Real World MPG

[Floyd1957]

No doubt its an old topic/thread/post but feel its high time something was done about crazy situation with the claimed MPG of so many cars..

I`ve got a C max 1.6TDCi which has been fantastic. Performance is just more than adequate for the family workhorse and I get 55 ish on long runs if I`m carefull; 50 ish if I`m not and around 45 short runs etc...which is fine... no complaints at all but.... the new version with same engine claims 74 !!! I`ve never seen the claimed 65 for mine... and never expected to either but its a figure we use in choosing new/next car and some brands (BMW/VAG ???) seem to be more capable of attaining the headline figures (or so owners claim).. I Can just get 60mpg with mine; rev limit 2k and max speed 60 mph ...I`ve done it once and a long time ago !!!

Perhaps we should start a data base of what drivers actually achieve.. with some reference to where;for example.
a)cruising through France with car (almost) overloaded at 85 mph I get 48.

I`m thinking of changing C max and considering a 520d Touring... According to published figures I shouldn`t see much change in fuel useage; which takes some believing taking into account better performance and increased weight... But perhasps there was some inefficiency built into cars 5 years ago so they could be seen to still be improving ? or its plain lies ??? The current Mondeo diesel doesnt compare with 520d on MPG figures ???

Are BMW are more efficient than Ford ; in which case how come they use same engine in 1.6 diesel Mini ????

I think the published figures are in a mess with little standardisation ???!!!

[xRIEx]

No doubt...

[sawman]

we already have a wiki running

[Floyd1957]

You did that quick... Glad I thought of it !!!??? Wher have you put it tho ??? or how do I access it ???

[sawman]

click on the "This Forum" box at the top of the page, then click "show Wikis"

[Floyd1957]

Ta...

Really good info...should have looked before posting ??? Doh....

Mind you manufacturers quoted figures still need looking into !!

Edited by Floyd1957 on Friday 28th December 12:34

Also think there are some mistakes in the Wikis..

Looked at The Alternative Highway Code... Its the French one...somebody has simply translated it.

Edited by Floyd1957 on Friday 28th December 12:39

[Mr2Mike]

Floyd1957 said:

Are BMW are more efficient than Ford ; in which case how come they use same engine in 1.6 diesel Mini ????

Economy is down to far more than just the engine. Weight, aerodynamics and rolling resistance play a huge part.

[Floyd1957]

And fiddling the results...

[leef44]

Floyd1957 said:

I`ve got a C max 1.6TDCi which has been fantastic. Performance is just more than adequate for the family workhorse and I get 55 ish on long runs if I`m carefull; 50 ish if I`m not and around 45 short runs etc...which is fine... no complaints at all but.... the new version with same engine claims 74 !!! I`ve never seen the claimed 65 for mine...

Could it be that the main difference between your one and the new one is that it has stop-start as standard? Just speculating but still yes, that is a big gap.

In days of old (1997) I had a Passat 1.9TDi company car with a spec of 50mpg. I drove normally (sometimes rushing and heavy footed, sometimes more benign) and managed a surprising 50mpg. I could never achieve anywhere near spec on a modern day car.

[Willy Nilly]

Floyd1957 said:

And fiddling the results...

The official figures are independently tested. Once you start loading your car up with stuff and people, switching all the electrical things on and using the air conditioning the economy starts to fall.

You also have to remember that cars are so powerful now. Even if your 150hp mid range diesel Golf has a official figure of 70mpg, if you use 150hp you will need 150hp worth of fuel, which is about a litre every 30 seconds. Getting 70mpg is achieved by driving in ballet shoes.

[budgie smuggler]

I don't think it's fiddling the results so much as tuning the performance to look good on the (hopelessly unrealistic) official tests. I think somebody said that there is virtually no normal acceleration on the tests, IIRC one accel takes 30 seconds to get to 30 mph.

Apparently though there are plans to change to a more realistic test
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/eu-plan...

[Deisel Weisel]

All the data you need for real world mpg: http://www.spritmonitor.de/en/

[A900ss]

To the OP:

I have a 2012 520d auto touring and these are my real world figures (brim to brim not the inflated trip computer)

Cruising at 70 - 60mpg
Cruising at 80 - 52 mpg
Cruising at 85 - 50 mpg
Total driving including short trips and cold starts - 45mpg

When I go to France I use a roofbox as well so:
Cruising at 80 - 40mpg
Cruising at 85 - 36mpg

From the bmw forums I read, a manual will deliver circa 5mpg more than mine on the 'total' mpg above.

Good luck.

PS - mine is an SE with 225 section tyres. An M Sport on 275 section tyres won't be as good.

Edited by A900ss on Friday 28th December 13:27

[Floyd1957]

Willy... I always drive in ballet shoes !!!

A900
Thanks for info... thats very similar to what I`m getting in C max..