Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Tue 16 Aug 2005 10:52

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - Big Bad Dave

After being amused/shocked by Adam?s thread about how much his 600cc 8hp Focus consumed (6 mpg if I remember correctly) I?ve been keeping a beady eye on the trip computer of the 3 litre 406. I loaded it to the supension stops with wife, kids and elderly parents and took it to Gdansk for ten days. A total of 794 miles (100 motorway, 150 city and towns and the rest country lanes) and when I parked it in the garage last night it read 31.4 mpg. Not bad, if you consider that my mother-in-law joined us for a few of our daily excursions and she eats two potatoes more than a pig.

I wasn?t light-footed either, did plenty of full-throttle overtakes on the country lanes. It?s easily the most economical car I?ve ever owned and the reason is simple. I never got caught in traffic and my speed always hovered around the magical 56mph mark, there was enough road for all the cars using it and the cities weren?t gridlocked, choked or hampered by deliberately poorly phased lights and such.

I can?t remember how many times I drove the two miles from Blackhorse Road to Asda in Walthamstow and it taking more than an hour. And a million other similar journeys in the South of England, scraping 16 mpg in a 2 litre car that was capable of double that figure. So here?s a thought for all the pansy-faced environMENTALists. More roads might actually be better for your precious environment. As might higher speeds in appropriate places. Explain to me in what way it betters your cause to have us all stuck in first gear.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 10:57

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - Adam {P}

I say we all buy V6 406's and move to Poland.

BBD as a neighbour - what joy!
--
Adam

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 11:28

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - Big Bad Dave

I hate Poland so much, it kills me to say anything nice about it Ad. But your money goes further, the chicks are hotter and you can plan a 100 mile drive and know to the minute what time you will arrive.

Do you know what else happened in Gdansk? I drove over a rickety pontoon bridge with Mother in Law in the car and ripped the brand new exhaust off right at the front muffler thingy. Tore a bracket off. Had to drag my sorry backside under the car and tie it back on with a wire coat hanger and a mickey mouse toolbox that I won in a cracker or somewhere so that I could limp it (once again) to an exhaust place.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 11:31

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - Adam {P}

Do you ever take these things as a sign?

I would.
--
Adam

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 11:39

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - Big Bad Dave

Yeah

Mother in Law must die

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 15:33

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - barchettaman

Should have got the MIL to wire it up under the car.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 16:36

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - paulvm

Agree about fuel "economy". My drive to work is 33 miles, the 30 miles on dual carriageway at legal speed gives 32mpg, the 3 miles crawling in city traffic gives 14mpg. About 80% of fellow workers live within the 3 miles of work so must only be getting under half the normal mpg for their vehicles. Is it all a plot to extract more money from us in the form of fuel duty?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 16:48

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - daveyjp

My mpg dropped dramtically from around 40mpg to well below 30 mpg a few weeks ago. This was due to a closed outside lane on a three lane carriageway and having to sit in a queue for 10-15 minutes. Left hand lane is left turn only at the roundabout so was virtually empty of traffic (there were the usual drivers who ignored the left turn only and were almost hit on the roundabout), so I found a nice rat run which involved turning left at the roundabout followed by a right in to a housing estate then left back on to the main road after the roundabout - the mpg was soon back to normal!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 16:43

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - SjB {P}

Yeah

Mother in Law must die

Mother in Law must diet? ;-)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 16 Aug 2005 18:32

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - Nickdm

- How can ANYONE hate Poland if your money goes further, the chicks are hotter, and journey times are reliable??!!! Tell us more, BBD. Sounds much better than the UK!

I'm back in Warsaw next month if you want to organise a Poland Backroom meet-up?!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Thu 18 Aug 2005 10:44

Fuel economy (bragging/ranting) - Big Bad Dave

"How can ANYONE hate Poland..."

It?s a love/hate relationship which seems to be stuck in hate at the moment. Mostly non-motoring bureacratic nonsense though.

If you?re serious about meeting up next month Nick, drop me an email, none of this chocolate fudge cake though, I?m only up for serious drinking.

It?s my birthday on the 19th September

Reply | Report as offensive | Link