scottswald

i have hit a VERY rocky patch of my life in terms of my finances.

i thought it would be a good idea for people to discuss driving techniques to get the most MPG.....

do you use the highest gear reguardless?
do you find that there is a preferred rev range to stay in?
is it all about smooth driving?
do you stick to the speed limits?

scott.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

I don't think it exists! I drove on the motorway at 70mph and only managed 19mpg.

ratty69

Your driving the wrong car for economy. i kept a fiesta to do the bulk of the miles to save money

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

you can improve the mpg via steady driving but dont expect miracles, I have managed to extract 300 miles from a tank going up from a usual 250 per tank. Change gear early, keep the revs low, drive smooth no excessive accelerating or braking will all help. If you have a boost gauge then try to keep off boost etc etc

Cream

I wouldn't think there was much you can do to get good MPG out of a scooby, apart from drive smoothly and keep under 3k.

The Dogs B******s

do you use the highest gear reguardless? Sometimes
do you find that there is a preferred rev range to stay in? 6000rpm
is it all about smooth driving? No
do you stick to the speed limits? as if

EddScott

I got caught short on Monday looking for a Shell garage so had to conserve fuel - also being an RA my car is low geared and a bit of a screamer on the M way at 80+

I tend to pootle on M ways because I find M ways good "thinking" time and theres little point driving flat out in a straight line. I drive faster on A roads than M ways.

Anyway, my fuel conserving is as follows

Don't use the turbo so keep it off boost.
Don't change gear at very high revs - sounds rubbish but on my GTIR, my UK turbo and my RA I find even if not going fast high revs gear changes where the dump valve opens (my RA is recirc but still does it) its as if the ECU adjusts the fuel and lobs more in. Could be ***** but it seems right to me in all 3 turbo cars I've had.
When you pull away from junctions and roundabouts, don't boot it up to your chosen crusing speed. Gently accelerate and keep off boost.
Stay at a constant speed. Varying speed seems to use more fuel.

My RA used a fair chunk of fuel on Monday on the way to Cardiff. On the way home I brimmed it and just tickled home until the end of the dual carriageway then had a good blast home. It only used a half of the first quarter of the gauge.

addison

smooth driving i can get over 400 miles to a tank
Look well ahead don't brake unless you have to


which means i can aford to get to where i want to play then have fun to hell with MPG when i am playing

-ant-

Get out and push it lol.

smokingkills

iTrader: (3)

That sounds as much fun as a bus ride

I weigh poor mpg up against smiles per mile & if fuel consumption became a problem so that I couldn't enjoy things I'd get an economical car.

addison

The point is sleepy
That the car can be used as a daily drive
I do around 15,000 miles a year all types of driving
And enjoy every mile

If you do just a few miles around your estate revving the hell out of your car?
Impressing the kids then good luck to you
But some of us grown up’s travel a wee bit more

L3YMS

iTrader: (2)

I did a diy lpg conversion on my old v8 beemer as it had a bit of a drink problem. Got a 2nd hand kit off e-bay £140 and some new bits from a local supplier to make fitting easier and safe. I absolutely loved the results, I had an old (and very simple) setup which throttled the intake a bit and therefore took the edge off the performance, but for economy it was brilliant. Went from 22 to the equivalent of 39 mpg on lpg. It was great and 51p per litre at my local shell! I think the direct injection kits are now the thing to get and dont have the restrictive mixer in the intake. For those with an appetite for oddball modifications its def. a good project, and you can drive a gas guzzler and boast your green credentials at the same time. I dont think 2 grand for someone to fit the kit is a good idea as it would take years for it to payback, if you think about what you are doing and dont be a muppet then diy will be fine, especially if you get it tested and certificated by your local supplier to keep the insurance company happy. Lots of people are experimenting with HHO too. Google it, but be warned you may turn into a part time scientist rather than a petrol head! As for economic driving, I wont state the obvious but I have some stupid personal tips that may or may not save money you decide. When I was a poor student I only ever had the bare minimum of fuel in the car, I figured it was costing me fuel to carry around the weight of the unused fuel in the tank! I drove past a filling station every day anyway so used to put £5 in and that helps the cash flow situation too. Another often overlooked tip is never ever get lost! Apart from being both annoying and embarrasing its a total waste of time as it burns petrol for absolutely no gains.

