Why worry about MPG

[obi_waynne]

Why are some people so worried about MPG?

The average cost to a motorist for a years fuel is around £2000. Dropping the consumption by a significant margin might even reduce this to £1000 but there are other costs that are bigger.

Take the cars depreciation for example, a lot of cars lose well over £2000 a year. Then there are servicing and running costs on top including tyres and brakes etc...

So although fuel is expensive it's not the main cost of running a car.

Do you think people worry too much about MPG? I heard of a guy that sold a car and bought a new one at £15,000 which did 72mpg just to save money on fuel. It's going to take him about 7 years before he even breaks even on this in my calculations.

 

[MickieH]

If I was worried about mpg, I would not own a 2.5ltr V6

In my eyes, it's the price you pay for performance.

They can keep their hybrid, my car turns off at traffic lights, nasty horrible looking things, I'm happy with what I've got.

 

[Big Fat Fatty]

I've never even bothered calculating the MPG of any of my cars, putting fuel in it is just a part of motoring, you fill it up or there abouts and when that's gone you put some more in, no matter what it costs we still need to get around for work and stuff so it's never really bothered me at all and I do wonder why people get so worked up about what they get from their cars. I do about 250-300 miles a week, not a lot by other peoples standards, I guess if you much more than that then MPG would matter a lot more.

 

[Yugguy]

When I did 60 miles a day I chose a diesel deliberately for the fuel costs. And the fact I could remap it cheaply for big gains.

If I'm still at the same work place in a few years when I change car, I'll not be woirrying about mpg as I only do 100 miles a week.

 

[HDi fun]

If I was worried about mpg, I would not own a 2.5ltr V6

In my eyes, it's the price you pay for performance.

They can keep their hybrid, my car turns off at traffic lights, nasty horrible looking things, I'm happy with what I've got.

Other costs (new car depreciation, especially) generally dwarf the cost of fuel, especially if you're a low mileage driver.

I own a circa 200bhp large heavy car; 2.8 litre straight six with automatic transmission and it's surprisingly good on fuel (38-39mpg is not unrealistic on a run), so the real question is this:-

Is Small Car Fuel Economy A Myth?

 

[Big Fat Fatty]

Is Small Car Fuel Economy A Myth?

Yes (according to me anyway), a car of any size needs an engine capable of pulling it's own weight comfortably, if you have to rev it hard to get it to move it's a waste of time and fuel, but as has been said many times, it's down to the driver and his/her driving style.

 

[T9 man]

Well I have never bothered about MPG, If my car needs it then it goes in! I have however noticed a big difference in fuel consumption while driving around in the 1.3 KA doing much the same kind of mileage for work and pleasure compared to my modified Saab.

 

[HDi fun]

In 1999 I took a hired 1.2 Fiat Punto from Thame to Bristol and back, mostly all motorway and with no traffic hold-ups. No silly speeds, 70 ish all the way. Guess what 26mpg. Not good.

 

[stamford]

Agree, if buying a particular car to obtain optimum mpg but the payback time is measured in light years, plain daft. However if being sensible and buying a car within a certain budget that delivers what you want when compared to a similar vehicle that uses more fuel then why not. My weekly commute is around 350 miles, so I do take notice of the hole being punched in my fuel budget, therefore mpg is important. All well and good if your annual salary increases cover this..................on reflection they never do!

Like HDi fun has said I have encountered the so called small car myth that should be good on fuel..................you spend more time through the gears and on the gas pedal to make it work therefore = false economy.

If my fuel budget is getting low before the end of the month I either back off the revs and drive like grandad or borrow the wife's MGF and get higher MPG, the Landy stays up the drive and only used for the dogs and tip runs! No way will I buy a car just to get high mpg and a boring ride and spends several £s to get it. My biggest problem is I need a car for the family and dogs and commuting but also like my track days, not many choices for me then!

 

[MickieH]

Yes (according to me anyway), a car of any size needs an engine capable of pulling it's own weight comfortably, if you have to rev it hard to get it to move it's a waste of time and fuel, but as has been said many times, it's down to the driver and his/her driving style.

My work car is a 1.1 Auto Fiesta and if you drive it carefully, the petrol lasts forever, but like you say, as soon as I have to gas it for overtaking, etc., or higher speed driving on the motorway, it's crap.

Remember the old 1.3ltr Capri's?

Talk about power to weight ratio.

 

[HDi fun]

MPG really doesn't matter. Overall operating cost is what we need to look at.

 

[HDi fun]

My work car is a 1.1 Auto Fiesta and if you drive it carefully, the petrol lasts forever, but like you say, as soon as I have to gas it for overtaking, etc., or higher speed driving on the motorway, it's crap.

Remember the old 1.3ltr Capri's?

Talk about power to weight ratio.

There were 1.3 Sierras, and even 1.3 Montegos.

 

[MickieH]

There were 1.3 Sierras, and even 1.3 Montegos.

