fuel economy - what’s yours like?

Glas Robin

Glas Robin

Joined
Jun 2, 2018
Posts
448
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Location
Beautiful North Wales border
Funster No
54,207
MH
Carado T449
Exp
Since 2015
We’ve just done a trip from N.Wales to York and back including a few dozen miles pootling around to Scarborough and Dalby Forest.

Motorway is normally cruise control at 60-65mph.

Used almost a full tank.

Got 20mph out of her and about 23p/mile, with the Memsahib and 16yr old gene puddle plus a full load of bikes and kit on board. Plus MrsW had loaded the spare can opener and heavy bedsheets when I wasn’t looking...

It’s the standard Ducato 2.3TD 130bhp manual base.

How does this compare?
 
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So here's a thought..... after 38000 miles in our last van (Globecar 2.3 130 manual Euro 5) and now 6000 miles so far in our Hymercar 2.3 130 manual Euro 6) I am wondering if the increased measures to reduce pollution are having an adverse effect on MPG?

On the Euro 5 we averaged just under 38 MPG over it's life and in the Euro 6 we have only managed 33 MPG average.

The best on the old one was 49 and on the new one 39

??
 
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Being a bit of a nerd I have kept records of every time we have filled the tank, how much fuel, the price, where and the number of miles covered between fills (I have missed one fill though). I know I am sad but it gives me something to do apart from navigating.

Same base vehicle as yours and we get between 29 and 30 mpg when we have a standard load with the usual "just in case" items that are never used. If we have the kayaks on top the mpg drops to 26-27 mpg. Ours is also a low profile which might make it more streamlined when we don't have the kayaks.

With the car the way the kayaks are loaded makes a difference to wind resistance.

When we had a full load and only 90 kg payload to spare (rated at 3650) we got 28-29 mpg. The loaded weight of the van does not appear to have a huge impact (well 30 or 50 kg over 3.5 tonnes wouldn't would it?) but the shape of van does make a difference. We don't have a top box or carry bikes on top (or behind).

Thanks for an interesting question.
 
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Maybe I have more faith in the accuracy of the average mpg displayed by the Fiat dashboard than some Funsters. I am assuming that the trip computer and engine ECU share the same data regarding fuelling the engine and distance travelled. Tell me if I am wrong.

Our PVC does a mixture of shopping journeys @ 15 miles, plus longer trips using motorways (cruising speed about 60-62 mph) and A roads. Currently 29.9 mpg average. Having seen 31 mpg on one trip, hoping to do better this year. Worst ever was 14 mpg caused by a monumental traffic jam.

Edit - should also mention we keep the cab AC on all the time.

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We bought our van, new, on 12th October last year. Plated at 3850kg with 2.3 130 bhp Fiat engine and just over 6600 miles now, we get just over 27 mpg.
Generally travel around 100kph in France when roads permit, but we rarely use tolls, so speed limits of 80-90kph are more common.

A stuck thermostat will be no good for your engine or fuel consumption.
 
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No two identical vehicles will give the same MPG due to different drivers and different routes. We spend most of our motorhoming time abroad and the only time I use the van in the UK is to get to and from a ferry port. The best way I have found to save money on fuel is long range fuel tanks, and buy fuel where its cheap, ie, Luxembourg. For example, when touring Germany I can fuel up in Luxembourg and get home to Liverpool and back down to Dover before putting just enough in to get me back to Luxembourg on the way out again. When running home from Spain I often came via Andora for the same reason. Old habits die hard and spending my life involved in European road haulage taught me the lesson of carrying as much fuel as possible. Some say the extra weight cancels any savings out, but once a heavy vehicle is moving, keeping it moving at a reasonable speed takes little effort. My Hymer 754 tag axle with the 2.8 idtd pulling a trailer returns between 25 and 28 MPG which am more than happy with.
 
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I also have a new ford Transit 130 eu6 custom swb only done 3.5k miles average 36 mpg I do tend to use this as a car.
 
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14mpg auto with cruise set at 60 12 tonne so mpg per tonne probably nearly about the best on here :)

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2009 ducato pvc 2.3 210,000 miles, tuning box fitted, plated to 4500kgs, running weight around 3500kgs. Averages 32 mpg cruising at an indicated 60mph (55 real speed), 28mpg towing the race car which weighs in around 1500kgs with trailer and spare wheels. Readings are from the dash computer.

D.
 
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BTW Most 3L Hiaces do around 28-32 MPG even though they are compact.

I've read about plating a vehicle to above 3500kg and realise that it's a paper exercise, how does this affect the 3500kg driving license entitlement and what does it do to road tax and insurance?
Apologies for going a little off-topic here, hoping for a 2 line answer LOL.
 
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GPW said:
BTW Most 3L Hiaces do around 28-32 MPG even though they are compact.

I've read about plating a vehicle to above 3500kg and realise that it's a paper exercise, how does this affect the 3500kg driving license entitlement and what does it do to road tax and insurance?
Apologies for going a little off-topic here, hoping for a 2 line answer LOL.
Click to expand...


Not always a paper exercise but many can be uprated without work.

You need a C1 category on your licence to drive a vehicle with a plated maximum permissible mass (that's the weight of the van on the road with everything you are taking on board including you and your passengers, water, and fuel) between 3500 and 7500kg. C1+E if you want to tow as well.

Road tax is £165 per annum and I don't know about insurance.
 
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Thanks! £165 sounds good!

