Real World MPG with DSG

[APT]

Effective pulse and glide is the most significant technique to decrease fuel use. The DSG has a big penalty for the glide part compared to the manual since shifting to from neutral to drive while moving is not recommended. Otherwise, the two can get very close (~5%) to the same consumption.

 

[detroitmike]

I ranted this comment in the turbo failure thread about my experience with our '12 Passat TDi SEL DSG.

To expand, my wife drives the car. She's not a hot rodder. Her driving consists mostly of commuting to work, 25 miles of interstate with about a 1 mile stretch on surface streets each way. So basically 50 miles of interstate commuting daily.

Our '01 Jetta TDi 5m consistently got 45-48 on this trip for 200k miles. Now the Passat averages 33-35 mpg. The crappy driving, stinky, gas powered Passat SE auto got nearly 30 on this route.

What is my motivation to keep this car faced with the idea that the per mile cost benefit of the TDi is lost and the risk of future turbo failures looms so ugly on the horizon.

Sell the car and shut up. Or quit pretending you're in a fighter jet and drive the car like a person that doesn't have only one day to live. Relax. I drive 3.5 hours a day. More than half is bumper to bumper traffic. So tired of the negativity on this board. Its a decent car. Not perfect. I doubt I could find a better car for straight up highway than what i have now. For the money of course.

 

[Rico567]

Sell the car and shut up. Or quit pretending you're in a fighter jet and drive the car like a person that doesn't have only one day to live. Relax. I drive 3.5 hours a day. More than half is bumper to bumper traffic. So tired of the negativity on this board. Its a decent car. Not perfect. I doubt I could find a better car for straight up highway than what i have now. For the money of course.

I frequent Internet forums on a number of topics. At some point a few years back I was in the same place you are, kind of overwhelmed by all the negative posts. Then I realized that the Internet is the perfect instantiation of Mark Antony's line in Shakesepeare's Julius Caesar: "The evil men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones." This place (or an internet forum on cooking utensils, swizzle sticks, etc.) tends to be a dumping ground for gripes and rants. That's why I try to contribute to any positive thread I find.

 

[Av8r3400]

Or quit pretending you're in a fighter jet and drive the car like a person that doesn't have only one day to live.

From an active aviator, f-you.

My sentiments echo many here who feel stuck with a lemon that isn't being properly dealt with. Maybe you are fortunate enough to have mommy and daddy buy you cars to burn, but I don't have that option.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Everybody settle down. Is it a full moon or something?

 

[donDavide]

Everybody settle down. Is it a full moon or something?

As a matter of fact, yes! I saw it over Georgetown driving down GW Parkway, quite pretty! (around 6pm, so there was still light)
And then At nighttime over the Pearl Harbor Memorial bridge (Severn River Rt50) the reflection on the water was awesome

 

[pparks1]

I drove my 2002 VW Passat GLX for 12 years. Tracked my mileage forever..so i know what it got, year in and year out. My Passat 13' TDI always gets better mileage than my gasser version ever did. On my old 16 gallon tank, I would get 350 files or so to a tank. On the TDI, I can easily get 600 miles to a tank, even in the winter. My worst "tank" average this winter has been 32.7MPG according to fuelly. This is better than my best tank ever on my gasser. i drive probably 70% city, 30% highway. My best overall tank is 46.1MPG. It may not exceed what an older diesel VW could have provided, but I don't have an older diesel VW experience to compare it to.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Spring is upon us! It was 70 degrees here yesterday and the MFI was showing low 50s for a trip that had been showing low to mid 40s all winter. Awesome!

 

[kjclow]

And winter returns tomorrow

 

[donDavide]

Spring is upon us! It was 70 degrees here yesterday and the MFI was showing low 50s for a trip that had been showing low to mid 40s all winter. Awesome!

MFI was never really close for me on my NMS/B7.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

MFI was never really close for me on my NMS/B7.

Was? Did you sell it?

 

[psd1]

MFI was never really close for me on my NMS/B7.

You had a B7 and an NMS and both are sold?

 

[iantryinit]

Well not breaking any records myself but weather is turning a bit and can't wait to actually see some great numbers.
I find it hard to drive slow and be extreme fuel conscious but was able to keep my foot light on way home from lake this weekend and saw an average of 39mpg or 6l/100k on my hr and a half trip home. Not great for some but at these cold conditions and winter fuel I am happy so far. Better than my '09 Jetta TDI and 1/5 of the fuel burned in my F250!
Can't wait to try for some numbers you guys get!!!

 

[Spyke]

EPA estimated for the manual transmission 4.4l/100 km and for the DSG is 4.9l/100 km. thats 10% different and its huge!

With my older 2012 Passat SE (Base model no option)TDI Manual Transmission I was able to get 4.4l/100 km easily in the summer and 4.8l/100km in the winter. I did once get 4.1l/100km but thats was a trip mostly going slightly downhill.

Now with my 2013 Passat Highline Sport package (with all option available) TDI with DSG Transmission, I can get 5.5l/100km on highway trip if I'm easy on the throttle and average of 108 km/h (I found that at that speed, its where the fuel economy is at its best). Of course, I bought the car in october last year in exchange of my 2012 so its mostly during the winter with winter tires. I'll post back the fuel economy when summer will be here. This car as a lot of electronics (navigation, touch screen, backup camera etc) so of course it creates a load on the engine and that doesn't help for fuel economy but I love electronics and I can live with that.

