Am I getting the correct mpg?
- Thread starter Sikhmans
- Start date
Agreed, drive the car normally, in most cases the DPF will sort itself out without you needing to do anything. If the light comes on, then you need to do something. Eg...drive it more spiritedly...one of my friend recommends keeping rpm over 2k on a 50 - 70 mph zone. I guess in 4th and 5th gears respectively...untill the light goes off. It should after 15 or so mins. I can't confirm this, as i had the car only for 2 years, and light never did come on. Although I did notice, on Shell Vpower Nitro + it never did regen...
diesels take longer to warm up so dont suit shorter trips.
driving around town constantly doesnt represent the driving tested for the MPG quoted.
also bear in mind, the predicted mileage is usually based on 'recent' driving and so is often misleading as if you check it at the end of a drive, or after filling up the recent consumption might represent the later half of the drive when the car is warmed up and not take into account the overall mileage.
check it when you first start the car / after a few miles, you may well get a very different result.
you can actually go for a drive and end up with an INCREASE in the predicted mileage even after driving a good few miles if you drive carefully as it will then be basing the calculation on this.
driving around town constantly doesnt represent the driving tested for the MPG quoted.
also bear in mind, the predicted mileage is usually based on 'recent' driving and so is often misleading as if you check it at the end of a drive, or after filling up the recent consumption might represent the later half of the drive when the car is warmed up and not take into account the overall mileage.
check it when you first start the car / after a few miles, you may well get a very different result.
you can actually go for a drive and end up with an INCREASE in the predicted mileage even after driving a good few miles if you drive carefully as it will then be basing the calculation on this.
184 ST here. Also commuting in Bristol every day. 4 and a bit miles in and 4 and a half home. I give the Leon a good drive at the weekends, usually 20-30 miles or more depending on where I'm walking / climbing / visiting that week. Don't listen to this lot. It's good advice if you just drive around town but give it a clear out on the weekends and you'll be fine. Done 3000 miles in mine following that pattern so far. No issues.
My mpg (from the display):
Average town - 37.1
Wales weekend before last (spirited driving + about 55 miles motorway) - 49. 6mpg
Manchester trips for work - 56.2mpg
My mpg (from the display):
Average town - 37.1
Wales weekend before last (spirited driving + about 55 miles motorway) - 49. 6mpg
Manchester trips for work - 56.2mpg
Last edited:
That's helpful advice. Why should someone make potentially unnecessary trips at the weekend just to clear out the DPF? Just because your has been fine in 3k means nothing.
I bought into the premium myth and filled up on shell v power or whatever the diesel version is, I think my mpg has increased I'm not sure I did 30 miles yesterday and only lost 5 of range but as I say I might just be experiencing a placebo affect or it might genuinely make a difference but at 131.9 it hurt
I'd assume [relatively] young people that are enthused enough to talk about their cars on a forum specific to the model of car they've bought would want to drive said vehicles on the weekend for fun, though I appreciate there are some boring old farts on here like you that only make trips for work, food shopping, doctors appointments and the few occasions when adverse events might prevent you walking to get your copy of the Express before the shop closes
My car being fine in 3k given the clear pattern of driving I laid out means a lot. These aren't hand built motors. Everything follows a set process and bar the odd trim rattle the car is going to perform consistent with any other that comes off the same line.
I'd assume [relatively] young people that are enthused enough to talk about their cars on a forum specific to the model of car they've bought would want to drive said vehicles on the weekend for fun, though I appreciate there are some boring old farts on here like you that only make trips for work, food shopping, doctors appointments and the few occasions when adverse events might prevent you walking to get your copy of the Express before the shop closes
My car being fine in 3k given the clear pattern of driving I laid out means a lot. These aren't hand built motors. Everything follows a set process and bar the odd trim rattle the car is going to perform consistent with any other that comes off the same line.
Old does not always mean boring, I'm still driving/riding as quick as I did when 20 but the years of experience makes me a lot wiser/safer now and a clean licence and full no claims proves it.
I'd assume [relatively] young people that are enthused enough to talk about their cars on a forum specific to the model of car they've bought would want to drive said vehicles on the weekend for fun, though I appreciate there are some boring old farts on here like you that only make trips for work, food shopping, doctors appointments and the few occasions when adverse events might prevent you walking to get your copy of the Express before the shop closes
My car being fine in 3k given the clear pattern of driving I laid out means a lot. These aren't hand built motors. Everything follows a set process and bar the odd trim rattle the car is going to perform consistent with any other that comes off the same line.
