Well 800 Miles In 5 Days And....

[Guest BagPuss]

Well,

 

We've just returned from Manchester after seeing the WWE Smackdown Wrestling.

Our son Konnor is mad on it so we had to take him didn't we. :D

 

Galaxy went well, went like a dream in fact. :D

Konnor had loads of fun in the back playing WWE Smackdown 2007, 'B' was watching DVD's in the front and I had the Radio or CD on.....Oh Emileigh was a sleep......for a change...unlike on the way home! :D

 

We did Lowestoft to Manchester in 6hrs with one stop.

So 270 miles there.

 

On the way back we filled up just outside of Birmingham I think :D

Well trip counter said 393 miles and after entering the details into my Fuel Comsumption Program it said my average was 30.4MPG

 

I'd expect that sort of MPG around town not on a run? :D

 

I honestly thought on a run I'd get at least 35MPG. :o

 

But over the last 7 or 8 fill ups I've noticed it go down from the highest of 31.4 to 29.5?

I don't drive it any different though. :D

 

On Friday we drove down to Basildon so that was a 240 mile roundtrip and still averaged 30MPG.

 

Hmmmm

 

Is this normal on a 2ltr?

I'm sure some are getting 35MPG normally

 

and please no more should've bought a TDi as i've heard them all before.

 

Thanks

[Andrew T]

For a 2.3 I reckon 34/35 at around 70 dropping to 30/31 at around 80. Head and and tail winds make a difference with the galaxies big frontal area though.

[katman]

We did Lowestoft to Manchester in 6hrs with one stop.

So 270 miles there.

 

On the way back we filled up just outside of Birmingham I think :D

Well trip counter said 393 miles and after entering the details into my Fuel Comsumption Program it said my average was 30.4MPG

 

I'd expect that sort of MPG around town not on a run? :D

 

On Friday we drove down to Basildon so that was a 240 mile roundtrip and still averaged 30MPG.

 

 

Is this normal on a 2ltr?

 

Hi Bagpuss,

 

I have been using my spreadsheet since July and round town in Great Yarmouth I get as low as 21/22 mpg :D

 

In August we went on holiday to Filey and had a day trip to Leeds as well so lots of long runs. MPG improved to 27/28 for the tankfulls we used on that holiday.

 

A couple of weeks ago I looked in the handbook and realised my tyres were under pressure so pumped them back up to correct values and MPG has improved.

 

Round town we are now getting 23/24 and at half term we popped off to Blackpool of a few day so similar trip to yours. This time we got 29/30 per tankful.

 

My spreadsheet calculates a running average over the last 10 tankfuls to help minimise blips and current average is 25.45

 

Best has been 25.89 and worst 24.40 so your consumption is very similar to mine.

 

It really hurts to look at the figures because I used to use the same spreadsheet for my old Pug 309 GLD that used to transport me daily between Great Yarmouth and Martlesham and with that I was used to seeing about 49/50 in winter and 53/54 in summer.

 

Regards

 

Keith

[Guest BagPuss]

Hey Keith,

 

Damn looks like I ain't gonna get anymore then hey? :D

My Lowest has been 26.5MPG to a high of 32.4MPG

 

Been using both the spreadsheet and Program on my Nokia 9500 since we bought the Galaxy back in March.

 

On the Nokia it says:-

 

Total Distance = 7649 Miles

Total Fuel = 1144.63 Ltrs

Total Cost =

[adrianf.]

Dont forget you must have 1/2 tonne of extra kit which you have fitted :D :D :D

[gregers]

SHOULDVE BOUGHT A TDI :D all joking apart my old gal was a 2ltr petrol and my fuel consumption was terrible think it averaged 25 mpg .

[Guest HairyPlateEater]

I'd say that was about right for the 2.0 BP.

 

My 2.3 gives very similar figures to Andrew T, so I'd expect slightly lower mpg for a slightly smaller engine at higher speeds. Still makes you sick though doesn't it!

[Vanbursta]

15 - 17 mpg round town and 25 -27 mpg on a run, but mines a V6 2.8, I guess if you want luxury motoring then you have to pay for it!

[seatkid]

I'm not one for endorsing fuel brands, in fact, in the past I have ridiculed claims of better mpg etc with great gusto. However, a few weeks ago after struggling to get an average of ~43 mpg in my Fabia 1.2, I decided to switch from using the normal Sainsbury/Tesco stuff to Shell petrol (but not v-power or optimax mind!) for a try.

