fuel economy

[lynneroy]

Could anyone tell me fuel consumption for a 2006 autocruise starseeker low profile.

[Tracker]

How long is a piece of string?

 

I presume previous model Peugeot cab with 2.2 HDI engine?

 

Depends how you drive it and where you go, as mountains make for more thirsty touring, but by and large something between 24 and 32 ish with an average around 26 - 28 mpg I would suggest.

 

In my view this age and make of van with that particular engine and Alko chassis, whilst it will not set the world alight with acceleration, is one of the finest base vehicles and conversions ever made for smooth, quiet, comfortable touring.

 

Do make sure you have it checked for water ingress before you buy it and look for any tell tale stains particularly in the under bed lockers and lower level kitchen cupboards.

[Brock]

Agree with Tracker. Sticking to c55mph on a motorway with no strong headway or steep hills, you might creep up to 30mpg. Cross country with careful driving around 40mph would give you a similar figure. Anything less than 25mpg and you'll need to look at your driving style. The difference between the 25 and 30 is about £250 over 6,000 miles.

 

A steep hill, such as the climb from Greater Manchester over the M62, gives me an unscientific 25mpg whilst the trip back from Yorkshire gives me 28mpg. That's in a different make and model to the van you ask about.

 

You begin to accept that high fuel consumption [compared to cars] is unavoidable and not worth worrying about.

[lynneroy]

Thank you for you help, quite fancy this but would not be much fun if fuel consumption was not good, but sounds ok, we chill out when in our van, so no great speeds for us .

[Tracker]

If you would be worried about the cost of fuel there are several options.

 

A Don't buy a motorhome at all.

 

B Spend less on the van and leave more for running it.

 

C Drive very slowly and still worry.

 

D Tailor or limit your holiday mileage to fit your budget.

 

D Change your outlook and say to hell with the cost, it's only money so let's just enjoy it whilst we are able.

 

E Buy a smaller van. However as fuel is but one of many costs I doubt the savings would be worth the cost and potential inconvenience of getting the wrong van and changing it sooner rather than later.

[candapack]

I think fuel economy is a bit of a red herring when choosing a motorhome. I did some maths, and came up with this;

Where I am, diesel is currently £1.38/ltr, which is £6.26/gall.

At 24mpg, every 1,000 miles will cost £263.34;

At 32mpg, every 1,000 miles will cost £200.64

(I chose these mpg figures as that's where the majority of modern(ish) vans seem to be)

 

So, a difference of £62.70 per 1,000 miles, or £313.50 per 5,000 miles. Personally, given all the other costs involved in motorhome ownership, I don't think that is worth compromising on things like layout, size etc (within reason - obviously, a huge American RV compared with a tiny rising roof camper will produce a much bigger variation in fuel costs)

 

I will now sit back and wait for my figures to be trashed - but I think they're right. *-)

[DuxDeluxe]

Won't disagree with either your figures or Tracker's comments. My thoughts exactly - yes it is a cost but why spoil the enjoyment worrying about it?

 

Life is too short.......

[Mel B]

Figures are pretty good Canda, depending on how you work it out! I set up an Excel spreadsheet with formulas to convert it automatically depending on what figures I put in for mpg and fuel cost, and it came out as follows:

 

32 mpg x 4.546 = 7.04 mpl, therefore £1.38 a litre ÷ 7.04 mpl = £0.1960 a mile

30 mpg x 4.546 = 6.60 mpl, therefore £1.38 a litre ÷ 6.60 mpl = £0.2091 a mile

28 mpg x 4.546 = 6.16 mpl, therefore £1.38 a litre ÷ 6.16 mpl = £0.2241 a mile

26 mpg x 4.546 = 5.72 mpl, therefore £1.38 a litre ÷ 5.72 mpl = £0.2413 a mile

24 mpg x 4.546 = 5.28 mpl, therefore £1.38 a litre ÷ 5.28 mpl = £0.2614 a mile

 

So, the cost per 1000 / 5000 miles based on £1.38 a litre would be:

 

32 mpg = £196.05 / £980.23 @ £1.38 a litre

30 mpg = £209.12 / £1,045.58

28 mpg = £224.05 / £1,120.26

26 mpg = £241.29 / £1,206.44

24 mpg = £261.40 / £1,306.98

 

What I do find interesting though, is that even though people tend to hunt around for the cheapest fuel, a few pence reduction in the per litre price actually doesn't make that much of a difference, for example getting 32mpg but with a cost pl of £1.35 gives costs of £191.78 / £958.92.

[Keithl]

Mel B - 2014-07-18 11:05 PM

 

What I do find interesting though, is that even though people tend to hunt around for the cheapest fuel, a few pence reduction in the per litre price actually doesn't make that much of a difference, for example getting 32mpg but with a cost pl of £1.35 gives costs of £191.78 / £958.92.

 

And also I find that the cheaper 'Supermarket' fuels give worse mpg!