By the way, on both cars, the onboard display MFI was at 0.1l/100km accurate.

And when I'm not working, my daily commute is about 50/50 highway/city. With the manual transmission I was able to get 5.5-5.8l/100km and with the DSG transmission I usually get 6.3-6.8l/100km.

With the manual transmission on 50/50 highway/city I was able to get easily 900-1000 km on one tank before the fuel light lite up. With the DSG its 850-950 km. On the highway, with the manual I did get once 1625 km, but usually 1200-1300 km and with the DSG 1050-1250 km.

I'll keep you informed when summer temperature will be back.

Cheers!

 

[tadawson]

Houston to Dallas, 273 miles. Speed parked on 78 with cruise for about 230 of that, another 20 or so on cruise at 68, and the rest with my foot around 60. About 16000 miles on it total . . .

49.9MPG . . .

- Tim

 

[pparks1]

When I first ready your post, I thought you were saying that you got 60.499 MPG.

49.9 seems more reasonable

 

[tadawson]

Sorry, added line break to clarify . . .

- Tim

 

[skinnyv]

Greetings, first real road trip from Seattle to Sacramento. Took the hills in oregon with ease very impressed. Averaged 43mpg for the 750 miles. Computer said I averagesd 67 mph , but there were stretches of 75 and 80 at some points.
I don't see how I could have done better mpg wise , unless its based on speed.
Enjoyed the trip more so than our standard trip car which is a highlander hybrid.

 

[RoadRunnerTR21]

803.2 miles / 17.35 gal = 46.3 MPG

I'll take it!

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Greetings, first real road trip from Seattle to Sacramento. Took the hills in oregon with ease very impressed. Averaged 43mpg for the 750 miles. Computer said I averagesd 67 mph , but there were stretches of 75 and 80 at some points.
I don't see how I could have done better mpg wise , unless its based on speed.
Enjoyed the trip more so than our standard trip car which is a highlander hybrid.

Your results are right on the money for the speeds you were traveling. If you go slower, your fuel economy will improve.

 

[skinnyv]

Your results are right on the money for the speeds you were traveling. If you go slower, your fuel economy will improve.[/hooray!

Had a trip adjustment and came down to Anaheim for Disneyland with mY son. 440 miles from Sacramento, 70 mph avg for 6 hrs with ac on. 45.5 mpg. This car has made me want to drive, and my son will benefit these next 2 days. This stretch had 2 less people and luggage than my trip above which may have impacted mpg.
BTW I pulled the rear middle console out a bit. Perfect headrest for my son with a blanket while he slept 3 of those hours.

 

[D-Cell_Mekanick]

I just pulled 51.1MPG out of my Passat TDI DSG. Put 808 miles on 15.81 gallons. Here my fuelly http://www.fuelly.com/driver/dcellmekanick/passat

 

[psd1]

I just pulled 51.1MPG out of my Passat TDI DSG. Put 808 miles on 15.81 gallons. Here my fuelly http://www.fuelly.com/driver/dcellmekanick/passat

That's one hell of a jump, what do you attribute it too? Looks like 0% Highway on a majority of your tanks.

 

[D-Cell_Mekanick]

That's one hell of a jump, what do you attribute it too? Looks like 0% Highway on a majority of your tanks.

Mostly higher ambient temps and setting the cruise control at the speed limit. I dont fill out the highway/city percentage.

 

[psd1]

Mostly higher ambient temps and setting the cruise control at the speed limit. I dont fill out the highway/city percentage.

Better than my last tank. Good job!

 

[heidelbergjohn4.0]

I've had my 2012 SE for 26 months now and have 67K miles as of this morning. My biggest change in mileage was definitely when I had to replace the OEM Hankook's at about 61K. I had to go with a set of Sumitomo's for financial reasons and I had never cared for the ride quality of hte Hankooks. My mileage dropped about a consistent 2mpg. I've yet to be able to exceed 800/tank since the tire swap. Prior to the tire change, I'd had 12 tanks that exceeded 800 miles. I gave up on my log about a year ago once I was convinced that the 48.6 mpg average I was seeing was realistic and consistent. I'd agree with other members that the best MPG isn't actually seen on flat level road. My best was our trip to Orlando. RT, Havre de grace MD to WDW, a week of driving around Disney and Orlando. 2002 miles total, 37.1 gallons of fuel (rimming the fuel neck)= 54.10 MPG.

On my daily 100 mile RT commute, MFA shows me an average of 45.3 TO work most mornings , 51.5 FROM work. What is generally suprising is my ave speed in very heavy BTB, stop and go traffic coming home is frequently over 50 mpg. slow and steady, using the torque to chug along. I was lucky to get 15 in my W8 wagon!

 

[D-Cell_Mekanick]

Only got 48.1 MPG on this last tank, but still over 800 miles on this tank.

 

[quattroginger]

does this car take time to break in? first tank on my 2014 sel only got 540 before light came on. is that normal? i very light on pedal. was a little upset this morning.

 

[kjclow]

Could take up to 60K miles for full break in. Best thing to do is not get too hung up on individual early tanks but look at the overall trend. Also, if that was the tank from the dealer, then it may not have been filled as full as most members do around here. With a diesel, you can fill until you see fuel in the neck. Or in a few cases, until it is dribbling down the side of the car.

 

[quattroginger]

well this tank is deff full, used shell separate pump this morning, first side of pump nozzle was to big for car, other side never cut off when it was full. wasted half gallon on ground leaking out car.