Strange topic I know, but 7 months ago I bought a Mazda 626 2.0 SE petrol 134bhp (manual) with 96k on the clock. I drive in a 'spirited' fashion when road conditions allow, have no qualms about overtaking queues of slower traffic on A roads when safe to do so, and cruise on motorways at 85mph.
I do a limited amount of urban driving, and I am sure my reading of the road ahead, with subsequent lack of heavy braking helps, but I still manage to average 37mpg week in, week out, even with climate control permanently switched on and a fully loaded 6 disc CD player playing loudly.
Is there anyone else out there whose fuel consumption has exceeded expectations...all I have read about to date are BRs whose consumption has been disappointing.
The car runs exclusively on Shell (I dont think this makes a difference, but its cleaning qualities were recommended) and has new Michelin Energy tyres fitted.
|
You sound almost disappointed...:-)
|
|
|
(as I've mentioned before) my 200hp Rover 620Ti averaged 36mpg over 35,000 miles in 1996 in the UK, driven it seems much as you drive. I think it is about reading the road, anticipation and limited urban use.
It dropped down to 18mpg when driven flat out in Germany at up to 150 mph, though. Tsk. (That is a whole tank in 2 hours).
Edited by Billy Whizz on 15/04/2008 at 00:26
|
How do you measure the amount of fuel used? It could be that your calculation is erroneous. To do it properly you need to record the fuel used over a reasonably long period of, say, a month to minimise inaccuracies.
|
What's the official "Combined" consumption. I consistently beat it with my 2.0 Focus.
|
|
|
|
It is possible to get good fuel consumption when
1. Tyres are overinflated. Slight over inflation (0.5psi) is probably not too much of an issue
2. using energy efficient tyres
3. Top gear is low geared and you do alot of motorway driving.
4. Lights are Off.
5. Gentle acceleration at low speeds.
My Mondeo 1.8 is rated at 37.5 mpg on combined cycle, I get 37 in Winter and
39 in Summer on fast A roads and quiet B roads.
In your case probably I suspect the tyres are giving some improvement.
|
|
|
I have Mazda Xedos - a close relation of the 626 but MPG wise even on a longish run (300mls) I get 32MPG maximum and that is keeping to 70mph limit.
This is over 9 years experience from an almost new car when I bought it
I feel arithmetic and or not brim to brim might account for high MPG.
|
|
Over three years my Accord Type-S (2.4, 190bhp) has varied between 31 and 37mpg with an average of 33.93 - not bad considering the way I drive it (I shall say no more....)
|
|
Because your on-board computer is over-reading? I think mine is.
|
|
|
|
I have one of the rare Mazda 626 diesels. It will do 50-60 mpg depending on the roads and my mood. That's > 600 miles between fill ups which suits me. The car has never let me down and is now at 152k miles. The only problem is the expensive cam belt change every 54k miles and the a/c that has stopped working. I'm thinking of getting that fixed although it could be expensive.
I've been looking for something newer but it's difficult to find anything that has the same quality of engineering. Maybe one of the Subaru Legacy diesels although I've read one report where the fuel economy was significantly below the claimed figures.
I wish they made cars like the Mazda nowadays.
|
|
I had a Cavalier 2.0 which averaged 43.5 over the 60k that I drove it for. My best was a trip to Scotland from London when I got 585 miles on a tank (45mpg). My average dropped to 37 when I got a Primera 2.0 then again to 34 on an Audi A4 1.8. Exactly the same driving conditions. Progress?
|
|
|
>I wish they made cars like the Mazda nowadays.
I think Mazda wish this too (see the other Mazda threads about piston knock and self-destructing turbo diesels elsewhere on here).
|
|
Yes - all the bad stories about the newer Mazdas have put me right off the idea of buying one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
My 1993 626 2.0i regularly gets 38-40+ mpg over the 4 yrs and 80k I've had it, and thats daily mixed driving (cold engine on motorway, town, country roads and hills). 360 miles from a full fill from empty (41-42litres) is typical. I once got 400 miles from a tankful. I dont do anything special, and its running on a mix of random second hand tyres and whatever brand of petrol is nearest. Worst I ever got was 31mpg driving round London when it was badly misfiring (HT leads gone) and running on 3 cylinders.
|
|
|
