Real world 60+ mpg on the cheap.
Discussion
Can it be done?
My wifes car (A3 2.0 TDI) can just about do it when averaged out over a tank but the car cost over £20k. Can it be done for roughly a 10th of that?
On my commute I currently average 62 - 65 mpg but thats on a motorbike. I normally spend no more than £2500 on a bike, use it for 3 or so years and then sell it on for approx £1500. The other reason the bike works so well is the journey can be very congested, 30 mins on the bike or an hour plus in the car. I would stick with the plan as it's served me very well until now however on the completion of the M74 motorway the traffic is much improved and my journey times in a car would be almost the same using a bike, only drier and warmer.
This got me thinking, could I replace my bike with a similarly priced car without sacrificing the economy?
I've looked a some small diesel hatchbacks (polo, fiesta, 106, clio) and while the figures quoted look good I'm mindful that they may be pure fantasy when compared to real world driving. Can anybody with any experience of these comment on what they're like to live with, what sort of condition they'd be in for that type of budget and of course how economical they are.
My wifes car (A3 2.0 TDI) can just about do it when averaged out over a tank but the car cost over £20k. Can it be done for roughly a 10th of that?
On my commute I currently average 62 - 65 mpg but thats on a motorbike. I normally spend no more than £2500 on a bike, use it for 3 or so years and then sell it on for approx £1500. The other reason the bike works so well is the journey can be very congested, 30 mins on the bike or an hour plus in the car. I would stick with the plan as it's served me very well until now however on the completion of the M74 motorway the traffic is much improved and my journey times in a car would be almost the same using a bike, only drier and warmer.
This got me thinking, could I replace my bike with a similarly priced car without sacrificing the economy?
I've looked a some small diesel hatchbacks (polo, fiesta, 106, clio) and while the figures quoted look good I'm mindful that they may be pure fantasy when compared to real world driving. Can anybody with any experience of these comment on what they're like to live with, what sort of condition they'd be in for that type of budget and of course how economical they are.
Cant give any specific advice regarding the cars mentioned, but my brother-in-law runs a Megane 1.5dci(same engine that's in the Clio IIRC). He does mainly A/B roads with the occasional town driving and is currently averaging 57mpg.
So in the Clio this should be improved, as it's smaller and lighter.
So in the Clio this should be improved, as it's smaller and lighter.
I think one of the areas that motor manufacturers have genuinely improved performance is in engine efficiency and fuel consumption.
I regularly get over 60 MPG from small diesels including Peugeot, Citroen (Peugeot engine) and VAG group. From conversations with others the Fiat/Seat small diesels also give excellent consumption.
And the diesel Smart car is generally thought to offer up to 80 MPG. Snag is these hold their price and initial cost might be higher.
I think a suitable Citroen/Peupeot diesel could be run for the kind of figures you are looking at Citroen/Peugeots drop like a stone in value.
Just a question of finding the right reasonable car.
I regularly get over 60 MPG from small diesels including Peugeot, Citroen (Peugeot engine) and VAG group. From conversations with others the Fiat/Seat small diesels also give excellent consumption.
And the diesel Smart car is generally thought to offer up to 80 MPG. Snag is these hold their price and initial cost might be higher.
I think a suitable Citroen/Peupeot diesel could be run for the kind of figures you are looking at Citroen/Peugeots drop like a stone in value.
Just a question of finding the right reasonable car.
Yes, I managed it two years ago when I commuted 160miles a day! Buy a Lupo diesel or Seat Arosa, (1.2 3 cyl tdi), strip out the trim you dont need, put some skinny tyres on it, take pass rear view mirror off and welcome to nearer 70mpg! Mind you that was with only ONE seat in it and absolutely nothing else bar the thin carpet to soak up coffee stains!
martin mrt said:
Golf GT TDi 110bhp, I have one and it regularly manages high 50s in town, it amazes me how good it is on fuel
It's also for sale too, at less than a 10th of the price of your wifes car
Get yourself down to Costco, veg oil £1 a litre. Or buy or acquire some free used oil and filter it. Divide your fuel costs by 3 with used oil, 150mpg sound good?It's also for sale too, at less than a 10th of the price of your wifes car
The 110bhp engine is great on veg, but best twin tanked.
