17mpg for a 2L 16v?

Ex-RoNiN · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:27

I'm running aircon and heated windows most of the time, it's exclusively inner-city driving...does that sound like a reasonable mpg considering I'm running all this junk, or can I improve things with my driving? I always change gear to 3rd when driving 30mph...

triggerthat · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:28

When is the next service due?

[TW]Fox · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:28

Ex-RoNiN said:
I'm running aircon and heated windows most of the time, it's exclusively inner-city driving...does that sound like a reasonable mpg considering I'm running all this junk, or can I improve things with my driving? I always change gear to 3rd when driving 30mph...

No, its rubbish. I got 24mpg out of a Mondeo with the same engine. Sounds like there is something quite amiss with the car if thats the best you can get out of it. I get more than that around town with a 3 litre BMW.

Phil W · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:29

Ex-RoNiN said:
I always change gear to 3rd when driving 30mph...

4th tbh.

Ex-RoNiN · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:29

triggerthat said:
When is the next service due?

9820miles, 51 weeks. It's a 1999 model

triggerthat · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:31

So am assuming the service has been done?

Ex-RoNiN · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:33

[TW]Fox said:
No, its rubbish. I got 24mpg out of a Mondeo with the same engine. Sounds like there is something quite amiss with the car if thats the best you can get out of it. I get more than that around town with a 3 litre BMW.

Could it not be my driving or the aircon? I sit on the breaking point when at a red light (not revving though), I drive 3-4 miles per journey MAX...and cruise at 3rd on 30mph...

What could be wrong if mpg is this bad (apart from having a dodgy on-board computer?)?

4th tbh.

That helps with fuel consumption?

So am assuming the service has been done?

Yeah!

triggerthat · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:35

Was the consumption like that before the service?

If you are always stuck in traffic, then that might seem OK. It depends on how you drive, but there might be something wrong. MAF?

lordrobs · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:36

Ex-RoNiN said:
That helps with fuel consumption?

It might help a bit as long as you remember to drop it back down when accelerating.

I think the problem is that all of your milage is done with a cold engine.

KASM · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:37

Short journeys, inner-city driving and worst of all staying in 3rd gear at 30?

yes it is poor but you're certainly not helping it.

Ex-RoNiN · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:38

triggerthat said:
Was the consumption like that before the service?

If you are always stuck in traffic, then that might seem OK. It depends on how you drive, but there might be something wrong. MAF?

No idea, I bought the car on Saturday (had the service on Thur or Fri), and re-set the mpg setting on Monday (it was on 17.9 when I reset it) - it's been oscillating between 17 and 17.5 in the last few days.

Traffic is sluggish around here, and I had an occasion of a dodgy hill start (took me 2 mins to get clear of that spot, at 1 point revving up to 5000 rpm and not moving :eek:

)

The 3rd gear and the biting point, could these 2 add up to such rubbish consumption?

Ex-RoNiN · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:41

lordrobs said:
It might help a bit as long as you remember to drop it back down when accelerating.

I think the problem is that all of your milage is done with a cold engine.

Ah yeah, once I'm on 3rd I don't shift down until I approach a junction/roundabout, so accelerate in 3rd even when dropping to 15-20mph.

Cold engine could also be it, all of my journeys (bar 2) lasted 20 mins or less. I have rarely seen the temp gauge leave the big fat 0 mark.

staying in 3rd gear at 30

So 4th for 30mph is highly recommendable then? I'll give that a go!

I would turn off air conditioning, but without it my windows fog up quite badly

Firestar_3x · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:41

O2 Sensor or MAF.

GuruJockStrap · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:49

I only drive a poo Corsa but in the manual the difference in fuel consumption from 3rd to 4th is 25/35% (can't remember which one). From 4th to 5th is around 10-15%.

chrislusty · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:52

could the thermostat could be gone if the temp never leaves 0.

Phil W · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:53

chrislusty said:
could the thermostat could be gone if the temp never leaves 0.

Probably always open.

MNuTz · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:57

dont ask me about mpg, ive had enough of cars at the moment.

My mums prelude is doing approx 270 miles to £40 of unleaded, and that is mostly sensible driving with the odd overtaking here and there. It seems rather poor but im just too lazy at the moment to actually figure out the mpg.

[TW]Fox · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:58

Well when I'm at Uni I only do 4-5 miles a trip, in town, usually with the AC on.

24mpg - 2.0 16v Zetec
20mpg - 3.0 24v M54

So it's rubbish. 3rd at 30 wont be helping but it wont be causing it to be THAT low.

Check it properly - brim the tank to full, reset trip counter, drive around, then brim tank back to full. This will tell you how many litres of fuel took you how many miles. From this, you can accruately calculate the mpg.

If its still rubbish, your driving style is apalling OR your car is broken. If its much better, your trip computer is broken.

Ex-RoNiN · 28 Feb 2007 at 14:59

chrislusty said:
could the thermostat could be gone if the temp never leaves 0.

It does move eventually, for example this morning I was driving for an hour and it eventually reached the halfway mark. But on my normal journeys, that last 10-20 mins, it doesn't move, or moves very little.

Ex-RoNiN · 28 Feb 2007 at 15:04

[TW]Fox said:
Well when I'm at Uni I only do 4-5 miles a trip, in town, usually with the AC on.

24mpg - 2.0 16v Zetec
20mpg - 3.0 24v M54

So it's rubbish. 3rd at 30 wont be helping but it wont be causing it to be THAT low.

Check it properly - brim the tank to full, reset trip counter, drive around, then brim tank back to full. This will tell you how many litres of fuel took you how many miles. From this, you can accruately calculate the mpg.

If its still rubbish, your driving style is apalling OR your car is broken. If its much better, your trip computer is broken.

Sounds good, I'll give that a go next time I go tanking!