 

So, saving say 3 pence per litre by using cheap fuel may save you around £4 per 1,000 miles, but if this reduces your economy by 2 mpg, lets say from 32 to 30 mpg, this will cost you around £13 based loosely on Mel's figures. So saving 3 pence per litre actually COSTS you £9 per 1,000 miles more!

 

I have stopped using supermarket fuel in my MH and cars as I can see a definite improvement in mpg using branded fuels AND feel that the MH and cars run far better.

 

Does anyone else agree with me?

 

And back to the OP, totally agree with everyone else's comments, fuel costs are a small portion of the total costs of running a MH, If I had to worry about every litre of fuel I put in the tank then I wouldn't have bought it in the first place!

 

Keith.

[DuxDeluxe]

Don't agree about the supermarket fuel giving worse mpg than other standard pump fuel. The science and the fact that much of both comes out of the same storage tanks don't back it up. Additives? In ppm........ No blender of fuel is going to give away anything on the specification and it all meets EN590 as it has to all over Europe

 

Have driven many thousands of miles carefully logging the consumption in various cars and found, as anticipated, no difference.

 

Superfuels such as BP ultimate are a different matter.

 

Agree with the rest of the post, though.

[StuartO]

These useful posts and cover the ground well - apart from the supermarket versus branded fuel argument, which is perhaps better steered clear of because the evidence isnlr realy available.

 

I buy the cheapest fuel when I can (eg supermarkets) but I'm wasting my time really, saving a tiny fraction of the overall cost at best. By far the biggest cost on motorhoming is the depreciation of the vehicle and most of us do far too small a mileage for fuel costs to be a really significant factor.

[Billggski]

Fuel is an up front cost, you can see how fast the pounds dial is going round compared to the litres dial. (I remember the days when it was the other way around)

Depreciation is a hidden cost, you can always kid yourself you are getting a good deal when the trade in price is bumped up to tempt you to buy an over-priced new model.

3p a litre is neither here nor there, even the 20p that Tesco offer has been covered by paying more for your groceries in the first place.

Just enjoy the ride and watch the outside temperature read out rise as you drive south, and ignore the fuel consumption figures.

[Brock]

Lorry manufacturers are on a campaign to encourage hauliers' thinking about the 'total cost of ownership' rather than focus on mpg.

 

TCO is not a new concept but the increasingly sophisticated IT systems for the logistic companies makes it a lot easier to calculate and compare.

 

Sadly very few motorhomers keep data that would enable us to calculate the TCO of different models. I wonder if we did, what would be the reaction of manufacturers? Would they change what they build and get the TCO more competitive? They probably prefer us to buy focused on sticker price and mpg than the true cost.

 

As it is raining, I did a quick fag packet calculation. I need to work an hour a day to fund my motorhoming [excluding any site fees]. The TCO was about the same as my food bills. Two hours work a day to keep my wife in the manner to which she wants - which just proves that not everything is a rip off in the UK.

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

Three vans.

1. 2005 Burstner T585 (Low profile) on old shape Fiat base, 2.8JTD 146PS, 3,400kg MAM. 24.56MPG over 10,307 miles.

2. 2007 Hobby Van (Low profile) on Mk 7 Transit 2.2, 130PS, 3,500kg MAM. 28.27MPG over 32,114 miles.

3. 2013 Hymer Exsis-i (A-class) on Ducato 2.3, 150PS, 3.700kg MAM.25.85 MPG over 6,522 miles.

 

The above MPG figures are cumulative, are measures fill to fill, and do not rely on the inevitably optiistic trip recorders. All were new, so there will be some effect from the early, "loosening up" period, when MPG tends to be higher. All were driven over a variety of roads, including some mountain roads, mainly on the continent, with minimal motorway type mileage.

[Mickydripin]

These useful posts and cover the ground well - apart from the supermarket versus branded fuel argument, which is perhaps better steered clear of because the evidence isnlr realy available.

 

I buy the cheapest fuel when I can (eg supermarkets) but I'm wasting my time really, saving a tiny fraction of the overall cost at best.

-----------------------------------------

Sorry stuartO I must disagree with you on supermarket versus branded Fuels.

I am between motorhomes at presant but I found that by putting BP or Shell fuel in my last motorhome it was quieter and ran much smoother and got just a little better fuel consumption not much but it all helps but even if I did not get a decrease in fuel consumption I know that they sounded better and that must be good for my vehicles.

My car a Toyota aygo when I filled up with fuel from Tesco (I know it is only 1000cc) was useless and if I tried to overtake anything was dangerous at best, but when I filled up at Shell or BP it felt as though it had a rocket up it,s backside was smoother quieter and the fuel consumption was better by about 30 miles a tank full.

I have switched back and forth four times to make sure that I was doing the right thing now I only use branded fuels.

 

Mike.

[lynneroy]

Thank you all for your useful comments, we have a panel van conversion and I love it, but would love a fixed bed, and we are not paranoid about fuel consumption but want to spend a year travelling, covering a lot of miles so it was something I thought I should check, we currently get 30mpg and I did not want to buy something that perhaps would only do 20 mpg. So thank you for all the figures a huge help.

