VW TDI gas mileage

[Tave]

Jetta TDI is slower then the Focus as well

My TDI is getting anywhere from 46-53 mpg highway depending on the net grade of the road. The Focus isn't noticeably faster than the TDI from 60 and likely much less responsive from 20-40 or 30-60 etc... Probably also gotta hunt for the right gear every so often too.

[Raza]

My TDI is getting anywhere from 46-53 mpg highway depending on the net grade of the road.

Damn.

[Soup DeVille]

According to numerous dictionaries a correct definition for the word "gas" which is not slang = any combustible fluid used as a fuel.  If I had said, "gasoline" mileage then that would be incongruous with a diesel "fueled" vehicle.  "Gas" does not exclusively imply "gasoline" as opposed to the word "petrol".  While the term "fuel" is more commonly used to describe the mileage obtained per whatever unit, even NASA occasionally uses the term gas mileage when describing various spacecraft.  Correct definitions for the word "gas" also include verbs as in the example: I really want to "gas" my TDI Beetle from a stop light because it is so slow from a standstill.  The US govt. sponsored website www.fueleconomy.gov uses the terms fuel economy and gas mileage to describe the mileage obtained by all passenger vehicles outside of pure electrics.  The former is used more often but the latter is also used.

Fuel economy is a better term but gas mileage is not inaccurate when describing the miles per gallon consumed of a diesel fueled vehicle.

Go read your "gas" cap.

[AutobahnSHO]

Our Focus gets 40-42mpg highway... Why again are people burdening themselves with diesels?

Cars bigger than a focus getting the same mileage?

[veeman]

Go read your "gas" cap.

As I pulled into the "gas" station and opened up my "gas" cap, it states Ultra low-sulfur diesel fuel only.  Never use gasoline.  Occasionally I get worried looks from the "gas" station attendant for which I state that my car takes diesel.  This is sometimes folllowed up by banter where usually the good "gas" mileage of diesel fueled cars is commented upon.  At this particular "gas" station, they were having a sale on "gas" cans.  I corrected the "gas" attendant indicating that it is really a jerrycan as it can used for both gasoline and diesel fuel for which I got punched.   

[Soup DeVille]

As I pulled into the "gas" station and opened up my "gas" cap, it states Ultra low-sulfur diesel fuel only.  Never use gasoline.  Occasionally I get worried looks from the "gas" station attendant for which I state that my car takes diesel.  This is sometimes folllowed up by banter where usually the good "gas" mileage of diesel fueled cars is commented upon.  At this particular "gas" station, they were having a sale on "gas" cans.  I corrected the "gas" attendant indicating that it is really a jerrycan as it can used for both gasoline and diesel fuel for which I got punched.   

Its not a jerry can either...

[veeman]

Its not a jerry can either...

You're right.  It's more appropriately called a "gas" can despite it being used to carry and transport diesel fuel for those who own such vehicles. 

[Soup DeVille]

You're right.  It's more appropriately called a "gas" can despite it being used to carry and transport diesel fuel for those who own such vehicles. 

Well, it definitely isn't used to carry Jerrys.

[veeman]

My TDI is getting anywhere from 46-53 mpg highway depending on the net grade of the road. The Focus isn't noticeably faster than the TDI from 60 and likely much less responsive from 20-40 or 30-60 etc... Probably also gotta hunt for the right gear every so often too.

I check my fuel economy right before every fill up on my TDI beetle.  In the winter 35-36 mpg.  In the summer usually 39 mpg.  I'm averaging 75 - 80 mph on the highway and the tach is usually stable above "2" at that speed.  I'm usually mashing the gas pedal quite a bit when I drive because the car is slow initially from a stop light/ stop sign.  I'm working on getting a consistently smooth 1st gear to 2nd gear shift.  If I'm not uber concentrating, it's jerky.

Same exact engine as your Jetta so you're getting way more mileage than me for identical weight car.  My car doesn't "look" that non aerodynamic though but the domed roof must be taking some toll.  You must be much more judicious with mashing the gas pedal than me. 

I guess I'll need a new turbo sooner than you from mechanical failure.   

[Tave]

I check my fuel economy right before every fill up on my TDI beetle.  In the winter 35-36 mpg.  In the summer usually 39 mpg.  I'm averaging 75 - 80 mph on the highway and the tach is usually stable above "2" at that speed.  I'm usually mashing the gas pedal quite a bit when I drive because the car is slow initially from a stop light/ stop sign.  I'm working on getting a consistently smooth 1st gear to 2nd gear shift.  If I'm not uber concentrating, it's jerky.

Same exact engine as your Jetta so you're getting way more mileage than me for identical weight car.  My car doesn't "look" that non aerodynamic though but the domed roof must be taking some toll.  You must be much more judicious with mashing the gas pedal than me. 

I guess I'll need a new turbo sooner than you from mechanical failure.

Do you have the multifunction trigger on your wiper stalk? It tracks your daily mileage (will reset after 2 hours of inactivity) and your global mileage over the last ~20 tanks (the lesser of the last 9999 miles driven or last 9999 hours).

That 46-53 mpg figure is what the readout is telling me @ 75-80mph with the car in cruise control. When I take control of the pedal it drops down to about 40-43 mpg.

Yeah I tend to wring out 1st as it's a little slow of the line. You can hit the 800rpm cutoff in 2nd even if you're still moving forward if you aren't careful.

[MX793]

What is this 800 rpm cutoff?

