First proper road trip with the Chim: - woo hoo!!
Discussion
Well, just completed my first ever 'proper' roadtrip in the Chim since getting her in March (Le Mans and back)...and its sublime (and without any mishap)....
Got great response from other drivers (especially in France), have learned that when it starts raining and the roofs off, you want the targa top down to avoid the water coming in back at your right ear (we had the roof down pretty much the whole trip there and back), and even managed to average 36mpg over the whole trip (my Corrado VR6 would only have averaged 37), and (when you really squeeze stuff into the corners) that boot is huge..
....and finally...
......the tunnels.......
Edit: cocked up sums- 36mpg was actually 29 mpg... doh!!
Got great response from other drivers (especially in France), have learned that when it starts raining and the roofs off, you want the targa top down to avoid the water coming in back at your right ear (we had the roof down pretty much the whole trip there and back), and even managed to average 36mpg over the whole trip (my Corrado VR6 would only have averaged 37), and (when you really squeeze stuff into the corners) that boot is huge..
....and finally...
......the tunnels.......
Edit: cocked up sums- 36mpg was actually 29 mpg... doh!!
Edited by HiAsAKite on Tuesday 17th June 20:57
Nope... to be honest did a nice steady cruise at 70-75 mph (still a good 10-20 kph below the french limit) all the way so I was barely touching 2,000 rpm...
....though I was surprised by the mpg, as previously for 'day trip' driving in the UK I'd averaged 25mpg... 36 seemed shockingly good, such that I had to verify it over 4 different fuel stops refilling to the brim vs mileage etc. to make sure
All of the above said- whatever the mpg figure, it's a bit of a sideshow, as its all about that noise, with that car, with the open sky above you, and the ability to embarass seriously expensive machinery with just a dab/stab/stamp of the loud pedal....
EDIT: 36 was so shockingly good that it was wrong because I cocked up my sums...doh!
....though I was surprised by the mpg, as previously for 'day trip' driving in the UK I'd averaged 25mpg... 36 seemed shockingly good, such that I had to verify it over 4 different fuel stops refilling to the brim vs mileage etc. to make sure
All of the above said- whatever the mpg figure, it's a bit of a sideshow, as its all about that noise, with that car, with the open sky above you, and the ability to embarass seriously expensive machinery with just a dab/stab/stamp of the loud pedal....
EDIT: 36 was so shockingly good that it was wrong because I cocked up my sums...doh!
Edited by HiAsAKite on Tuesday 17th June 01:42
Edited by HiAsAKite on Tuesday 17th June 20:56
HiAsAKite said:
Nope... to be honest did a nice steady cruise at 70-75 mph (still a good 10-20 kph below the french limit) all the way so I was barely touching 2,000 rpm...
....though I was surprised by the mpg, as previously for 'day trip' driving in the UK I'd averaged 25mpg... 36 seemed shockingly good, such that I had to verify it over 4 different fuel stops refilling to the brim vs mileage etc. to make sure
Blimey, what diff ratio have you got in that thing?....though I was surprised by the mpg, as previously for 'day trip' driving in the UK I'd averaged 25mpg... 36 seemed shockingly good, such that I had to verify it over 4 different fuel stops refilling to the brim vs mileage etc. to make sure
I do the France thing several times a year(going this Friday as it happens) love it. You really don't need to drive like a nutter to make good progress over there, it is a pleasure to travel by road.
Sure as hell beats the M25
Ribol said:
Sure as hell beats the M25
Nowt wrong with the M25 - at least not at the times I tend to travel on it... If you want to experience true congestion, come to my neck of the woods. I left for work on 05.53 this morning and still got into a five mile traffic jam... rush hour starts at an ungodly hour here.
900T-R said:
Ribol said:
Sure as hell beats the M25
Nowt wrong with the M25 - at least not at the times I tend to travel on it... If you want to experience true congestion, come to my neck of the woods. I left for work on 05.53 this morning and still got into a five mile traffic jam... rush hour starts at an ungodly hour here.
HiAsAKite said:
Well, just completed my first ever 'proper' roadtrip in the Chim since getting her in March (Le Mans and back)...and its sublime (and without any mishap)....
Got great response from other drivers (especially in France), have learned that when it starts raining and the roofs off, you want the targa top down to avoid the water coming in back at your right ear (we had the roof down pretty much the whole trip there and back), and even managed to average 36mpg over the whole trip (my Corrado VR6 would only have averaged 37), and (when you really squeeze stuff into the corners) that boot is huge..
....and finally...
......the tunnels.......
