Fuel Consumption

[Excidium78]

Hello. i was curious... i have talked to a few people that had a ML 270 CDI Also a automatic and a lot where saying they do at least 26-28MPG (All the time) I am only doing 20MPG. i know i can have a heavy foot but i do not notice much differance between flooring it the whole time and driving it slowly i am always doing round the 20 MPG. Only on long trips with a constant speed i might do 21... or 22 MPG.

What am i doing wrong ;-) THX.

 

[glojo]

Hello. i was curious... i have talked to a few people that had a ML 270 CDI Also a automatic and a lot where saying they do at least 26-28MPG (All the time) I am only doing 20MPG. i know i can have a heavy foot but i do not notice much differance between flooring it the whole time and driving it slowly i am always doing round the 20 MPG. Only on long trips with a constant speed i might do 21... or 22 MPG.

What am i doing wrong ;-) THX.

I will tactfully say you will get a number of varying answers all of which will simply confuse. Yesterday someone claimed to be averaging 56mpg on a 320CDI. They no doubt believe it, likewise owners of ML 270's will claim brilliant fuel consumption figures, which the likes of myself or you might never experience.

Having said that 20mpg though does seem a bit thirsty.

Good luck,
John

 

[Dieter]

Hi Ben,

Having had an ML270CDi (auto) for just over 3 years, during which I have kept a log of my mileage/fuel purchased etc. (harks back to my old Company car days) my mpg

for 2003 (approx 10,000 miles) was 27.9,
for 2004 (approx 10,000 miles) was 27.5
and for this year (5000 miles) is 27.9.

I spend as much time using cruise control (where safe, of course and especially due to the high GATSO density locally ) but don't tend to do too much suburban driving (i.e. I wouldn't drive to London if you paid me etc.).

Worst figures (in winter locally) were around 22 - 23mpg. Once on a run from Scotland (all M-way @ 70mph) got 37 mpg .

Unless you continually drive in 3rd gear you should easily be able to get more than 20 mpg

Cheers,

 

[PAUL R]

We had the same problem when we first bought our ML,high fuel consumption(early 20's).


So to rectifiey our problem,was,to get the tracking sorted both front and REAR.


The motor was not crabing so the problem was not at first obvious, and there was slight wear on the inside of the tyres front,outside rear , So i put this down to a heavy right foot and throwing it into corners, But the tracking was out.


We got this done and problem solved,now low 30's ,tating around giving it some,(within reason).


The job needs to be done at the stealers though, as the ML needs to be preloaded to set it up right,
We had the settings off a 4 wheel alignment unit and tried to set it up at a mates garage but could not get the results, and it scuffed the tyres even more,because we did not preload the ML (this is what needs to be done),so that was an expensive (i'll do it my self job )
But we then booked it in at the stealers and they did it under preloaded conditions they also checked the condition of the associated rubber componants that control the steering geometery and hay prestoe every thing was oky doky.

This may solve your problem or may be not ,But this is what we did and it worked.

 

[alboogiee]

make sure your car is maintained, if you have not taken your car in for routine service where they change oil, plugs, ect that will take a big bite out of fuel economy. also look at your tires, i know it will be a small impact if any at all, make sure they are properly inflated, if they are over, under that will affect fuel eco too... there are quite a few factors to take into account, may of which might or might not apply to you, best bet would be to take to a mechanic and see if there is something mechanicly wrong if you are experiances lower then average consumption...

Alex

 

[gIzzE]

I had a 2003 ML27cdi and over 10,000 miles I averaged about 22mpg, but most of my driving was out of town for 4 miles, then down the dual carrigeway for 6 miles and through another small town for a mile. So it was a case of stop start driving, then 90mph for a while and back to stop/start again, so didn't really expect any more than that.
I could get it to just over 30mpg if I wanted on a long journey, but as I had spent £35k I wanted to enjoy it!

 

[Excidium78]

Wheel alignment - Yes i understand this but if i have a 26% increase in fuel consumption i think i should feel the car pull a bit ;-)


Maybe it is just me ;-) I had the engine checked out.. Compression is perfect on all 5 cylinders. Not a single injector Leaking.

