Driving for better mpg

[gdr703]

too the

 

[gdr703-2]

Its been a while since I've been here, but gdr703 is currently at 6years 7 months old, 127,833 miles (actually 205,728Km) and has consumed 2,155 USgal (actual 8,157 litre)
Thats a lifetime of 59.2 mpUSg. or 3.967 litres per hundred.

The original brake pads, and battery are still in the car, i only changed the oil, and filters, and have 4 tires.

For the past 18 months or so, I've been running B50, and have seen a drop in mpg because of it.

cheers.

 

[gdr703-2]

Its a 4 litre car!

7 years old.
216,320 km on the odo, = 134,415 miles.
8,609 litres = 2,274 US gallons

3.98 litre per hundred, 59.1 mpUSg

cheers,

I was looking to replace it, but I dont want a Jetta, or a 4 door. So I guess I'll just keep on driving.
Cant get a diesel Golf or Beetle any more...

 

[CMB430]

Go look in the News/Tech forum...you will have a great big smile.

 

[Tarbe]

One speeding ticket. 55mph in a 30 mph zone on a highway off-ramp.

Just couldn't get yourself to touch those brakes, could you?


Great job. Hope you can get a new TDI Golf and show us how it's done!


Tim

 

[Fobulous]

You talk about 5th gear. What about 6th gear? If the vehicle is a 6-speed wouldn't the rule of 5th gear be changed to 6th gear?

 

[gdr703-2]

You talk about 5th gear. What about 6th gear? If the vehicle is a 6-speed wouldn't the rule of 5th gear be changed to 6th gear?

agreed, the car is a 2002, 5th gear is the tops. would really like to have the 6th, together with a new car. I havent seen them yet in Canada.

I recently changed tires from the Michelins. (after 8 tires)
I now ride on the Nokian WR G2, same size etc.
I get the same, or possibly a tad better mpg.
They seem to ride smoother.
They are a tad noisier on some road surfaces.
They hold the road better.
I expect they will do a lot better in snow and ise.
I hope they will wear well.
They were less expensive than a set of Michelins.


currently at 238,380km.
Just had the front wheel bearings changed, due to them being noisy. They changed the brakes at the same time, though they really didnt nee it! Still on original battery.
cheers.

 

[gdr703-2]

9 years and 267,892 km.
lifetime: 70.5 mpIMPg, 58.7 mpUSg, 4.01 L/100

still on original battery.
Nokian tires seem to be wearing at a facter rate than the Michelins.

cheers,

 

[nicklockard]

still on original battery.
Nokian tires seem to be wearing at a facter rate than the Michelins.

cheers,

Yikes! Michelins aren't exactly long life tires anywho.

 

[Wksg]

Quite the thread, gdr703, and a lot of good reporting. I've only had a TDI for a few months. I take it you drive on average quite slow, since the speed limit on your commute is 56 mph.

I wonder what I could achieve on my 120 mile daily round trip commute if I drove that slow. Well, I know I would achieve lots of irate drivers around me, since in Michigan people drive at least 80 mph most of the time.

Also, I am wondering: would using a scan gauge to modify driving habits for maximum fuel economy lead to your style of driving?

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I think you have to make some choices between maximizing economy and safety. Following the 85th percentile rule is important to keeping safe on the road. People do drive fast in Michigan, and a lot of the roads are pretty congested. Driving very slowly there is probably asking for trouble.

 

[ruking]

I think you have to make some choices between maximizing economy and safety. Following the 85th percentile rule is important to keeping safe on the road. People do drive fast in Michigan, and a lot of the roads are pretty congested. Driving very slowly there is probably asking for trouble.

Yes, out here it might be a clue when one is in the SLOW lane (#4/4 lanes) going 80/85 mph and even the highway patrol is passing. But truly, no harm no foul when when is going 55 in a 65 mpg limit area. Anything below that, (unless there is a traffic jam or some other issue) its probably best to have the 4 way flashers on.

 

[Wksg]

I think I could drive 60 mph or so around here. There always seems to be an 18 wheeler creeping along that slow that could be followed, not too closely of course. Everyone else would just blow on past.

I'd have to stifle the urge to chase them down, though.

But really, those fuel economy numbers are almost unbelieveable. Averaging 59 mpg for 9 years? It just doesn't seem possible.

 

[ruking]

I think I could drive 60 mph or so around here. There always seems to be an 18 wheeler creeping along that slow that could be followed, not too closely of course. Everyone else would just blow on past.

I'd have to stifle the urge to chase them down, though.

But really, those fuel economy numbers are almost unbelieveable. Averaging 59 mpg for 9 years? It just doesn't seem possible.

My take is that it is do able. I just really don't want to do the things necessary to AVERAGE that AND over 9 years. On longer road trips I have easily posted 59 mpg. Just keep it @ 75 mph with bursts to 80/85 and it's almost a no brainer.

 

[Wksg]

You mean you get 59 mpg on a tank doing that? Or is that an instantaneous reading on a scan gauge?

If you're getting nearly 1000 miles on a tank driving 75 mph average, I'm doing something wrong...

 

[tditom]

...On longer road trips I have easily posted 59 mpg. Just keep it @ 75 mph with bursts to 80/85 and it's almost a no brainer.

Stop it with the inflated mpg claims. There is no way you get 59 mpg at that speed, unless you were driving downhill or had a good tailwind.

Wksg- I had the same commute you descibe for years (Jackson- Ann Arbor). I had a tiime when I was trying to hang with everyone in the left lane for years, and ended up doing the speed limit in the right lane (speeding up to pass so as not to block the passing lane). This was just less stressful for me in the end. Now I walk to work most of the time

 

[UFO]

You mean you get 59 mpg on a tank doing that? Or is that an instantaneous reading on a scan gauge?