Totally agree, It was my first real road trip in mine, and everyone was taking bets down the pub on Monday on how many times I would be stopping. To be fair I had taken every type of part that one could just in case as well as two 5 litre cans of rocket fuel. Spare oil, spare water, more oil, coolant, tool chest, torch, plugs blah blah blah cut a long story short it was the most amazing feeling to be blasting down the french roads roof down sun setting. I kept an eye on the dials and was relived when I made it down there. also managed a few laps of the 3/4 track too. on the way back the oil pressure gauge died, but some furious tapping it jumped back to life. the whole trip of 700 miles I stopped 3 times of fuel, and prob could of done 2 if I hadn't got lost.Got great response from other drivers (especially in France), have learned that when it starts raining and the roofs off, you want the targa top down to avoid the water coming in back at your right ear (we had the roof down pretty much the whole trip there and back), and even managed to average 36mpg over the whole trip (my Corrado VR6 would only have averaged 37), and (when you really squeeze stuff into the corners) that boot is huge..
....and finally...
......the tunnels.......
I was speaking to some guys on Tuesday who were telling me how they managed to "rescue" a fair maiden in her Chim, also helped that she was wearing hot pants and some skimmpy top. On further inspection of the car it seemed to have been left in a feild for the last year and have roasted snails on the manilfold, footwell etc. so with lots of helpers 5 mins later she was on her way. Roll on 2009.
Ribol said:
HiAsAKite said:
Nope... to be honest did a nice steady cruise at 70-75 mph (still a good 10-20 kph below the french limit) all the way so I was barely touching 2,000 rpm...
....though I was surprised by the mpg, as previously for 'day trip' driving in the UK I'd averaged 25mpg... 36 seemed shockingly good, such that I had to verify it over 4 different fuel stops refilling to the brim vs mileage etc. to make sure
Blimey, what diff ratio have you got in that thing?....though I was surprised by the mpg, as previously for 'day trip' driving in the UK I'd averaged 25mpg... 36 seemed shockingly good, such that I had to verify it over 4 different fuel stops refilling to the brim vs mileage etc. to make sure
I do the France thing several times a year(going this Friday as it happens) love it. You really don't need to drive like a nutter to make good progress over there, it is a pleasure to travel by road.
Sure as hell beats the M25
The ratios in mine (standard T5 box and standard diff) give 15mph/1000 rpm in 3rd, 20mph in 4th and 25mph in 5th, so at 50mph I'm doing 2000 rpm. Your 1450 rpm sounds like you have a 'special' diff.
As for speedo accuracy, comparing speed for speed against the speedo and my TomTom, the dial is about 2mph slow (says 28 when TomTom says 30) up to 50 mph, then just about spot on thererafter - presumes the TomTom speed is correct, obviously!
As for speedo accuracy, comparing speed for speed against the speedo and my TomTom, the dial is about 2mph slow (says 28 when TomTom says 30) up to 50 mph, then just about spot on thererafter - presumes the TomTom speed is correct, obviously!
Have looked up the effective gear ratio for the tyre combo from the tables in the 'bible', and it suggests I should be doing 50 at 1600 rpm and 70 at 2200 rpm...(31.6 mph per 1K rpm, 190mph at 6K) .which isn't that far off 1450 and 2200 (given accuracy of dials etc etc)
may take it out for another spin just to see if am remembering things right..
may take it out for another spin just to see if am remembering things right..
Edited by HiAsAKite on Tuesday 17th June 12:40
When I checked my speedo with new correct rear tyres it was reading about 10% over. As in an indicated 78 was actually 70 in the real world. Suggesting that with old tyres it would probably be even more optimistic.
Anyway, forgetting all that, I am delighted with the OP's findings as I now feel I am not pi55ing so much money away on fuel and helping save the planet at the same time
Anyway, forgetting all that, I am delighted with the OP's findings as I now feel I am not pi55ing so much money away on fuel and helping save the planet at the same time
Hiya,
Glad you had a good trip to Le Mans in the Chim', I was intending to take mine but the 47mpg offered by my brothers 520D was too good to resist..... My car also does about 35mph / 1000rpm in top. Was there a 'special' high ratio diff' available as an option then? My car is a '94 plate by the way.....?
Cheers,
IanM
Glad you had a good trip to Le Mans in the Chim', I was intending to take mine but the 47mpg offered by my brothers 520D was too good to resist..... My car also does about 35mph / 1000rpm in top. Was there a 'special' high ratio diff' available as an option then? My car is a '94 plate by the way.....?
Cheers,
IanM
This might be down to an altered tyre rolling radius. Toyo tyre website has a rolling radius / revolutions per mile comparison (http://www.toyo.co.uk/productdetail.php?identity=products&product_id=2)
My standard rear tyres are 225/50/16 which have a revs per mile of 840 whereas your 245/40/18 have 811 which accounts for fewer revs but which is not what your speedo and emitter is expecting.
That presumably is why you have the apparent 50% increase in mpg?
Try a speed check against a TomTom and see what you get
My standard rear tyres are 225/50/16 which have a revs per mile of 840 whereas your 245/40/18 have 811 which accounts for fewer revs but which is not what your speedo and emitter is expecting.
That presumably is why you have the apparent 50% increase in mpg?
Try a speed check against a TomTom and see what you get
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