Fuel Economy

[kelly58]

747 - 2010-10-15 6:55 PM As for the best way to check mpg. Keep a log of how much diesel you buy and the mileage when you buy it. Make sure the receipt includes the amount of litres and price per litre. If you brim the tank each time, you can work it out short term. If you can work out a total of litres versus mileage over a long period, it works out more accurate.

I find this is the only accurate way to check fuel consumption

[Colin Leake]

We use standard Shell a lot because it always seems to be cheaper than alternative makes including supermarkets. Having said that we do also use supermarket fuel with no ill effects.

 

As regards wind resistance when you think about it heading into a twenty mph wind at 60 mph is the same as driving at 80 mph in still air so it is hardly surprising it has a considerable effect on fuel consumption.

 

Last year we drove from Berwick on Tweed to North Berwick against a ferocious head wind. I have no idea what the actual fuel consumption was but it certainly used an alarming amount of fuel over what is a relatively short journey.

[Mel B]

I use an Excel spreadsheet to do my calculations on, much easier! I can work out the cost per fill, or over a holiday, as miles per litre or miles per gallon.

 

Sad ain't it! :D

[ChrisK5]

Some people need to get out a bit more i think (excel spread sheets).

Just fill it up and drive it that is what i do, 160 multi jet probably getting between 17 to 20 to the gallon, but i dont know and i dont care.

We have the vehicle because we enjoy it.

[flicka]

flicka - 2010-10-11 8:30 PM

 

We have been averaging 27 to 29 in our Autocruise Sportstar.

Actual mpg tank fill to tank fill against speedo indication of 29 to 34.

BUT went to Southampton over the weekend, 260 miles each way, mixture of motorway & A roads.

Trip mpg reset & Standard Diesel outbound = 27.3mpg.(actual) 29.8(indicated)

Filled at Southampton with Premium Diesel to return home = 23.1mpg.(actual) 25.6 (indicated)

Same route in reverse & same overall travelling time, so no appreciable difference in mph speed.

Again Tank full to tank full calculations.

So I shall NOT be using Premium Diesel anymore in future.

 

flicka - 2010-10-11 9:30 PM

Hi Stuart

I would expect a little worse consumption due to the wind, but the Premium Diesel is advertised as giving more MPG, so my thought was I should at least get the same as the outward journey.

On this experience say 27mpg + benefit of Premium Diesel = say 30mpg.

Then only getting 23mpg = 7mpg less over 260 miles seems alot to attribute to the wind factorwith a low profile motorhome.

Or is this what others find.??????

 

 

The purpose of my excercise was to try & establish if Premium Diesel would give me better economy.

Initial thoughts were that the higher cost & improved mpg would give approximately the same cost per mile.

As we had a reasonably long journey it seemed the opportunity to test the theory.

Checking back the outward journey was Sainsbury's Diesel. The Premium Diesel was TOTAL Excellium.

So on cost per mile basis -

Sainsburys = 18.7pence

Total Excellium = 22.8pence

Had we got the same mpg - cost per mile for the Total Excellium = 20.2pence.

So in answer to Trackers question - IMHO - NO premium fuels are not worth the extra money.

[Guest Tracker]

Exactly as cynical old me would have expected John - thanks for that!

 

But I might just try it myself one day?

[Mel B]

ChrisK5 - 2010-10-15 8:40 PM

 

Some people need to get out a bit more i think (excel spread sheets).

Just fill it up and drive it that is what i do, 160 multi jet probably getting between 17 to 20 to the gallon, but i dont know and i dont care.

We have the vehicle because we enjoy it.

 

Seems a bit low to me that though Chris .... unless you're Sterling Moss's son of course!

 

This is one of the reasons WHY I keep a check as it is a good way to see if any problems are developing, it also helps budget for fuel costs for trips etc.

 

I use an Excel spreadsheet because I can, being a PA it was easy-peasy for me to set up and I just enter the speedo reading, no of litres and cost per litre and it does the calculations for me, the work of 5 seconds so it isn't a waste of time either. :-S

[ChrisK5]

Mel B - 2010-10-16 1:07 PM

 

ChrisK5 - 2010-10-15 8:40 PM

 

Some people need to get out a bit more i think (excel spread sheets).

Just fill it up and drive it that is what i do, 160 multi jet probably getting between 17 to 20 to the gallon, but i dont know and i dont care.

We have the vehicle because we enjoy it.

 

Seems a bit low to me that though Chris .... unless you're Sterling Moss's son of course!

 

This is one of the reasons WHY I keep a check as it is a good way to see if any problems are developing, it also helps budget for fuel costs for trips etc.

 

I use an Excel spreadsheet because I can, being a PA it was easy-peasy for me to set up and I just enter the speedo reading, no of litres and cost per litre and it does the calculations for me, the work of 5 seconds so it isn't a waste of time either. :-S

 

 

Yes it probably is easy for you on excel i dont use it being a carpenter/builder.

If i was to admit i do have a heavy right foot and i tend to average 70 to 75 on motorways which doesnt help the MPG and also my Kontiki weighs in at 5000 kilos.

We enjoy our motorhome which is the main thing.

[Mel B]

Hi Chris, being a carpenter, surely you could make yourself an abacus to work it out on!!!! ;-) :D (lol)