Just got back from a trip to Aberdeen from Norfolk in the trusty 200 Tdi. All the way up on one tankful at 75 mph, that's 510 miles. Average 34 mpg. On the way back I kept it to 55 on A roads and 60 on dual carriageways but we did a lot of town work in Edinburgh. The average was 35.8 mpg. I'm well chuffed with that seeing as she's 15 years old and has 230k on the clock!
TonyB
A chap I know has a 300TDi Discovery, he reckons he gets 40MPG out of it without really trying, despite me insisting he's wrong. I don't see how he can manage that, especially since my Defender 300TDi seems to average below 30MPG.
Is there a difference in diff ratios, or transfer box gearing between the Disco and Defender? Or maybe tyre treads?
Is his speedo in Kms?
BIG difference in aerodynamics though, even though the frontal areas are similar the disco cuts a much cleaner line through the air, especially at speed. Badger.
Unless I am mistaken the Discovery is higher geared, and the aerodynamics are different. But the major effect on mileage is driving technique plus things like tyre type and pressure. JD
The transfer box gearing is quite a lot different, 5th on the Defender is similar to 4th on the Disco.
Martin
Nope, checked that. My defender has a Fearns intercooler upgrade, but I wouldn't have thought it makes much difference, and I have a light right foot. My defender also has a rag top although with all the recovery gear I have in the back (or had) I'd have thought any weight advantage over a normal defender is lost.
OK, but the disco weighs more than my Defender, and while it has higher gearing and marginally better aerodynamics, an extra 10MPG is hard to credit.
Aha. I've got Pirelli Scorpions on the front at 28 psi. I was driving gently and not accelerating hard either. We were two up, with only a little luggage. The fuel pump is turned up front standard settings but not so much that it smokes on acceleration. The engine is old and very well worn in so internal resistance may be lower. Just in case my maths isn't up to much the exact figure was 537 miles on 68 litres, the mileage was confirmed by gps, being within a couple of miles on the odometer.
TonyB
Yep - your maths looks correct to me - 35.85 mpg. Incidentally I'd try running the front tyres at at least 32 psi - it'll probably handle significantly better.
TonyB:
Your lucky. My petrol 96 Disco with a Detroit locker in the rear and a Detroit Tru-trac in the front does 10.5 MPG City and 11.5 - 12.0 MPG highway along with an OME heavy duty suspension given a mild lift.
Jack
Since having my intercooler upgraded by allisport I have never been able to get more than 27 mpg out of my 300tdi disco it averages around 24 round town, goes well though. The 110 300tdi is averaging 27 mpg round town even with a full bed stead type roofrack :-)
Icky
US gallons though i suspect?
--
Subaru WRX Range Rover 4.6 HSE (The Tank!)
We might be going on a summer holiday, the Greece Ball rally!!!!
On or around Wed, 24 May 2006 18:45:08 +0100, "TonyB" enlightened us thusly:
not bad going. I doubt you can get much better without doing serious "economy marathon" techniques.
On or around Wed, 24 May 2006 19:18:50 +0100, DavidM enlightened us thusly:
I doubt it's genuine. he might be a very careful drive and coast down every hill and so forth, but I don't reckon you'd get 40 mpg otherwise.
I keep accurate records over more than a thousand miles to get fuel figures, and I've never yet seen anything like that from the 300 TDi disco.
It does partly depend on use: if you did only longish journeys on flattish roads at 50 mph, you might get 40 mpg.
The only way to get accurate fuel figures is to start with a full tank, drive, then fill the tank again and work out the economy based on the miles covered. You can and should for better accuracy extend this by keeping note of all fuel put in and then finishing up with a full tank, this will reduce below a statistical level the errors in tank fullness which are inevitable. currently I'm doing this for the latest minibus, so far I've covered 1462 miles on 48.43 gallons, for an average mpg of 30.2; although the figure is still fluctuating a bit as the mileage isn't really long enough - all I can honestly say at the moment is that it's doing something between about 30 and
If anyone wants a copy of the spreadsheet I use to channel all the vehicle running costs down into a single "pence per mile" figure, let me know. It covers everything that gets used up per mile, including service items, tyres, fuel, etc. Doesn't cover standing costs, viz. the things you have to pay even if you never drive it but have it available for use, e.g. insurance, tax, MOT.
On or around Thu, 25 May 2006 06:14:48 +1000, JD enlightened us thusly:
The discovery is indeed higher geared and a bit better on aerodynamics. But running the one here on smooth-ish tyres and running 36 psi in the fronts which then wear nicely, i.e. not too soft, it still doesn't average anywhere near 40. I'd reckon you might get 40 by driving steadily and carefully on a run in flattish terrain, but not otherwise.
On or around Wed, 24 May 2006 22:34:05 +0100, "TonyB" enlightened us thusly:
If your front tyres wear on the edges, then you can put more air in 'em. Running 235/70R16 GT+4's here at the moment, and they look quite nice at 36 psi. 28 makes 'em definitely look soft.
Aerodynamics - it's as simple as that!
Richard
No, and I don't want to get silly about it. I will try your suggestion of running the fronts at a higher pressure although they are wearing evenly so far. A lighter wheel is always a nice feature! The Pirellis are significantly harder than the Hankooks though and seem to slide a little more easily in the wet. I don't want to exaggerate that trend! The Hankooks didn't last as long as it looks like the Pirellis will do, but to be fair to them the Hankooks were running on somewhat shot shockers.
TonyB
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