Not getting the MPG I expected

PhilOfCas

Active Member
Nov 2, 2006
478
0
The capital of Yorkshire
Every single day the wind is the same direction and speed?And i doubt wind makes that much of a difference because cars are tested for aerodynamics to prevent drag in wind.
The most common causes of poor MPG are:
Under inflated tyres
Cold weather
Heavy right foot
Poor use of gears
Hills
Mechanical fault
Poor fuel.
Hills and cold weather can't be helped, the rest is down to the driver.

No, but on any given day if there's a south westerly on my drive in in the morning, then it's there on my way home, hence the tailwind/headwind routine.
Regards a cars drag, read this extract from Wiki:
"The drag coefficient is a common metric in automotive design, where designers strive to achieve a low coefficient. Minimizing drag is done to improve fuel efficiency at highway speeds, where aerodynamic effects represent a substantial fraction of the energy needed to keep the car moving. Indeed, aerodynamic drag increases with the square of speed. Aerodynamics are also of increasing concern to truck designers, where a lower drag coefficient translates directly into lower fuel costs.

About 60% of the power required to cruise at highway speeds is taken up overcoming air drag, and this increases very quickly at high speed. Therefore, a vehicle with substantially better aerodynamics will be much more fuel efficient. Additionally, because drag does increase with the square of speed, a somewhat lower speed can significantly improve fuel economy. This was the major reason for the United States adopting a nationwide 55 mile per hour speed limit during the early 1973 oil crisis as slower traffic would save scarce petroleum.

It's logical that driving with the wind behind you will be much more efficient than driving into the wind.
 

daveyonthemove

Smile if you like SEAT's
May 14, 2006
1,519
0
Wrexham
No, but on any given day if there's a south westerly on my drive in in the morning, then it's there on my way home, hence the tailwind/headwind routine.
Regards a cars drag, read this extract from Wiki:
"The drag coefficient is a common metric in automotive design, where designers strive to achieve a low coefficient. Minimizing drag is done to improve fuel efficiency at highway speeds, where aerodynamic effects represent a substantial fraction of the energy needed to keep the car moving. Indeed, aerodynamic drag increases with the square of speed. Aerodynamics are also of increasing concern to truck designers, where a lower drag coefficient translates directly into lower fuel costs.

About 60% of the power required to cruise at highway speeds is taken up overcoming air drag, and this increases very quickly at high speed. Therefore, a vehicle with substantially better aerodynamics will be much more fuel efficient. Additionally, because drag does increase with the square of speed, a somewhat lower speed can significantly improve fuel economy. This was the major reason for the United States adopting a nationwide 55 mile per hour speed limit during the early 1973 oil crisis as slower traffic would save scarce petroleum.

It's logical that driving with the wind behind you will be much more efficient than driving into the wind.

Of course its logical that wind behind you will creat less drag, but that wasn't my point.
I said that i doubt the headwind would make such a large difference to economy if driven in the same manner on a calm day. The aerodynamic quote from wiki only highlighted what i said about it reducing the effects of the wind in order to gain more economy.
 

JPS3290

Dirty Diesel
Jun 6, 2003
438
0
Durham
Visit site
sorry, just spotted Durham in your info., is it good riding up there ?

Oh yes! Road or Trails there is plenty of it. I'm a trail's man myself but occasionally stick the semi-slicks on and hit the road when training for C2C/Reivers Way etc.

I live up in Weardale (out in the sticks) about 6 miles from Hamsterley Forest which you may have heard about. I was up and out at 7am this morning in the dark and biked up and around Hamsterley and back. Bloody freezing but a good workout.
 

Viking

Insurance co's are crap.
May 19, 2007
2,317
4
Near Richmond, North Yorks
Wind resistance will make a difference to fuel economy, but the original poster says he's only just getting 50mpg so I'd say that means he's averaging just less than 50mpg. If wind was a major factor then he'd have to be driving into the wind everywhere he goes, and that's very unlikely. No ones that unlucky, surely?:D
 

PhilOfCas

Active Member
Nov 2, 2006
478
0
The capital of Yorkshire
Of course its logical that wind behind you will creat less drag, but that wasn't my point.
I said that i doubt the headwind would make such a large difference to economy if driven in the same manner on a calm day. The aerodynamic quote from wiki only highlighted what i said about it reducing the effects of the wind in order to gain more economy.

a calm day will have the same 'headwind' whichever way you travel, i.e. none, on a windy day you can be heading into the wind, hence you'll have a 'headwind' or you could be travelling with the wind, hence you'll have a 'tailwind', does that explain it ?