If you're getting nearly 1000 miles on a tank driving 75 mph average, I'm doing something wrong...

No you aren't, you just don't have the special paint that reduces your Cd to 0.17...

 

[Bob_Fout]

No you aren't, you just don't have the special paint that reduces your Cd to 0.17...

NBs have the worst aero compared to the J/G/JW...

 

[ruking]

Stop it with the inflated mpg claims. There is no way you get 59 mpg at that speed, unless you were driving downhill or had a good tailwind.

Wksg- I had the same commute you descibe for years (Jackson- Ann Arbor). I had a tiime when I was trying to hang with everyone in the left lane for years, and ended up doing the speed limit in the right lane (speeding up to pass so as not to block the passing lane). This was just less stressful for me in the end. Now I walk to work most of the time

For sure, we know you haven't a clue how to do it !! That is just fine with me. Evidently I am not the only one. A few of these folks make it a point to do it more consistently http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=301172&highlight=December+2010

You folks probably don't even believe those folks hired by VW to do a cross country trip got what 58+ mpg? in a later model TDI. http://www.mpgomatic.com/2008/09/17/vw-jetta-tdi-averaging-59-mpg-in-cross-country-trek/

http://www.mpgomatic.com/2008/09/28/vw-jetta-tdi-sets-new-world-record-5882-mpg/

 

[Bob_Fout]

Anyone seen that unicorn over there?

 

[gdr703-2]

On my commute environment. The one way trip is 50km, mostly freeway, and the traffic build up is always in the other direction.
On average:
I fill up with 50 litres, and that’s good for 1,250km.
That’s about 12 or 13 days, and say 15 hours of engine on.
Speed varies from a standstill to 80 mph (130Km/hr)
An idling engine consumes 0.4 litre per hour, that’s 6 litres of the 50. However to travel the freeway at 60mph, my Golf is turning the engine at say 2100 rpm so simply turning the engine over is now consuming say 12 litres, in the duration of the tank.
Using the Glide technique I can get that residual consumption level down, maybe something like 8 instead of 12. (Giving 4 litres more for going places.)
The engine converts fuel into energy. It does this at a variety of rates per KwHr. That is somewhere between 200 and 600. A real gentle right foot, and its at the 500 -600 range. Driving at almost full power and its in the 200 to 250 range. Hence when coming to an up hill, allow the car to coast, dropping speed, then power the car up the hill. That is when that engine is making best use of the fuel, and creating the most energy.
I believe most people call it Pulse and Glide.
Cheers, Richard.
and if anyone for VW is reading this please can I buy a Golf VI 3 door diesel. I'd really like to have a new one but do not want a 5 door. - Thanks,

 

[UFO]

NBs have the worst aero compared to the J/G/JW...

NB is not part of the comparison. But if you really want outlandish mileage claims, look at this fuelly chart: http://www.fuelly.com/driver/drnknmnky13/jetta

 

[tditom]

Anyone seen that unicorn over there?

yeah. a leprechaun was riding him across a rainbow to the pot of gold...

 

[tditom]

For sure, we know you haven't a clue how to do it !! That is just fine with me. Evidently I am not the only one. A few of these folks make it a point to do it more consistently http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=301172&highlight=December+2010

You folks probably don't even believe those folks hired by VW to do a cross country trip got what 58+ mpg? in a later model TDI. http://www.mpgomatic.com/2008/09/17/vw-jetta-tdi-averaging-59-mpg-in-cross-country-trek/

http://www.mpgomatic.com/2008/09/28/vw-jetta-tdi-sets-new-world-record-5882-mpg/

from the second link:

drive 5 MPH under the speed limit

How do any of these links support your outlandish claims of averaging 59mpg @ 75-80mph?

 

[greengeeker]

NB is not part of the comparison. But if you really want outlandish mileage claims, look at this fuelly chart: http://www.fuelly.com/driver/drnknmnky13/jetta

He's taking total miles driven and dividing by gallons of D2 used, not taking into account gallons of wvo used.

 

[UFO]

He's taking total miles driven and dividing by gallons of D2 used, not taking into account gallons of wvo used.

Yep. Good for making impressive numbers, but no so good for tracking driving technique, maintenance or modifications. To each his own I suppose.

 

[Burning Diesel]

Those numbers are pretty amazing... Milltek Sport Cat Back Exhaust for Volkswagen

 

[Derrel H Green]

Impossible

NB is not part of the comparison. But if you really want outlandish mileage claims,
look at this fuelly chart: http://www.fuelly.com/driver/drnknmnky13/jetta

No WAY!

I had one of those, and that simply is NOT POSSIBLE.

Those automatic slush boxes account for a twenty (20) percent hit in F E.



D

 

[Drnknmnky13]

Yep. Good for making impressive numbers, but no so good for tracking driving technique, maintenance or modifications. To each his own I suppose.

I do it to track my savings using WVO. I don't really need to track driving technique because if I get less MPG on WVO... I don't really care.

I first put the tracker in my sig when I bought the car and wasn't running WVO. I should take it down now as I see how it could look like I'm boasting about numbers that you have to "cheat" to accomplish.

 

[Drnknmnky13]

No WAY!

I had one of those, and that simply is NOT POSSIBLE.

Those automatic slush boxes account for a twenty (20) percent hit in F E.



D

Indeed. My average mpg without WVO is low 40s high 30s depending on the driving I do.

I apologize if it seems like I was trying to mislead. Using fuelly as a tool. Just not in the same way everyone else is.