I had a 1.6 Montego years ago, it used to rattle and shake like it had been put together by airfix

 

[thexav]

I dread to think what the power to weight ratio was on a 1.3 Sierra - 40bhp per ton?

MPG is the only thing a driver can do something about with his driving style so this is probably why people focus on it so much.

 

[HDi fun]

I had a 1.6 Montego years ago, it used to rattle and shake like it had been put together by airfix

I had two Montegos, back to back. Both had issues, interior rattles mainly. The EFi 2.0 (1986 model year) one was pretty lively in fairness. The second was a 1.6L, 1989 (G786 RSN) and it didn't even have PAS.

Neither was a great car but they both did the job required of them.

 

[MickieH]

I had two Montegos, back to back. Both had issues, interior rattles mainly. The EFi 2.0 (1986 model year) one was pretty lively in fairness. The second was a 1.6L, 1989 (G786 RSN) and it didn't even have PAS.

Neither was a great car but they both did the job required of them.

Nothing ever went wrong with mine either, the only thing I had to do was some minor bodywork, around the rear wheel arch where it met the sill, and one of the front wings. Pretty common areas for those cars.

 

[HDi fun]

Nothing ever went wrong with mine either, the only thing I had to do was some minor bodywork, around the rear wheel arch where it met the sill, and one of the front wings. Pretty common areas for those cars.

But would we ever choose 'em again? I wouldn't. The single SU carb fed 1.6 was a bitch of a car.

 

[MickieH]

But would we ever choose 'em again? I wouldn't. The single SU carb fed 1.6 was a bitch of a car.

errrm

No.

Plus the fact any that are left of them are probably riper than two week old bananas now too doesn't help.

There is something to be said for the older pre ECU cars though.

I can still remember fitting an 'electronic ignition' to an old Mini Clubman.

There was more room and they were easier to work on.

These new cars with CAN-BUS systems, christ, and everything covered up.

 

[HDi fun]

errrm

No.

Plus the fact any that are left of them are probably riper than two week old bananas now too doesn't help.

There is something to be said for the older pre ECU cars though.

I can still remember fitting an 'electronic ignition' to an old Mini Clubman.

There was more room and they were easier to work on.

These new cars with CAN-BUS systems, christ, and everything covered up.

I fitted electronic ignition to a Fiat 127 in 1988. It was a pretty durable car. I cleared a 2100 mile round trip during just 3 days in that Fiat (Early March 1990) without incident. That was an achievement. But i'd expect a new car to do such a trip equally as well.

things move on - progress is a good thing.

 

[MickieH]

I fitted electronic ignition to a Fiat 127 in 1988. It was a pretty durable car. I cleared a 2100 mile round trip during just 3 days in that Fiat (Early March 1990) without incident. That was an achievement. But i'd expect a new car to do such a trip equally as well.

things move on - progress is a good thing.

Oh yeah, progress is a good thing, that's how we learn.

Where on Earth were you off to in the Fiat? 2100 miles!

 

[HDi fun]

Oh yeah, progress is a good thing, that's how we learn.

Where on Earth were you off to in the Fiat? 2100 miles!

London to Land's End to John O'Groats - Across the Northern coast of Northern Scotland, to Kyle Of Tongue, A836 through the highlands and heading southwards.

The true point to point to point trip for the sake of it - I have superb photographic records, mostly slides

 

[MickieH]

London to Land's End to John O'Groats - Across the Northern coast of Northern Scotland, to Kyle Of Tongue, A836 through the highlands and heading southwards.

The true point to point to point trip for the sake of it - I have superb photographic records, mostly slides

That's some serious travelling.

Pics are always good

What kind of MPG did you get out of it with the electronic ignition then?

Did you notice much of an impovement?

 

[HDi fun]

That's some serious travelling.

Pics are always good

What kind of MPG did you get out of it with the electronic ignition then?

Did you notice much of an impovement?

About 44mpg across the whole trip. Not at all bad for that era. I doubt that the sparkrite 2000 module had much to do by way of contribution to fuel usage.

But it was one hell of a trip nonetheless.

 

[Yugguy]

Working on cars was a lot easier back then, the cars might have been pants but you could fix ANYTHING on them.

The thing with mpg is that its something you can control, you can't do that much about servicing or insurance but you can directly lower your fuel bills.

 

[HDi fun]

Montego's weren't pre electronics. The carb fed ones were plastered in stepper motors and other such devices which were under electronic control, although in those days this all happened in the analogue domain. In fairness there were better cars of the time than the Montego, probably just about everything else on the market tbh

And I did need to 'fix' it all the time. I have never had so much as a warning light in injector fed cars.

 

[SLEEPER]

I dont have any complaint with low mpg and having to use 99 petrol - its the natural trade off for having a high power engine is a big awd car .

The higher cost does however mean that I dont drive it as often as I would like to.

Its also why I have a civic as a daily drive