Brim filled a week ago just before driving 230 miles to an airport, with my wife and two suitcases on board, with all but 5 miles on motorway/dual carriageway. Had cruise control set at 74 (probably 71 in real life), with only the need to 'fiddle' a very few times. Drove back in the middle of the night, with same cruise control settings and no need to fiddle. One coffee stop each way. Brim filled on return. 52.8 mpg overall, subject to inevitable slight brimming differences. My normal filling average is 49-50 mpg.
I think the cruise control hits fuel consumption a bit and that I would have got better consumption without it. Am I right or wrong on this?
I think the cruise control hits fuel consumption a bit and that I would have got better consumption without it. Am I right or wrong on this?
if you were to compare two IDENTICAL drives, ie at a set speed for the same distance, no hils etc, then cruise itself will give you the same.
However, cruise is a reactive, whereas you can be proactive in how you drive, so if you need to slow for traffic you will lift off the throttle earlier typically if driving normally.
Also any there is any gradient then cruise tends to react too late, and when it does it over-reacts.
Driving normally you can also allow speed to build on a decent giving you spare speed when then completing the incline. cruise will lift off fully holding speed then react loads to the incline, over- all less efficient.
I think for most people on a varying journey you should be able to beat cruise control.
on the motorway you should in theory also be able to at least match and likely beat cruise, but cruise is far more disciplined in maintaining speed...
However, cruise is a reactive, whereas you can be proactive in how you drive, so if you need to slow for traffic you will lift off the throttle earlier typically if driving normally.
Also any there is any gradient then cruise tends to react too late, and when it does it over-reacts.
Driving normally you can also allow speed to build on a decent giving you spare speed when then completing the incline. cruise will lift off fully holding speed then react loads to the incline, over- all less efficient.
I think for most people on a varying journey you should be able to beat cruise control.
on the motorway you should in theory also be able to at least match and likely beat cruise, but cruise is far more disciplined in maintaining speed...
Only time I use CC is for speed camera areas so it's safely staying under, anything else I use the power of the foot I was given in life
Last edited:
Driving style make the biggest difference. My son and I both have a 184 TDI and these are the following
I get 50mpg town driving, he gets 43. I get 75mpg motorway, he gets 51mpg, my lifetime total is 58mpg for 36,000 miles and his is 45mpg for 10,000 miles.
My front tyres were still just legal at 19,000 when I changed them, his were borderline fail at 10,000 when he changed his.
They key thing is that these engines need to get hot, do not thrash them, they put out more soot, but drive above 50mph in 5th gear for 20 miles on a motorway or dual carriageway or 70mph in 6th every couple of weeks and you should be fine. Thrashing everywhere from the lights and red lining it only adds more soot to the DPF.
I also drive a pool car for work, a 2.0 litre 320 ED and lifetime mpg on that is 66mpg and I easily get 80mpg on a run home from London with my best being 89mpg home from London based on the computer. I get 1000 miles from a tank to red light on the 320ED
I get 50mpg town driving, he gets 43. I get 75mpg motorway, he gets 51mpg, my lifetime total is 58mpg for 36,000 miles and his is 45mpg for 10,000 miles.
My front tyres were still just legal at 19,000 when I changed them, his were borderline fail at 10,000 when he changed his.
They key thing is that these engines need to get hot, do not thrash them, they put out more soot, but drive above 50mph in 5th gear for 20 miles on a motorway or dual carriageway or 70mph in 6th every couple of weeks and you should be fine. Thrashing everywhere from the lights and red lining it only adds more soot to the DPF.
I also drive a pool car for work, a 2.0 litre 320 ED and lifetime mpg on that is 66mpg and I easily get 80mpg on a run home from London with my best being 89mpg home from London based on the computer. I get 1000 miles from a tank to red light on the 320ED
Last edited:
What kind of speed do you do to get 75mpg on the motorway, I sit at 55-60mph and the max I have seen in 62mpg and that is literally driving as carfully as I can in economy mode as well.
Economy mode just strangles the throttle response, once you're at speed it won't make a difference to any of the others
Similar threads
