[clartsonly]

I have only ever managed to once get over 30 miles per gallon.

I am wondering if there is anything I can do (tuning wise) to improve it.

I get 25 mpg for normal journeys and 29 for long journeys. I have an SE automatic.

kias documentation believe it is possible to get 41 mpg for my car or is that the newer engine if there is one?

 

[eco]

Hi I drive a manual and get about 31/32 mpg. I do do some things over the service schedule though - Clean the rubber gasket round the bonnet scoop to the intercooler for a good seal, every few thousand miles clean out the air box (the air filters on a 20,000 mile interval) and lastly I DO floor it because labouring diesels is worse than thrashing. You get the same mpg at 85mph as you do at 65mph on the motorway in my experience but with no black smoke.....Cruise control might help or you could try the excellent " Forte" diesel products (ebays cheapest) which even my dealers now selling at 20 quid a pop with a service, lastly this might sound stupid but shes allways clean and polished which might make her more slippery - but I do doubt it !

 

[tonyd]

I've got a 2004 manual CDRi, and generally get 28-32 depending on how much city driving I do. My worst is 25MPG, obtained just going back & forward to work through heavy traffic. My best is 48 MPG (yes 48) on a 300 mile trip from Edinburgh to Birmingham,which apart from the first 30 miles or so on an A road is all motorway, doing a steady 60. This was with just myself in the car and no luggage. The car is standard - no mods. Aircon was off as this was done in cool weather. Incidentally, anyone got any idea how much air con affects consumption ?

 

[clartsonly]

I have been reliably informed by someone who knows maths / physics quite well that going 85/90mph will be a huge difference from going 55-60mph in air resistance. he did try to explain it to me.. but you know how it is (something about 1.4*per square meter)

BTW how did you measure your fuel consumption? by filling to the very top of the pipe and reseting the miles - then filling to the very top of the pipe after the journey? then dividing the litres used by 4.54609 then dividing the miles ? are you sure you didn't use 5.4 that is the mistake I made.

 

[tonyd]

I filled up to the neck of the filler at the start of the trip, then again at the end. In fact, it wasn't until about a couple of days and some other driving that I filled up and did the calculations. I divide the litres by 4.54. I'm sure the calcs are correct - it was very noticeable on the trip how slowly the needle was moving, and at the end of the trip how full the tank still was. I fact I wondered if the fuel gauge was OK, it seemed to stay on Full for ages.

 

[sobsong]

Hi all - insn't this partly about how heavy your right foot is ? I have a 2004 CRDi auto (LS). I have a few figures that people might be interested in. When I first got the car I did a round trip from Chesterfield to Poole (can't recall the miles), and did some urban driving whilst I was there. All in all the combined MPG was 35, some of this time was spent at 85 on the motorway, mostly at 70 though.

I did a trip to France towing a fully laden caravan and 4 adults, got 19.5 MPG and was fairly pleased.

I have now fitted a tuning box (ebay £65.00 + postage) and have just done a round trip of 320 miles, mostly motorway at 70 - 75 and sometimes 85 when I got bored. Result 40 mpg minimum and the box has smothed out the ride and gear changes a little.

 

[clartsonly]

wow £65 for a tuning box.. I want one of them... do you have any further details regarding seller ?

with the note of the needle not moving I think you can over fill the tank by about 6 litres which is why the needle doesn't move for about 45 miles.

 

[tonyd]

I've just done an interesting trip in my 2004 CRDi manual - from Birmingham to Norfolk towing a 1200KG caravan, car FULLY loaded with kids, bike rack fitted, etc mostly at 60-65, about 40 miles on the motorway then the rest on A roads, air con in use most of the time, then much driving around country lanes in Norfolk, about 370 miles in total 180 of these with the caravan attached, got 35mpg. This is not bad at all I think. I think it makes a big difference exactly how steady you maintain your speed - if you are constantly acceleerating from 55 back up to 60 for example this is much worse than maintaining a steady 60.

 

[clartsonly]

can I ask what revs a manual does at 60? in an auto it is 2000 rpm = 60-65... which is where I feel the prime cruising is.