Fuel Economy

83Excel · Post by **83Excel** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:19

I have not worked it out, but I'm pretty sure that I get about the top end of what you seem to be getting.

I do tend only to use mine for fun and so generally not hanging around but I must admit I did expect more when I did a run to Birmingham and back.

In Dave's posted article from 1983 (the test car incidentally is identical to mine) the testers said that they only averaged 20mpg and lets face it the cars will get less economical with age.

Seen a few for sale on ebay quoting 40mpg on a run - assumed this was just a sales ploy, I can't get much more than that in my 51 plate 2.0 Scenic.

Steve C · Post by **Steve C** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:28

I ONCE got 30 mpg out of mine, when it was young, stuck on a motorway at around 60mph ...

Now? On a run, 25/26 maybe ... shorter trips 22/23 - but not stuck in crawling traffic for long.

My car is set pretty weak on idle so that may help.

camyug · Post by **camyug** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 18:15

83Excel wrote: Seen a few for sale on ebay quoting 40mpg on a run - assumed this was just a sales ploy,

A sales ploy? That's taking the peepee!

dpr59 · Post by **dpr59** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 19:16

Mines an auto....

so...

25-26 on a run
20-22 round town

18 when playful

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 21:11

high performance carburettor engines tend to have pretty low fuel economy and the excel is pretty much bears this old adage out perfectly they average the low to mid 20s and unless you drive like a nun your'l never see 30mpg

amarshall · Post by **amarshall** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 21:28

I remember the day that I realised I'd actually got 25mpg out of my Westfield - 1700cc X-Flow with twin Weber 45s on it and Kent 234 cam - 25mpg was a 25% improvement over the previous best figure !

(must get it back on the road soon)

texas2201 · Post by **texas2201** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 20:00

ON a run I have managed 34 mpg

Martin

Rob-C · Post by **Rob-C** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 21:05

25 mpg is typical for me too.

I put a lot of the poor economy down to the big accelerator pumps over-feeding the engine in stop-start driving; often when I've been stuck in a queue the engine stutters and hesitates when we get moving again.

A hard blast of revs in neutral cures it, so I'm sure this is due to excessive fuel building up in the intakes.

dpr59 · Post by **dpr59** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 09:33

Checked her properly last night on a run from M/Boro to York and back.

Mixed road conditions. A19 dual/single carrage way and a bit on the York ring road.

On the open bits held 3500-4000 most of the time.

98 miles and 25 mpg.

Best part, it was on RSC expenses and 18 litres of Optimax paid for

(thats Chemistry not Shakespere by the way)

chrisw2811 · Post by **chrisw2811** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 23:26

.... no wonder my subscription fee's gone up!

dpr59 · Post by **dpr59** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 15:02

Checked the mpg on the run to Donington.

M1, 70mph with cruise on, and Sue in passenger seat (better than a rev limiter).

Bit of traffic on way down but not much.

Returned 28.5mpg. on Optimax.

To get more you'd have to drive in a manner most unbecoming a Lotus.
I've the Pug for that.

amarshall · Post by **amarshall** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 15:42

Steve C wrote: The voice activated speed limiter cuts in aggressively at 90 ... just as the car feels like it's getting into its stride!

It's defective - mine goes to sleep at that point

83Excel · Post by **83Excel** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 15:47

I managed to get to Donnington and back (with a few additional miles to restaurants/Hotel etc) on a tank full of Optimax(.... just, sucking fumes at the end I think whilst trying to make the local shell garage).

That makes about 25mpg I think. Mostly at at the legal limit (allowing for speedo error!)

Steve C · Post by **Steve C** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 16:45

Hey, if you only get 25mpg at the legal limit, the extra 20mph is FREE

I had to resort to turning off the sat-nav on the M3, the speed limiter awoke and was querying my claims of needle parallax and inherent speedo innacuracy

Doesn't 40mph feel bloody slow through the SPECs monitored roadworks? - it felt like I could count, name and have a conversation with each stones in the tarmac surface in turn!

83Excel · Post by **83Excel** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 17:04

Sure does - when we were going south on the Sunday someone obviously got the hump because we drove past a smash about 1/2 mile up on the Northbound carriageway.

ie end of roadworks

, footdown,

Oh SH1T

, SMASH

. One closed motorway.