I have just bought a TD5 engined Defender to twin tank.
I had a Pug 106 1.5d noisy and bits really did fall off it 
but it'd do 62-66mpg if you drove steady. Drive a little harder though and it was 45-48mpg.
That said, just before I got rid of it, I was running it on Shell V-Power diesel and I reckon it was clocking over 70mpg!!
All for £650 when I bought it at auction too.
My current smart Roadster will also do 67mpg on a steady run. But you do have to try. That said, 55mpg is pretty easy to achieve.
but it'd do 62-66mpg if you drove steady. Drive a little harder though and it was 45-48mpg.That said, just before I got rid of it, I was running it on Shell V-Power diesel and I reckon it was clocking over 70mpg!!
All for £650 when I bought it at auction too.
My current smart Roadster will also do 67mpg on a steady run. But you do have to try. That said, 55mpg is pretty easy to achieve.
s3fella said:
Yes, I managed it two years ago when I commuted 160miles a day! Buy a Lupo diesel or Seat Arosa, (1.2 3 cyl tdi), strip out the trim you dont need, put some skinny tyres on it, take pass rear view mirror off and welcome to nearer 70mpg! Mind you that was with only ONE seat in it and absolutely nothing else bar the thin carpet to soak up coffee stains!
Did you really do this?! Good lad What you need for that money is an old shape Fabia (or Polo or Ibiza) 1.4 TDI. 60mpg is easily achieved if driven leisurely. Not the most refined engine being a 3 cylinder PD but stunning economy and decent performance, plus a reliable solid car in general, unlike some of the French examples quoted above.
i use a fiat Stilo dynamic for work, and it manages a real world 51mpg. its has a 1.9 td lump with 115bhp(iirc) so can manage some half healthy perfomance figures too. im sure noweredays they could be well within your budget too. if you do consider them though, please avoid the 5door as it looks appaling! also they do an "active" edition which is around 80bhp i believe.
3 weeks ago I bought a 1996 Peugeot 106 1.5d for £290, with tax and MOT, because I was sick of the cost of commuting.
I do near enough 100 miles a day at least 5 days a week before shopping and social mileage. For work I was using a Vectra C CDTi, and I was using roughly £85 of diesel a week. The car was useless though tbh, it was claiming 52.5mpg on the trip computer, and mileage was offset by the rate things fell off it.
In contrast, the pug doesn't have a trip computer. I'm measuring MPG by miles covered by the odometer, vs litres it takes to fill the tank when I run out. The first week I got an average of 62.1mpg from the tank. It still has a blowing exhaust I need to sort which may give me more again, but last week after I'm getting used to it, I averaged 68.2mpg from the tank. I've fitted some 106 GTi leather seats I swapped for some adjustable gear linkages I had lying about, and it's pretty comfy for the motorway.
It's a shed, but my fuel bill is now NEVER over £50 a week, including social mileage, and nothings fell off it yet. I also went halfers on the car with my brother for commuting, so this week it's actually paid for itself already in fuel savings against the vectra.
Keeps the miles off the Range Rover as well, not to mention the Range Rover being utterly sublime to drive after the 106
I do near enough 100 miles a day at least 5 days a week before shopping and social mileage. For work I was using a Vectra C CDTi, and I was using roughly £85 of diesel a week. The car was useless though tbh, it was claiming 52.5mpg on the trip computer, and mileage was offset by the rate things fell off it.
In contrast, the pug doesn't have a trip computer. I'm measuring MPG by miles covered by the odometer, vs litres it takes to fill the tank when I run out. The first week I got an average of 62.1mpg from the tank. It still has a blowing exhaust I need to sort which may give me more again, but last week after I'm getting used to it, I averaged 68.2mpg from the tank. I've fitted some 106 GTi leather seats I swapped for some adjustable gear linkages I had lying about, and it's pretty comfy for the motorway.
It's a shed, but my fuel bill is now NEVER over £50 a week, including social mileage, and nothings fell off it yet. I also went halfers on the car with my brother for commuting, so this week it's actually paid for itself already in fuel savings against the vectra.
Keeps the miles off the Range Rover as well, not to mention the Range Rover being utterly sublime to drive after the 106
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