Brian's Frugal Day Out (Part I)

[Venomous]

Well having read an article in the quarterly Mercedes magazine about getting more MPG, I decided to give it a go.

The advise was to stick to around 1,900 RPM as this represented the maximum torque for most modern diesels.

My normal MPG is around 40, based mostly on fast motorway driving.

Today I had a long run out - Derby - Bootle (Liverpool)- Tankersley (Barnsley) - Derby.

Here's the stats:

- 228 miles
- 5:22 hours
- 19.27 litres (Total Excellium @ 1.329 / litre) = £25.61

I managed to get 52.9 MPG according to the computer.

Later I was stuck in Glossop on my route across country, so some fuel was wasted there.

The average for the trip - including the High Peak portion - 48.7 MPG.

So by driving like a lorry driver, staying under the motorway speed limit, I gots lots more miles.

:bannana:

 

[A210AMG]

Sounds good,

My dad did similar in his 2003 E-class the other day (E320cdi Estate) and he got over 50mpg !!!

He's always impressed with the fuel but thats very good for such a big & quick barge.

He was like you not driving like the pope but just steady and easing the power in.

 

[Doodle]

Come on Brian, it's just a fancy excuse to cover up for the fact that the M3 is gone and you're slowly turning into an old man, pottering around in a little diesel, holding everyone else up

 

[chrispy]

I was always told by my transport manager when I was driving artics to go up through the gears as quickly as possible and when approaching a roundabout to never use the gears to slow down, come to a practical stop and the choose the relevant gear to get you going steady without making the lorry struggle.

I've been putting this into practise the last few weeks in my C180 and i'm using a hell of a lot less fuel. I never go over 60 and change gear before hitting 2000/2500 rpm and it's doing the trick for me. Whereas £35 would last me 5 days travelling to and from work i'm now getting possibly an extra 2 days out of it.

 

[Venomous]

Come on Brian, it's just a fancy excuse to cover up for the fact that the M3 is gone and you're slowly turning into an old man, pottering around in a little diesel, holding everyone else up

Did you mean this M3? The one with "issues"...

 

[Doodle]

Well, it's not my fault you chose the wrong one

I'm sure Mrs H will be very pleased at the economy drive though!

 

[Venomous]

I'll put that one down to Matt, as he introduced me to the Independant Motor Company.

Hang on... Didn't you introduce him to them first...

See - your fault by proxy...

 

[xpc316e]

I cannot understand why fuel had to reach its current price for you guys to start driving economically; I have been driving like this for years. If it gets any more expensive I shall start closing my eyes when going downhill for les wind resistance.

 

[PJH]

Well having read an article in the quarterly Mercedes magazine about getting more MPG, I decided to give it a go.

I'd be more impressed if they could get 35 mpg out of my 1993 280E, instead of the usual 27 mpg.

 

[Venomous]

There were two motivators here:

1. Economic - the rising fuel cost has started to eat in to my mileage allowance - hence more miles per gallon = more cash!

2. Stress - my new account means a couple of days in Tankersley / week, one in Camberley, and one in Canary Wharf. For the latter, I drive from Derby to Harpenden and back (and get the train into town).

The new economical way of driving does away with stress, as you see the journey entirely differently. It takes longer, but I enjoy the trip more.

 

[glojo]

No one should use gears to slow down**,
Speed down......... then change down. It is quite comical watching dyed in the woll piston heads that always change down through every gear when fectching a car to a stop!

Forward observation, plus anticipation will see an improvement in fuel economy and maybe even shorter times for your usual journey. There is no need to stop at every roudabout, or giveway sign

**There is nothing wrong with being in the correct gear when going down a hill and using the engine to maintain a safe speed.

Regards
John

 

[Venomous]

Day Two...

Derby - Tankersley - Derby

102 Miles and 48.9MPG

 

[Dieselman]

Day Two...

Derby - Tankersley - Derby

102 Miles and 48.9MPG

That's a 20% reduction of your normal fuel bill. Has it added 20% onto your travel time?

 

[Venomous]

This is scary - it added 6 minutes.... Work that one out!

 

[Dieselman]

About a 5% difference if the 6 mins is both journeys.

Interesting, it saves 20% of fuel and costs 1/20th in time.

 

[Anil]

After reading this thread yesterday, I decided to try this out today.
If I go the office, its a 45 mile journey, and I typically get around 42mpg driving at around 70mph.
Today I kept the revs under 2000rpm - a steady 60mph, and the car returned 50.6mpg!

 

[Dieselman]

After reading this thread yesterday, I decided to try this out today.
If I go the office, its a 45 mile journey, and I typically get around 42mpg driving at around 70mph.
Today I kept the revs under 2000rpm - a steady 60mph, and the car returned 50.6mpg!

And the time difference given that not all the journey is motorway. I guess approximately 4 mins, tops.

 

[Venomous]

I found that with the auto-box in [C] and Cruise Control set at 60mph. The Rev Counter sits nicely at just under 2000rpm.

A little nudge on the cruise control for a few mph to overtake lorries, and then back down.

Results for Tue / Wed:

- 215 miles
- 19.52 litres (Total Excellium @ £1.339 / litre = £26.14)

The average here was around 48mpg.

 

[Uberwagon]

If you do it smoothly and don't match the revs on the way down then you wont use any more fuel as when you aren't asking for any with the throttle the engine wont use any. This only affects the very early injection models or Carb fed engines.

Dave!

 

[st4]

My E220cdi in action. I saw the article too. There folk with E220's getting 60mpg plus. I can't get this car to 55mpg. I never exceed 60 on mway so just under 2k revs, never work it to 2k+. Whilst its good going if a 320cdi can do the same but offer so mucg more performance I feel a little short changed. C320cdi next time....

My old beast in action, going to the station and back every morning.