So if I 'plated' mine up to 4500kg (for example) no one without a C1 cat license could drive it even if it was loaded to below 3500kg?

Just trying to see if the C1 applies to the plate or the actual mass.
 
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GPW said:
Thanks! £165 sounds good!

So if I 'plated' mine up to 4500kg (for example) no one without a C1 cat license could drive it even if it was loaded to below 3500kg?

Just trying to see if the C1 applies to the plate or the actual mass.
Click to expand...
Its the plated weight

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Back in the seventies I was selling new Jags and Rovers. If a customer asked about mpg, they were a tyre kicker.
The stuck thermostat will be ruining your mpg as will over 60mph driving. A dose of fuel system cleaner might help too.(A number of friends have recommended Rhino Fuel Additive).
Understanding the power/torque bands can be useful. Gentle acceleration and avoid heavy braking (heavy braking =wasted energy).

happy trails,

Stevie
 
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A stuck-open thermostat is no good for an engine and will give terrible fuel usage - basically the hotter the engine the less fuel it needs.

MPG is useful as it also gives you an indication of tyre pressure etc, but wind and incline also affects it. Heavy acceleration is best avoided on Euro-6 vans as it makes soot.

MPG vs cost is an interesting debate, what I did was worked out roughly how much it would cost to drive 10,000 miles at current fuel prices: do the calculation and you'll see it isn't really a great cost in the scheme of things.

Also bear in mind fuel quality, a friend was explaining how his Mercedes has awful economy using a particular supermarket but just fine when switched back to a big brand like Shell etc.
 
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Also bear in mind fuel quality, a friend was explaining how his Mercedes has awful economy using a particular supermarket but just fine when switched back to a big brand like Shell etc.[/QUOTE]

This should be a topic all of it's own. Fuel quality is so varied, branded fuel is cleaner. A pal bought a new VW Golf GT TdI a few years ago, it wouldn't run right... I asked him what fuel he was using, it was from the supermarket. After a fresh tank of branded fuel, all his problems vanished.
My own ten year old Sprinter runs so much better on 'good' fuel!

Stevie

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Fiat 2.8 Litre, about 4500Kg, year 2000 chassis, returning about 22Mpg last trip including a 3000ft climb. Not too shabby for the old girl. I do a little better on longer motorway runs with cruise control.

We once rented a brand new McRent 2.3 Fiat, 3500Kg small 2 berth and returned approximately 30Mpg
 
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We have just changed to a 5t tag axle with 180hp comfortmatic , and have just returned from France, despite the engine still being new we are getting 25mpg cruising at mid 50's, our 3.6t previous a class with 130hp would probably have given 27mpg driven simularly, so once run in I expect we will get similar figures.
 
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Ford auto 170 bhp, with only 2000 miles on the clock and averaging 30-33 so far at a steady 60. Variation here seems to depend largely on the wind. The dash and tank to tank match well.

Also have 2 auto diesel cars neither of which give accurate dash readings. Never found any difference between supermarket and branded fuels.
 
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Hi There
As someone said what does it matter, most people don’t buy a Motorhome for fuel economy but I do understand some people just like to know, you are doing your vehicle no favours with a non working thermostat, a thermostat is designed to get your vehicle to operational temperature as quickly as possible. A vehicle performs at its best ref fuel economy at the correct operating temperature, also less wear and tare on the engine components when at the correct temperature. So if I were you I would get that seen to as soon as possible.

FYI I have a Autotrail Cheyenne 840d 5 tonne and I get roughly 20 miles to the gallon.

Best Wishes Tony

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We have an older Motorhome Renault Trafic Holdsworth ( petrol ) To be honest We have no idea how much We get to the gallon, probably about 20 - 25 mpg at a guess ? But have never cared about mpg in any of the vehicles We have owned, our policy is if you cant afford to run it dont buy it !
 
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Fiat 2.3L , 180hp , 5 ton , 8.6m long , 3.3m High , 20 to 28mpg
Air Speed has the biggest affect on mpg so I try & keep at about 50mph

Get your thermostat fixed , the cooler the engine the richer the mixture
So you will be using more fuel
 
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New Ford 170 auto, getting 25mpg, driving up to 60mph. It’s got loads of grunt so encourages me to drive it like a car - much to the other halfs’ annoyance when I slow a bit to late for the roundabout
 
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Have a 10 month old Autotrail Imala 620 with 2.3 Euro 6 engine and 7000 miles on clock. I get around 25 mpg according to dash display and about the same if I calculate it. I drive motorway at 55 to 60 and other roads 50 ish. A previous 2.3 Swift Euro 4 driven the same way used to do 32 mpg. All I can conclude is that the latest emissions requirements have knocked 20 percent off the economy. To make it worse they havery only fitted a small diesel tank. I seem to stop for fuel twice a day on a longer run.
 
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FlyingTwiglet said:
New Ford 170 auto, getting 25mpg, driving up to 60mph. It’s got loads of grunt so encourages me to drive it like a car - much to the other halfs’ annoyance when I slow a bit to late for the roundabout
Click to expand...

As long as there is a clear gap behind, occasional hard braking removes the surface rust on brake disks and helps prolong their useful life. That's what I was told by a mechanic. An occasional Italian tune-up blast along the motorway (70, of course :whistle:) helps burn off the soot in the DPF. Preventive maintenance with judicious use of the right foot.

Apart from that, why be in a hurry - it's a leisure vehicle. :)

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