 

[alboogiee]

Wheel alignment - Yes i understand this but if i have a 26% increase in fuel consumption i think i should feel the car pull a bit ;-)


Maybe it is just me ;-) I had the engine checked out.. Compression is perfect on all 5 cylinders. Not a single injector Leaking.

my professional opinion "you have a hole in your gas tank!"

 

[PAUL R]

You would not feel the pull, if the wheel alignment is out by a few degrees but it would make a drastic effect on your consumption and tyre wear( not as to scuff the inners or outer edges off within a few hundred miles but you would notice it after a couple of thousand though), as it is a four wheel drive and it allways try to drive stright,and like i say you need to get all 4 wheels checked.

 

[Excidium78]

You would not feel the pull, if the wheel alignment is out by a few degrees but it would make a drastic effect on your consumption and tyre wear( not as to scuff the inners or outer edges off within a few hundred miles but you would notice it after a couple of thousand though), as it is a four wheel drive and it allways try to drive stright,and like i say you need to get all 4 wheels checked.

Drove over 20000km and tires are not worn out in a strange way

 

[PAUL R]

Well if you are sure that the tyres are not wearing in a stange way,

The next thing is i would say, is book it in to a dealership, perhaps the one that you purchased it from and see what the emissions are, to see if the engine fuel system needs recalabration.


If it is a second hand ML bought privately ask the former owner what MPG they were getting.And what work has been done on the ML,maybe it may give you some clues as to were the problems are.The engine might be fitted with a superchip which aids performance but guzzels the fuel.

The thing is, has this problem just started, or has it been a heavy user of fuel all the time that you have had the ML.
Because if it has always been a guzzeler from new why have you not taken it back to the dealership and let them sort it out as it may still be in warranty,
like wise if it is a second hand ML and less than 3years old it may still be in warranty.

 

[fatboab]

Hi Ben,

I got a new ML 270CD in March 04 and my average fuel consumption since then is normally around 22 to 23 mpg. This is mostly about town driving.

The best I have ever had was 25.2 mpg which was on a long run to the Isle of Mull and back but this is the one and only time I have managed to get it above 25mpg.

It's going into the stealership next week for its first service so I think I will mention it to them and see what they think.

 

[Excidium78]

Looking forward to what they will say ;-) But i think they will say "it all depends on your right foot"

i know people say they drive fast... but do they drive quick also? i mean i am not shy to pull up a little fast.

 

[PAUL R]

I can get the consumption to 22mpg with a certain style of driving ,but not all the while, something will break, and if you want to keep forking out then thats OK>
You should have brought a ML 55 AMG.paid once and thrash it, you will only bend it not break it.

To get 22mpg from a diesel ML your foot must be planted for quiet a long time,IF you want speed don't expect a high mpg. Like wise if you want mpg do not expect speed. (From the ML range).

Good luck at the stealership.

 

[fatboab]

To get 22mpg from a diesel ML your foot must be planted for

No, if anything I drive a wee bit on the slow side and very rarely rev the engine hard - cos it's so bloomin noisy!

 

[glojo]

and very rarely rev the engine hard - cos it's so bloomin noisy!

Hi Fatboab,
It is rare to hear the 270CDI described as 'so blooming noisy!' What would you compare this noisy engine with?

I consider the older 2.5 Ford or Puegot engines to be very noisy. Does your engine make as much noise?

Thanks for any update,
John

 

[fatboab]

Hi Fatboab,
What would you compare this noisy engine with?
John

Hi Glojo,

I am comparing it with my last car - a BMW 530d tourer. It was much quieter when it was revved and was pretty quick off its mark too

 

[glojo]

Hi Glojo,

I am comparing it with my last car - a BMW 530d tourer. It was much quieter when it was revved and was pretty quick off its mark too

Morning again,
I think I understand what you mean. We thought the 270 was slightly noisier than the 320CDI, (the BMW in-line 6 cylinder engine is excellent) but I would like to think that the 270 was quieter than most other car diesels and hopefully it is not tooooo loud.

Have a nice day,
John

 

[gIzzE]

I think the 270cdi is very noisy too, the ML was really bad and my dads e270cdi, although better, was still not very quiet.
I thought it was a lot noisier than my 320d touring that I had come from and then sold it for a 2.5tdi A4 avant and that was silky smooth in comparison.

The ML280cdi will be a big step in the right direction.

 

[fatboab]

a big step in the right direction.

Would be back to a BMW Diesel!