Crap Fuel Consumption

Shikkaka

Shikkaka

Shikkaka

Soldato
Joined
10 Jun 2003
Posts
2,871
Location
Nottingham
Hi everyone,

I need some advice badly. I have tried everything I can think of. I'm getting no more than 200 miles for a full tank of petrol (£40). It works out at about 15 mpg.

I have a 98 S Reg Megane Coupe 2.0l 16v.

A couple of weeks ago I had a few problems with my car that may have affected fuel consumption. I thought nothing of it and promptley got it all sorted. Since getting the problems sorted it hasn't improved at all.

I've taken it for a service, gave it a thrashing up the motor way for half an hour to try and clean the crap out the engine. Put some redex in numerous times. I don't thrash the car at all and keep the revs down when possible.

I need some more suggestions or things I can get a garage to check. I'm out of ideas and running out of money! ARGH!

Thanks for reading.
 
A few more details might help, just what are these problems you had that may have affected fuel consumption? Have you noticed any other symptoms e.g. poor performance, driveability issues etc.

200 miles with £40 worth of fuel is around 20mpg, which wouldn't be unusual in a 2litre car if it's mainly town driving.
 
The issues where rubbing brake pads on the front and one side on the rear and the tracking and wheel balancing where out.

I'm filling up with BP Ultimate at 99p per litre.

Not noticed any other issues.

Thanks
 
Steameh said:
The issues where rubbing brake pads on the front and one side on the rear and the tracking and wheel balancing where out.

I'm filling up with BP Ultimate at 99p per litre.

Not noticed any other issues.

Thanks
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In that case you get about 22.5 MPG, which isn't outrageous for a 2 litre around town.
 
Has the coolant temperature gauge moved from it's normal position? A sticking thermostat making the engine run cooler will affect economy, as would a faulty ECU coolant temperature sensor. A failing lambda sensor will also tend to increase fuel consumption, though often (but not always) this will put the engine fault light on.

Other possibilities are a blocked cat or exhaust silencers, faulty ignition compenents causing a misfire and incorrect cam timing though these problems would generaly have a noticeable affect on performance.
 
Where talking 50 miles per £10 of petrol here. This is seriously crap consumption. On the coupe club forum others doing similar driving styles are getting 380 miles per tank. Same spec car.
 
Steameh said:
Where talking 50 miles per £10 of petrol here. This is seriously crap consumption. On the coupe club forum others doing similar driving styles are getting 380 miles per tank. Same spec car.
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They're getting almost 43 MPG? That must not be much town driving at all.
 
32 for mostly town driving would be excellent for most cars.
i would be happy with 200 miles from mine (larger tank) if all town driving!
 
Steameh said:
They claim this is around 32mpg. Not 43.
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If, like you say, the tank is 40 litres (I guess that's how much you fill it by) then they will be getting a shade under 43MPG if they do 380 miles to a tank.
 
Rough calcs:

£40 = 45 litres = 10 galons /200miles = 20mpg

I've gotten that figure this Christmas purely because I did only town driving that month. However for the same ammount of petrol I can also get 350+ miles if I'm going long distance somewhere and not caning it.
 
SaBBz said:
What do you make it for the other guys cars?
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Not a lot of point calculating theirs unless you know their type/style of driving.

Also, you said they get 380 miles per tank rather than for how much fuel. So you dont know if they are putting >£50 in etc. My car has a dicky fuel guage where it looks empty at about 45l where its supposed to be a 60l tank.
 
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Bit unscientific taking a statement off some dude on a forum trying to show off his best ever mpg performance - which most people seem to want to do.

Edit: My suggestion to Steameh is to take it for a long run after a service and see if you get some better mpg. Town mpg will always depress you.
 
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These guys are generally trying to help on the coupe club forum, and the 32mpg they claim to be getting is what the car by book should be getting on average anyway.

20 mpg in mine and their opinions is way to low.
 
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