MPG and your reasons!!!

MPG and your reasons!!!

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Discussion

Puddenchucker

4,036 posts

217 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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In may daily driver, mpg is a factor in the way I drive: By driving with a degree of moderation I can get an extra trip to/from work out of each tank full, which equates to about a £250 saving per year at current prices.

In my weekend car, mpg doesn't really bother me too much.

RichB

51,431 posts

283 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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ExPat2B said:
ben5732 said:
RichB said:
Crikey you get 43mpg from a V70D5? That must just be on the motorway run not overall. I've been driving D5s for years and never get more than an overall average of 35mpg.
I manage that with a T5 on a run...
Getting an average of 43 in mine as well ( and that is proper brim to brim calcs ) with a mix of 50% local roads and Motorway, average speed 31 mph. Manual 2007 D5 with 185bhp engine. If I baby it, I get 49, if I thrash it, 40. To me the most impressive figure is the 40mph thrashed, if I drove my last petrol car like that it went down to the teens.
I can only assume they loosen up considerably as they get mileage on them. I get a new one every 6-9 months (from Volvo HQ) and over the 15 years I've been driving V70 T5S and D5s I've never had more than 35mpg on the computer after 5,000 miles. Yes I can eke it out on a motorway run but as I never reset the computer I just get an average overall. And, I don't drive it hard, it's a Volvo so I don't bother pushing it.

p.s. ETA in answer to the original Q, no I don't worry because I drive what I drive because I like them not for the MPG. biggrin

Edited by RichB on Sunday 24th August 16:13

danjama

5,728 posts

141 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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If i got paid more I would care less about mpg.

But I love literally watching the fuel gauge drop in my mr2 turbo as I boot it for 5 minutes.

Do this on an uphill for even more shock!

V8 FOU

2,970 posts

146 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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I worry so much about mpg.
The track Bentley used £80 of super to do about 30 laps of Castle Combe. And another £60 to get there and back. Not to mention a set of pads at £120

The Range Rover does about 14 on LPG @ 68p/litre....

My boat does about 2mpg on diesel if I take it easy....

Really doing my bit to save the planet, whilst worrying about mpg.

rolleyesrolleyes

TheInsanity1234

740 posts

118 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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Speaking as a 16-soon-to-be-17 year old, it's safe to say the only reason why I'd have an issue with low mpg is because it makes running costs high, and with not much in the way of disposable income (no, mummy and daddy won't pay for me to drive a car around).

When I get an income with plenty left over after the usual living costs, 20 mpg won't hurt that much.

LouD86

3,278 posts

152 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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It does and it doesnt. When im driving to work, I use my daily. 48 mile commute and 58mpg, means I don't spend a fortune, also pulls the caravan perfectly

At weekends, I have a topless toy that does 28mpg, another 4wd toy that does 18mpg, and my landrover currently doing 19mpg. Joined with another topless toy the other week that does about 14mpg around town, and 21 on a run.

Toys, MPG doesn't matter, I drive to enjoy them. The daily grind, Id rather not!

ben5732

763 posts

155 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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I average about 30 in the T5 normally, I use the other halfs 406 when she ain't using it to go to work and get 51 normally. I take the T5 anywhere on holiday or just fancy a drive, more smiles per gallon.

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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20mpg is acceptable for me. It equates to around £320 a month in fuel which is a bit st but would I rather that or drive a boring car and look back in 5 years saying 'oh, that really feels good knowing I saved £160 a month in fuel rather than getting what I really wanted'?

Marvib

528 posts

145 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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13.2 mpg over the last year.

If I lived further from work that would be unacceptable, but it's a 5 mile round trip smile

...Mole...

2,780 posts

190 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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Average 33mpg in my S3 on my 60 mile commute, If i really want I can get 38-40mpg but it involves a very light right foot.

va1o

16,029 posts

206 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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I'm running a Mk5 Golf GTI at the moment and its a bit thirstier than I'm used to. Whilst I don't mind paying the extra in fuel to have a bit of fun along the twisties and a few quick overtakes, it starts to grate a bit when you just want to drive normally. On longer drives it will average up to about 40mpg if you stay off the boost and stick the cruise control to the speed limit, but then you have the 320d/ 2.0 TDI crew going past in the outside lane at 80+ probably averaging 50mpg...