your quote "The aerodynamic quote from wiki only highlighted what i said about it reducing the effects of the wind in order to gain more economy" - but cars by nature are large objects that to move at speed something (fuel) has to push through the air, they're inefficient and create lots of drag, manufacturers try to reduce it but physics says they're fighting a losing battle
 

daveyonthemove

Smile if you like SEAT's
May 14, 2006
1,519
0
Wrexham
There will always be drag, and that is something thats present when companys test drive their cars for the MPG figures they produce.
A calm day with no headwind is all well and good if your stationary, but once your moving there will be resistance. Headwinds on top of this will obviously add to the drag, but unless you drive into gale force winds everwhere your not likely to see much of a drop in MPG.
And unless you drive to work on the same stretch of road going in exactly the same direction (straight line) untill you get there, then the wind won't always be head on and will vary.
 

PhilOfCas

Active Member
Nov 2, 2006
478
0
The capital of Yorkshire
There are lots of us on the forum and plenty of us get different mpg
I have a leon tdi cupra and sometimes over the same journey I get 45 one day then 50 the other. Same speed driving style etc.
Glynn

Davey, when i first posted i was being specific to Glynn's comment regarding differing mpg's over the same journey (above), i think we (you and I) have had crossed wires, hope that makes sense, good topic though, all the best, Phil.
 

Viking

Insurance co's are crap.
May 19, 2007
2,317
4
Near Richmond, North Yorks
I live up in Weardale (out in the sticks) about 6 miles from Hamsterley Forest which you may have heard about.

Mate, I'll be passing right past you on Monday morning about 9.30ish doing about 47mpg in my Berlingo van hdi (desperate attempt to keep on topic). I'm off up to St Johns Chapel.
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,368
25
Gloucester
try resetting it just before you get on the motorway to get a more accurate motorway figure

your mpg is taking into account - warming up to defrtos the car - slow town traffic - sat at the lights etc etc

mind you with 50 i'd be over the moon :) more like 18 on mine
 

PhilOfCas

Active Member
Nov 2, 2006
478
0
The capital of Yorkshire
Oh yes! Road or Trails there is plenty of it. I'm a trail's man myself but occasionally stick the semi-slicks on and hit the road when training for C2C/Reivers Way etc.

I live up in Weardale (out in the sticks) about 6 miles from Hamsterley Forest which you may have heard about. I was up and out at 7am this morning in the dark and biked up and around Hamsterley and back. Bloody freezing but a good workout.

Sounds good, pretty sure mates have been to Hamsterley, supposed to be the dogs doo dars in't it ?

I hope you're out today, no slacking !
 

PhilOfCas

Active Member
Nov 2, 2006
478
0
The capital of Yorkshire
I've just bought an Ibiza 1.9 TDi, with 22k on the clock. I'm making a point of changing gear around 2,000 rpm, and have done mostly motorway driving, and I'm only just getting 50 MPG....is this normal? Or should I be getting more?

(here you go Viking !!)

I'd say 50mpg is OK, we've had some pretty cold weather which affects mpg, see what it's like in the summer, i'd be surprised if you're not in the mid 50's come then.
Doubtful dealer will do anything to help, as has been said already, you get what you get (mpg wise) and that's it, manufacturers quoted mpg figures have been the subject of a lot of debate over the years, they simply say 'it's tough, not our problem'.
 

Husbandofstinky

Out from the Wilderness
Nov 8, 2007
1,515
12
Temperate Regions
According to SEAT's information it should average 56, so was expecting around 60 MPG for motorway driving.

SEAT said something like 45mpg urban, 54mpg mixed and 63mpg ultra urban on the PD150.

Lucky to get 50mpg (well just over) on a very gentle motorway run.

You'll just have to accept that you'll get no way near manufacturers figures - optimum set up.

I do not know of anyone who can acheive their figures with a real world car. This is an ongoing problem with the press and us and the manufacturers. You'll just have to accept it.

Initially is was disappointed when I couldn't even acheive the mixed figure on a run.
 

Viking

Insurance co's are crap.
May 19, 2007
2,317
4
Near Richmond, North Yorks
I just went to Tesco for some veg for dinner. 8 miles round trip from cold. Journey goes a mix of 30 - 60mph and back to 30mph speed limit, and takes in 3 stops at the lights in both directions, a couple of stops at roundabouts, so a fairly normal urban cycle. And I got 52mpg without even trying. In a 2.0ltr Altea. :confused: Must be something wrong with mine then?
 
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