# MPG



## teemyob

A topic often raised and discussed, MPG.

Here is a Genuine if not scientific test.

Circumstances and weather:

No Traffic, fine weather 50% Daylight 50% Night, both trips.

Vehicle:

Mercedes 3.0 Litre Manual Diesel Based Frankia A Class Motorhome

First Test Trip A: 
Manchester - Southampton 220 Miles
Pressing on a bit, 60-70mph 
Averaging 58mph. 
Travel Time 4:00 Hours
RESULT = 17.5MPG

Second Test B:
Southampton - Manchester 220miles
Taking it easy, tucking in behind wagons. 50-60mph, two short burst of 70!
Averaging 50mph
Travel Time 4:06
RESULT = 23.5MPG

All times are "ish" but are failry accurate, so it just goes to show, find yourself the tallest truck possible and keep a reasonable, safe distance!.

TM


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## loddy

Get a life

Loddy

Moderator Note. If you have nothing constructive to say, please say nothing!


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## karlb

loddy said:


> Get a life
> 
> Loddy


very informative, thank you

karlb


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## Spooky_b329

Someone having a bad evening huh?

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modul...search&show_results=posts&search_author=loddy

Why waste your time with us losers, you must have something better to do!


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## RichardnGill

That is about bang on what our van does Trev.


I get tucked I behind a truck quiet often, even at a sensible distance it does make a difference. 

Top tip if you are in a rush draft a Coach. 


Now can you try a remap and see what difference that makes :lol: 




Richard...


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## mikeyv

Sorry but even allowing for "ish", your figures don't add up

Averaging 58mph. 
Travel Time 4:00 Hours

Distance travelled would be 232 miles

Averaging 50mph
Travel Time 4:06

Distance travelled would be 205 miles.

Exits stage left in search of a life. :?


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## averhamdave

Mmm yes his figures are wrong BUT what I find strange is that he got more mpg on the "uphill" journey northwards!


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## Zebedee

averhamdave said:


> Mmm yes his figures are wrong BUT what I find strange is that he got more mpg on the "uphill" journey northwards!


Simple Dave - he was driving toward Magnetic North! :roll: :lol: :lol:

I can confirm Teemyob's findings though, whether or not the actual figures are accurate.  

The difference between a steady 50mph and (say) 65mph is surprisingly great, and if you drive at 70 or more you can watch the fuel gauge fall down the scale.

Dave


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## teemyob

mikeyv said:


> Sorry but even allowing for "ish", your figures don't add up
> 
> Averaging 58mph.
> Travel Time 4:00 Hours
> 
> Distance travelled would be 232 miles
> 
> Averaging 50mph
> Travel Time 4:06
> 
> Distance travelled would be 205 miles.
> 
> Exits stage left in search of a life. :?


"Sorry" Why have you done something wrong mikeyv?.

Okay, take my averages out which is the part that will be wrong and the ishes may be more within tollerance!.

I forgot to add that I missed the boat on the way out (trip A) by around 5 mins. So not worth the rush or the extra wasted fuel.

I avoided the 126.9p Diesel on the Motorways and paid 116.9p at Morrisons so made a bit back (45p ("ish) a gallon saving)).

TM


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## gaspode

The greatest factor affecting our fuel economy appears to be wind direction, like many 'vans we're a bit "blunt at the front". So was it blowing a southerly????


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## teemyob

*Wind*



gaspode said:


> The greatest factor affecting our fuel economy appears to be wind direction, like many 'vans we're a bit "blunt at the front". So was it blowing a southerly????


Wind or Winding me up?

I think you mean Northerly, hence pushing us back up? :lol:

TM


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## gaspode

*Re: Wind*



teemyob said:


> I think you mean Northerly, hence pushing us back up? :lol:
> 
> TM


Errrr...........

No, I mean Southerly.

Think about it - a Northerly wind would push you back down. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## TR5

Perhaps he does not know whether the wind is coming or going!


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## teemyob

*Re: Wind*



gaspode said:


> teemyob said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think you mean Northerly, hence pushing us back up? :lol:
> 
> TM
> 
> 
> 
> Errrr...........
> 
> No, I mean Southerly.
> 
> Think about it - a Northerly wind would push you back down. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...

  Don't you just hate it when things do not make sense or rather the obvious is not always just that?!

"Wind direction is reported by the direction from which it originates. For example, a northerly wind blows from the north to the south. ..."

Or when much older folk are often but not always wiser :wink:

Thanks Gaspode.

TM
(grabs coat and runs for cover)


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## gaspode

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Given me the wind just thinking about it. 8O 

(That'd be a southerly then?) :wink:


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## trevd01

Wind?

Hills I say.

We live a couple of hundred metres up in the Pennines and we generally go to the Lakes or the Dales or the North York Moors for weekends.

Our 3.0 Auto Ducato always shows an average of 30mpg or just under on the dash computer for the journeys, a figure backed up by brim to brim fills - give or take 1mpg.

Just been over to North Norfolk last weekend - dash computer showed 36mpg one way (down hill from us!) and 34 coming back (uphill!). Not used the tank full yet, but I expect to be close to the those mpg figures.

Realistically, I guess although the hills do make a difference, it is also the very short motorway mileage on the way to Norfolk from us and those endless miles across Lincolnshire on the A17 at 50mph...


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## Jented

Hi.
Most m/homes have the aerodynamics of a brick,add on huge sat/dishes,pull out awning thingy's and it gets worse. As regards tucking in behind another vehicle,if you are to NEAR!! (I did not say close),this has the effect of slowing the front vehicle down,don't ask me why,some mathmatician will prove why, SOME drivers think about their fuel consumption and then decelerate rapidly so as to save their
costs,be warned.
It used to make half a gear difference on the A17 from Kings Lynn to Newark if you could shadow an FL10 in a FH 10 volvo,and
the wind was against you. If you do shadow,let the Tug see who you are,and don't get to close,as there is nothing worse than driving for two!!
Happy Hot Pursuit Module, we got us a convoy.
Gearjammer


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## Tansy

We find with Bessacarr with Fiat 2.8JTD, that keeping the engine revs at 2000 in 5th gear or below returns mpg of about 28. This equates to 55 to 58 mph. Go over 2000 rpm, and mpg drops drastically. Why do we need to be doing 70 on motorways anyway?


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## SpeedyDux

My dad who was an engineer told me that the internal combustion engine is at its most efficient at the revs at which it develops peak torque. That is the likely to be the point at which it cruises using least fuel in top gear. 


SD


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## vanny

I find my fuel consumption best when parked on the drive, fairly level.

V


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## Rudderman

If you eat baked beans before your journey, the gas inside the van rises making the van lighter and so giving you a better MPG. :lol: :lol: :lol: 

At least, thats what I tell my wife.

Sorry for that.


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## tattytony

Bob i'm just getting the baked beans out for dinner tonight as were off to Peterborough in the morning hope it helps :lol: :lol: 

Should I mention when i'm leaving so others don't get too close behind :lol: :lol: 

Tony


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## Jezport

We did Leeds to Ambleside and back via the back roads 160miles and got 19.5MPG. 

I think thats OK, I dont normally check MPG but as we have only recently bought the van I like to know what it does. We will check it to Peterborough and back to see what it does on the motorway.


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