I think in future I'd like to have a silly car for weekend/ fun use and a sensible diesel for general driving. I'm not convinced there is such a thing as the perfect all rounder as there is always going to be a slight compramise. I sometimes wonder if just getting a Bluemotion and ragging the hell out of it driving on the edge everywhere is the best option hehe

Riknos

4,700 posts

203 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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MPGtongue outower ratio is the one I struggle with.


Didn't like getting low 30's out of a 130bhp mx5... seemed piss poor vs the power.

Likewise I'm not too fond of only getting 28mpg (and on super) with an s2000's power but the fact it's more reliable than a diesel bmw means I'm probably quids in.

VeeFource

1,076 posts

176 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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MPG does bother me but how much depends on:

1. How many miles per year I'm doing - job situation and how far I'm having to commute.
2. The type of roads I'm mostly driving on - I live in the Wirral and most of the roads near me or to get somewhere interesting are actually incredibly dull.
3. The rest of the economics of the car based on the first two points - for example if I can cycle to work I'd be more interested in something like an RX8 which is mega cheap to buy but not to run. Whereas I'd have to be doing loads of miles and living in Scotland to justify a 330d which seem to have a crazy premium to buy second hand.

I also have the logic that if I have a car that's twice as economical even though I enjoy driving it only 7/8ths as much as the less economical car, then I can still get more enjoyment out of it as I get to do almost twice as many miles for the same cost.

Tbh I don't think you can ever win at this though as the grass is always greener. I used to think I'd be better with a turbo diesel when I had my 350z and now I've got one I sometimes pine for my zed. Overall though I'm happy with my car given the current balance I have of the above 3 points, but given my annual mileage might reduce I have caught myself looking at 130i's...

I should point out though I have a motorbike for weekends in Wales etc. which is slightly cheating as even that does 55mpg biggrin

KissMyRs

87 posts

175 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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It doesn't bother me much as i don't tend to do too many miles.

However I still have a diesel Cayenne, petrol doesn't make sense in a big heavy car unless it's performance orientated imo.

rsv696

474 posts

142 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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I run a 3 litre straight six petrol Beemer because I love cars & to me the engine makes a car. I'm happy to sacrifice a bit of mpg for driver enjoyment, but I would probably draw the line at sub 30mpg & £300+ VEL for my daily driver. I do around 8k miles a year at present. It's a personal thing, but a four pot 320i just wouldn't be the same to me, and a 320D even less so.

nagsheadwarrior

2,779 posts

178 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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Until recently I barely did 8k a year so economy wasn't a huge issue so I've run a variety of big petrol barges alongside other cars but psychologically I couldn't cope with the 15-17 mpg from my mildly booked old 740, scraping 20 from other barges wasn't a problem.

Mr Gear

9,416 posts

189 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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VED is linked to fuel consumption, and I hate paying excess VED because it is a fixed cost. I don't actually do much mileage, so fixed costs hurt more than fuel consumption itself.

PGNCerbera

2,926 posts

165 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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I do around 15k miles a year in and around London so do keep half an eye on my mpg consumption.

Averaging 16mpg on a gutless petrol Phaeton was a bit tiresome.

Averaging 16mpg in an M5 is worth every penny.

I guess chronic thirst needs to be offset by some degree of pleasure

BRMMA

1,845 posts

171 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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In my daily hack I do about 25k per year so MPG is important as I don't want to waste money on fuel doing the boring commute that couldn't be done any quicker or more fun regardless of what car i'm in

I do about 5k per year in the gransport so not really bothered about mpg for that, though it would be nice if it had a longer 6th gear so it used a bit less fuel on a run and made a bit less noise at 'motorway speeds' I generally like it making a noise but after 3+ hours sat on the motorway it gets a little annoying

Jezzerh

816 posts

121 months

Sunday 24th August 2014
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I do 40k miles per year so always buy 2.0 diesels. Had a Mondeo last, now got a VW CC which does 53 to the gallon and is very smooth and comfortable at the same time.

Having said that, I'm changing jobs soon and will only be doing 16k - 20k miles per year. I'm already thinking about buying a Porsche lol.