002 Indigo
Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Ok, its now 4 in a row:

21st June: 911.6 miles / 14.77 USgal = 61.7 mpUSg
06th July: 912.2 miles / 14.68 USgal = 62.1 mpUSg
22nd July: 916.5 miles / 14.59 USgal = 62.8 mpUSg
11th Aug : 934.5 miles / 14.89 USgal = 62.8 mpUSg

This car is amazing.

cheers.
 

watercop

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Location
Clay County, FL
Re: Newest 60 MPG / 900 Mile Club Member

Among A4 operators the 1k club is quite small. The 1100 club is smaller yet. I've done it, and I think GDR703 could do it with only a bit more effort than he is making now. It takes an extremely light right foot, a ventectomy, non-AC weather, and the ability to ignore the low fuel light for quite awhile...
 
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