 

I know that psychology can be a powerful influence and so I have to dismiss some of what I think I observe, but .....I do think I might getting as much as a 5 - 10% improvement in mpg. :D Theres no significant difference in performance or "drivability" or "smoothness" that I can detect, so I am still sceptical whether this is just an illusion brought about by a change in driving style and an unconscious wish to succeed.

 

When I switched back to Sainsbury for a half a tank, I seemed to get lower mpg almost straight away.

 

As Shell petrol is the same price as Sainsbury/Tesco (but without "points" worth about 25p), I will continue to mull this "phenomenon" over, to decide if it is "real" or not.

[Guest BagPuss]

Cheers all,

 

Look like I'm gonna have to concede to 30MPG, although still got that Throttle Postioner Sensor to look at still as its still saying 0%.

 

I did wonder about the type of fuel, like SeatKid said, I too am using Tesco's, mainly because its cheaper and we get the Club Card Points.

 

I know it isn't much but it all adds up in the end and its paid for lots of things for us as a family, I mean it just paid

[JohnR]

Cheers all,

 

Look like I'm gonna have to concede to 30MPG, although still got that Throttle Postioner Sensor to look at still as its still saying 0%.

 

 

Could always consider an engine swap :D

 

I clocked over 50 mpg on a 60 mile motorway trip the other week! (TDi 115)

 

:D

[buford_t_justice]

Shell "V Power" fuel and the likes would be wasted in the 2.0 and 2.3 petrol engines. Your starting point for getting anything out of this higher octane fuel is an engine which is already tuned up. Scooby, Focus ST, etc.....

 

I'm not one for endorsing fuel brands, in fact, in the past I have ridiculed claims of better mpg etc with great gusto. However, a few weeks ago after struggling to get an average of ~43 mpg in my Fabia 1.2, I decided to switch from using the normal Sainsbury/Tesco stuff to Shell petrol (but not v-power or optimax mind!) for a try.

 

I know that psychology can be a powerful influence and so I have to dismiss some of what I think I observe, but .....I do think I might getting as much as a 5 - 10% improvement in mpg. :D Theres no significant difference in performance or "drivability" or "smoothness" that I can detect, so I am still sceptical whether this is just an illusion brought about by a change in driving style and an unconscious wish to succeed.

 

When I switched back to Sainsbury for a half a tank, I seemed to get lower mpg almost straight away.

 

As Shell petrol is the same price as Sainsbury/Tesco (but without "points" worth about 25p), I will continue to mull this "phenomenon" over, to decide if it is "real" or not.

 

 

Don't worry about endorsing certain fuel brands because it's already a fact that supermarket fuels are crap compared to the major brands. Who cares about Clubcard points???? Spend

[MadBaz]

Since I got my galaxy in June this year it's religously averaged 25mpg (400miles to a tank). I don't have a heavy right foot, but we do have a few hills round here, my motoring consists of about 2/3 urban-1/3motorway. I have noticed on the motorway that if I push her to over 3500 rpm/68mph, the needle goes into freefall.

[katman]

Damn looks like I ain't gonna get anymore then hey? :D

My Lowest has been 26.5MPG to a high of 32.4MPG

 

I would guess not :D

 

Many moons ago I had a Mk2 Transit with a 1600 engine. That got similar MPG to what I get in the Galaxy.

IIRC the 2.0 Transit used to get better fuel economy than the 1.6 presumably becasue the engine was more powerful and you didnt have to change gear as often. At the time Diesel Transits were few and far between.

 

Seatkids comment about the fuel could well be valid, I always used to use Esso in my Tranny and could definately notice a difference in perfomance if I used cheap fuel but that was a vehicle with a normal carb.

 

I think modern engines will run fine on most fuel as they adjust the mixture all the time. You may get more MPG with brand name fuel but it costs quite a lot more so overall does the cost per mile work out any different.

 

My Gal is using Tesco (because of the clubcard points) at the moment but if the queues are too long I go to Asda. Current fuel cost is 15 pence per mile, back in July it was 21 pence per mile.

 

I couldnt use Esso now even if I wanted to, all the garages are shut :o

 

The supermarkets seem to have killed many of the old filling stations and if we get another fuel shortage r even a rumour, I believe it will be far worse than the one a few years ago as there arent the tanks in the ground with supplies :D

[Andrew T]

A few interesting points here.