Mr-Confused

I think I managed 260 - 270 miles per tank while on the 4000rpm rev limit post engine rebuild.

Normal service is now resumed and I am seeing 250 miles per tank.

So that is currently two tanks of Tesco 99 a week then...

smokingkills

iTrader: (3)

OOOOO Assidon, do the other kids still laugh at you

Imprezas are superb as a daily drive but they aren't a car to have if your worried about mpg or other running costs. 400 miles on a tank is exceptional, I get 180 miles/ tank around my estate, or 300/ tank at a steady 70mph on the motorway, although mine is far from standard.

hodgy0_2

i used to get 350/380 to a tank quite regularly (MY00)

Steady m-way cruising, just of boost @ 70mph

and never use the brake unless you have to

WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

sell the car

whats the point in shelling out the tax, servicing and fuel to not enjoy driving it

its only a car buy another when you can afford it

I have never seen much more than 200 miles per tank

zippyscoob

Do What i do a drive a crappy 1.2 during the week

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Spot on,

If your strapped for cash then the scoob would be the first to go, mine went when I needed to free up some cash for other things, only prob is I don't think I'll buy another now.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Remind me never to buy a stickered up blobeye, just incase it was yours

abc

On a trip to the Lake District last weekend (plus wife and camping and climbing gear) we got 33.54 mpg on a round trip of 420 miles. The journey was from Oxford to Keswick, Buttermere, Keswick, Ambleside, Wrynose Pass, Ambleside then back to Oxford. The motorway traffic was fairly heavy (daytime on Thursday, p.m. on Sunday), the main roads in the Lakes were heavy too, and the mountain roads required a fair amount of low gear work. I think there was a bit of a tail-wind on the way up. Car is 05 WRX PPP.

As others have said, smooth driving, low revs, as high a gear as safe, and keeping off the brakes helps. Short shifting is good too. Maintaining correct tyre pressures will also help.

I have found that sitting at a steady 70 on the m'way returns worse fuel economy than going with the general flow at about 80, accelarating and slowing as necessary. Don't know why this is; perhaps the engine prefers its speed to vary a bit.

Obviously this is not the way to drive a Scooby if you want fun but it does help subisidise it when conditions are right for a play.

scoobzie

park it up sorn it and commute until better days that,s what i would do

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

I have heard / read that turbo cars are most economical when the turbo is just spooling up, as this takes the pressure off the injectors, dont know if this is true / right etc but maybe why your car was more econimcal at 80mph rather than 70mph

abc

Interesting, thanks for that.

Anyone else?

Roger.m.

nice one dogs

-ant-

Think this is true my old scooby on the mways was more eco at 80 than 70 always thought that.

hodgy0_2

mmm interesting

might try that

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

I would agree. If i get less than 300 miles to the tank i'm miffed.

Generally 340 on a run. I find that sticking to 3000 rpm (about 80) uses no more fuel than 70 so there might be something in the 80 theory.

Did it last weekend going down the A68 and making progress past other cars too. Boost turned up and car loaded with the family. can't complain.

Car is a 03 wagon with an Andy F map and a centre de cat

5t.

kingchrissyp

Yeah i just came back from cornwall and managed 30 mpg on the motorway 70-90 driving and got the same both ways!

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

I managed 29mpg on a motorway run once, my normal weekly fillup works out at 250ish miles/21.7 mpg

I have tried to drive sensibly to conserve fuel but for the £7 or £8 per fillup you'd save I'd rather have a bit of fun.

Scoobyspanners

Drive there as fast as possible therefore reducing the time the engine is running! Really cant see the point in driving the Impreza like an eco worrier... don't think it is possible.

A bit like not chewing a rowntree fruit pastel... do not think you will be able to feather the throttle and keep in the eco range!

I know I could not, it would drive me nuts not to unleash the Turbo beast.