[Mel B]

We have a panel van conversion with a lovely fixed bed in it, there are a lot out there so you could still have a PVC and a fixed bed if that's what you want.

[PJay]

Whilst in Spain this year., we went to buy fuel at a small local garage, as the "normal" diesel was out of action, he gave us the "premium" fuel for the same price.OH felt that the van ran smoother and we got slight better consumption, on the premium.

i keep records of the mileage , cost of fuel at each purchase, on a spread sheet, for each trip we make

 

Re supermarkets verse main dealers. When I worked at Buncefield (the one that caught fire) the fuel was delivered from the refinery through a pipeline, and all the "names" got the same fuel through the same pipeline! Whether they added to it before pumping to tankers , I don't know. But we did use to share , if one company ran out prior to delivery.

PJay

[Guest pelmetman]

I did an experiment with my delivery Tranny a while back, where I put 2 stroke in with the cheapo Tesco diesel ;-)..............the effect was similar to putting the expensive diesel in ;-)...............

 

I usually put the expensive go faster juice in Horace to help him up the hills :D..............

 

Not done the cost benefit analysis of a tank of expensive diesel, to a tank of cheapo fuel with a dash of 2 stroke though :-S...............

 

 

[Guest pelmetman]

I did an experiment with my delivery Tranny a while back, where I put 2 stroke in with the cheapo Tesco diesel ;-)..............the effect was similar to putting the expensive diesel in ;-)...............

 

I usually put the expensive go faster juice in Horace to help him up the hills :D..............

 

Not done the cost benefit analysis of a tank of expensive diesel, to a tank of cheapo fuel with a dash of 2 stroke though :-S...............

 

 

[Tracker]

When I were a lad my Dad always used to add Redex to the petrol whenever he filled up because he reckoned the cars ran better with it and it was so cheap that at worst it did no harm?

 

I'm not 'expert' enough to know whether the same principle would apply to adding two stroke oil to diesel fuel - but it might?

[Guest pelmetman]

Thinking about it I suspect 2 stroke and cheapo diesel has gotta be cheaper than using expensive fuel ;-)................as I was paying £1.53 a litre for the expensive stuff going to Scotland, an extra 20p a litre that's another 10 quid a tank full where as the 2 stroke was a fiver and did four tank refills 8-)..............

 

 

[Guest Peter James]

Tracker - 2014-07-23 11:06 AM

 

When I were a lad my Dad always used to add Redex to the petrol whenever he filled up because he reckoned the cars ran better with it and it was so cheap that at worst it did no harm?

 

I'm not 'expert' enough to know whether the same principle would apply to adding two stroke oil to diesel fuel - but it might?

 

as I recall the engineering in those days was such that a petrol engine needed a rebore after about 30,000 miles, and RedeX was marketed as an upper cylinder lubricant in an attempt to prolong engine life. But Diesel oil is much kinder to moving parts than petrol, and I have never heard of it being used in a diesel.

[Guest Peter James]

Brian Kirby - 2014-07-19 11:50 AM

 

Three vans.

1. 2005 Burstner T585 (Low profile) on old shape Fiat base, 2.8JTD 146PS, 3,400kg MAM. 24.56MPG over 10,307 miles.

2. 2007 Hobby Van (Low profile) on Mk 7 Transit 2.2, 130PS, 3,500kg MAM. 28.27MPG over 32,114 miles.

3. 2013 Hymer Exsis-i (A-class) on Ducato 2.3, 150PS, 3.700kg MAM.25.85 MPG over 6,522 miles.

 

The above MPG figures are cumulative, are measures fill to fill, and do not rely on the inevitably optiistic trip recorders. All were new, so there will be some effect from the early, "loosening up" period, when MPG tends to be higher. All were driven over a variety of roads, including some mountain roads, mainly on the continent, with minimal motorway type mileage.

 

Great picture Brian.Reminds me of Mont Cenis, but I don't know where it is

[Guest pelmetman]

Peter James - 2014-07-23 7:07 PM

 

Tracker - 2014-07-23 11:06 AM

 

When I were a lad my Dad always used to add Redex to the petrol whenever he filled up because he reckoned the cars ran better with it and it was so cheap that at worst it did no harm?

 

I'm not 'expert' enough to know whether the same principle would apply to adding two stroke oil to diesel fuel - but it might?

 

as I recall the engineering in those days was such that a petrol engine needed a rebore after about 30,000 miles, and RedeX was marketed as an upper cylinder lubricant in an attempt to prolong engine life. But Diesel oil is much kinder to moving parts than petrol, and I have never heard of it being used in a diesel.

 

I remember my Dad using Redex to................but in those days petrol power was the most common means of propulsion, and diesel was cheaper than petrol...........remember that? ;-).............

 

Now we all drive diesel vans and you have to change them every few years if you want to drive in cities...............progress eh? *-)........

 

Actually I can remember using Redex :$..............