The Galaxy certainly seems to have a point where the fuel consumption suddenly plummets in exchange for an extra couple of MPH but I don't think it's a set figure unless you're in still air, it moves depending on head tail winds. A couple of examples; coming back from Cornwall at half term with a following wind I got 34MPG whilst doing 80 most of the time (and quite well loaded too). Coming down the M6 from the Borders yesterday evening into a strong headwind I was getting 26MPG but only doing 70 with only me in the car. Having the fuel computer is a big a help here though.

There is an element of technique you can use that gives an extra MPG or two, of building up a bit speed of extra speed on the down hills on lifting off a bit uphill, although it would be antisocial if the Motorway is busy. Also on the big Motorway climbs e.g. Milnrow to the summit on the M62 or Tebay to Shap on the M6 drop into 4th and slow down to 55/60 for a few minutes while you climb, you'll use a much smaller throttle opening and use a lot less fuel and it will put no more than five minutes on the journey time. Worst thing to do is use the cruise control in hilly country because it simply nails the throttle to the floor to maintain the set speed.

 

Fuel type and quality; Hijacker, If you've got some evidence about the relative quality of supermarket versus branded fuels how about posting it on a new thread?

I keep detailed records for both our cars and generally use Sainsburys and occasionally BP. If anything I get slightly better consumption on Sainsburys but only by 1-2%. However a few weeks ago I accidentally put a tank full of BP Ultimate in the Galaxy (at a healthy 5p/litre extra) and yes, I did notice a consumption improvement of about 4%, which would mean that it had at least paid for itself. Looking on the BP website I see they claim an extra 28 miles per tank while helpfully not specifying the size of the tank, my guess would be this means 5-10%. I then tried a tank full in my Honda and found the same improvement, and if it at least pays for itself I do like the Idea of it gently cleaning out the Engine (both our cars have around 140K on them).

I then did a bit of digging on the internet and found almost every car site has a discussion on the quality of Supermarket fuel but without any proper evidence being offered. There was more than one claim that Sainsburys petrol is BP and that Sainsburys super is BP ultimate so that's what I'm going to try next, and at only 2p/liter premium.

 

Here's a thought though, what about the pump calibration? How accurate does a pump have to be? If it was +/- 5% I could have just struck lucky and got an over delivering pump when I bought my BP ultimate!

[MadBaz]

A few interesting points here.

Here's a thought though, what about the pump calibration? How accurate does a pump have to be? If it was +/- 5% I could have just struck lucky and got an over delivering pump when I bought my BP ultimate!

 

 

 

As far as I know, petrol pumps have to be within -/+10 ml on a 10 litre delivery. I don't know how often they have to be checked though.

[seatkid]

5ml max per litre according to legislation or 0.5%. I witnessed a random test at a Tesco garage once and it was as bang on the 10 litre mark as I could tell - IIRC the statutory measuring can was marked down to 1ml increments.

 

Fuel is dispensed by volume so in theory you should get a greater amount "mass" during a very cold winter - although underground tank temperatures wont vary much.

 

I then did a bit of digging on the internet and found almost every car site has a discussion on the quality of Supermarket fuel but without any proper evidence being offered.

A lot of it is unscientific anecdote and fanboyism. Its puzzling why the brand names can't be more specific. Either they know a lot of it is hype, or they don't want to upset the Supermarkets or.....who knows?

There was more than one claim that Sainsburys petrol is BP and that Sainsburys super is BP ultimate so that's what I'm going to try next, and at only 2p/liter premium.

That I doubt very much. All petrol at all stations comes from your local refinery (with the possible exception of Shell Optimax/V-Power which uses a unique process AFAIK). The mysterious "additives" are the only difference. Unless you have a high performance high compression engine with an ECU that recognises fuel grade and adjusts ignition timing (e.g. mainly only "sports" cars ) you are wasting money on "high octane" fuel - your mpg might actually be worse...

[tim-spam]

The only thing that can be added to a tank of fuel that will reliably guarantee being able to go further is a bit more fuel.

[greg_68]

 

Don't worry about endorsing certain fuel brands because it's already a fact that supermarket fuels are crap compared to the major brands. Who cares about Clubcard points???? Spend

[Scorpiorefugee]

Yet another angle on this subject.

 

I do a lot of 400 - 600 mile daily round trips and, since this is easily done in a tankful, I tend to use the same filling stations. I have historically favoured Esso, mainly because 30 odd years ago I had a Cortina GT which would only run properly on 5* Tigers.

 

The strange thing is that, using 2 Esso stations about 15 miles apart, I have found that the fuel from one of these regularly gives up to 5% better economy and has done on a range of vehicles both petrol and diesel.

 

I cannot explain or offer suggestons from this experience but there definitely seems to be quite a variation between fuel from different stations, even those sporting the same brand name. I think that I once read somewhere that service stations sporting different brand names can be supplied from the same depot in the same tankers. This then begs the question "How reliable is the brand name on the front of the filling station"

 

One example of this variation is that I only recently disposed of an old Merc 190 which would always run beautifully on Esso from one Station in Bromsgrove but ran like a lame dog on Esso from my local filling station. where the fuel is about 2p/Litre dearer. My old Grannie always ran beautifully on almost anything.

 

And there I shall leave you to ponder and comment.

 

Ron.

[buford_t_justice]

Fuel type and quality; Hijacker, If you've got some evidence about the relative quality of supermarket versus branded fuels how about posting it on a new thread?

I keep detailed records for both our cars and generally use Sainsburys and occasionally BP. If anything I get slightly better consumption on Sainsburys but only by 1-2%. However a few weeks ago I accidentally put a tank full of BP Ultimate in the Galaxy (at a healthy 5p/litre extra) and yes, I did notice a consumption improvement of about 4%, which would mean that it had at least paid for itself. Looking on the BP website I see they claim an extra 28 miles per tank while helpfully not specifying the size of the tank, my guess would be this means 5-10%. I then tried a tank full in my Honda and found the same improvement, and if it at least pays for itself I do like the Idea of it gently cleaning out the Engine (both our cars have around 140K on them).

 

Over the last 2.5 yrs that I have had my Galaxy I have on occasion had to fill up at the Supermarket stations, usually Tesco and Asda. On each of these occasions, I have without fail seen average of 4-5MPG reduction. Didn't really notice any change in performance or engine noise just outright lower MPG.

 

Bog standard diesel has a minimum cetane of 51. Shell Diesel Extra guarantees a minimum cetane rating of 55 (similar to BP Ultimate) and so the improved MPG will stem from here.

[Andrew T]

I can only agree with you Ron, I've found this at various places over the years, I've even grassed one garage up to trading standards because I was sure they were selling short (they weren't). I'll invest a few bob more in trying BP Ultimate again and seeing if I see the same improvement. I'd try Shell but they don't seem very keen having stations in this area.

[buford_t_justice]

oops. hit the wrong button.

[greg_68]

If you feel there is a difference between 2 fuels/stations a good experiment maybe to get someone else to fill up your car (they don't tell you where from), run it to empty, then fill up at another one.

 

Take the MPG and general driveability and see if it is really a difference or just your perception.

[Guest gooner52]

Well,

 

We've just returned from Manchester after seeing the WWE Smackdown Wrestling.

Our son Konnor is mad on it so we had to take him didn't we. ;)

 

Galaxy went well, went like a dream in fact. :o

Konnor had loads of fun in the back playing WWE Smackdown 2007, 'B' was watching DVD's in the front and I had the Radio or CD on.....Oh Emileigh was a sleep......for a change...unlike on the way home! :D

 

We did Lowestoft to Manchester in 6hrs with one stop.

So 270 miles there.

 

On the way back we filled up just outside of Birmingham I think :o

Well trip counter said 393 miles and after entering the details into my Fuel Comsumption Program it said my average was 30.4MPG

 

I'd expect that sort of MPG around town not on a run? :lol:

 

I honestly thought on a run I'd get at least 35MPG. ;)

 

But over the last 7 or 8 fill ups I've noticed it go down from the highest of 31.4 to 29.5?

I don't drive it any different though. :45:

 

On Friday we drove down to Basildon so that was a 240 mile roundtrip and still averaged 30MPG.

 

Hmmmm

 

Is this normal on a 2ltr?

I'm sure some are getting 35MPG normally

 

and please no more should've bought a TDi as i've heard them all before.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

did you take any pics bp

 

cheers m8