[Tave]

What is this 800 rpm cutoff?

The engine just shuts off if you fall below the cutoff. It doesn't matter if the car is still moving forward and you would otherwise be able to lug along, when it hits the magic number the system shuts itself down. Makes it very easy to stall the car.

[Cookie Monster]

The engine just shuts off if you fall below the cutoff. It doesn't matter if the car is still moving forward and you would otherwise be able to lug along, when it hits the magic number the system shuts itself down. Makes it very easy to stall the car.

Is there any way to disable it?

[AutobahnSHO]

cruise control will help mpgeez  like 2-5mpg sometimes

[Tave]

Is there any way to disable it?

Not sure. I know you can disable the hill-assist, which causes a lot of people to hit the cutoff, but I don't know if you can disable the cutoff itself. Personally I haven't had trouble with the hill-assist once I got use to it, but sometimes I still hit the cutoff when I'm put-putting around parking lots in 1st or 2nd. I've hit it mid-corner in 2nd too.

[MX793]

The engine just shuts off if you fall below the cutoff. It doesn't matter if the car is still moving forward and you would otherwise be able to lug along, when it hits the magic number the system shuts itself down. Makes it very easy to stall the car.

Ah, the min RPM setting for the fuel control solenoid.

[veeman]

Do you have the multifunction trigger on your wiper stalk? It tracks your daily mileage (will reset after 2 hours of inactivity) and your global mileage over the last ~20 tanks (the lesser of the last 9999 miles driven or last 9999 hours).

That 46-53 mpg figure is what the readout is telling me @ 75-80mph with the car in cruise control. When I take control of the pedal it drops down to about 40-43 mpg.

Yeah I tend to wring out 1st as it's a little slow of the line. You can hit the 800rpm cutoff in 2nd even if you're still moving forward if you aren't careful.

I've never used the cruise control.  Even on my other cars which are automatic I hardly use it even for long distance travel.  I have to try it though.

[veeman]

I check the fuel economy by dividing the reading on the odometer (from prior fill-up) with the number of gallons (to the tenth decimal point) I put in.  I don't top off because I don't want any of that stuff to spill.  It smells nasty.  Somehow I think that's a more accurate mileage count than the electronic doo dads.

[hotrodalex]

Cruise control is awesome on long trips. Just don't let it bring you back up to speed after you cancel it momentarily, because most systems like to gun the throttle and kill mpgs.

[Raza]

I've never used the cruise control.  Even on my other cars which are automatic I hardly use it even for long distance travel.  I have to try it though.

It's awesome for long distance driving.  Set the cruise control and it holds your speed steady without any effort on your part.  So easy.  I've always gotten my best mileage on cruise.  In my old Passat, switching to cruise for my drives between home and school made my average MPG go from ~25 to ~32.  And that's driving at relatively the same speeds. 

[r0tor]

Do you have the multifunction trigger on your wiper stalk? It tracks your daily mileage (will reset after 2 hours of inactivity) and your global mileage over the last ~20 tanks (the lesser of the last 9999 miles driven or last 9999 hours).

That 46-53 mpg figure is what the readout is telling me @ 75-80mph with the car in cruise control. When I take control of the pedal it drops down to about 40-43 mpg.

Yeah I tend to wring out 1st as it's a little slow of the line. You can hit the 800rpm cutoff in 2nd even if you're still moving forward if you aren't careful.

My mpg figure on our focus was on a full tank, not just a stretch of road.

Diesel fail.

[Tave]

My mpg figure on our focus was on a full tank, not just a stretch of road.

Diesel fail.

Nah you specifically said highway, and I gave you my highway mileage in every scenario (cruise on/off).

If you're telling me mileage for "a...tank" and not what you average across all tanks, my first instinct is to assume you cherry picked your best trip ever, and that you typically make less.

[Tave]

I went for a drive on the Blueridge Pkwy yesterday, 190 miles total with about 60 on the Pkwy, I would have done more but I passed a park ranger going a little over the limit and decided to exit early.

About 90 of those miles were interstate or divided highway where I set my cruise @ 75-80, the rest was all mountain driving in 3rd-6th with lots of shifting. I stopped probably 6-7 times for pictures and to grab a snack, and got hung up at stoplights in the small towns and construction in the mountain. Every opportunity I had on the Pkwy to let loose I took it.

48 mpg round trip

Man that's a fun drive. I've done a portion of the VA-WV Pkwy but it's been awhile. Sometime soon I want to go back to where I started yesterday and take it all the way to Asheville.

[12,000 RPM]

Wow thats better mileage than my bike

I have been meaning to get up there too but it's just too far on the bike for me. Wifey and I are looking to do Asheville.... maybe by the end of the month.

[Tave]

Wow thats better mileage than my bike

I have been meaning to get up there too but it's just too far on the bike for me. Wifey and I are looking to do Asheville.... maybe by the end of the month.

It's not a bad drive up either I40 or I26 and once you get up there Asheville is a lot of fun.

[Tave]

I averaged 50 mpg for work today (on the nose, 50.0 on the daily trip readout), with 150 miles on the clock. About 60/40 rural highway vs. interstate, no cruise. I've got about 1600 miles on the odometer now and my highway mileage is consistently hovering at 46-50.

Small correction to one of my earlier posts: the second trip readout on this generation TDI records your mileage over the last 9999 miles or 99 hours, not 9999 hours. So unless you just drove the Pan-American highway, it's probably only showing the past 4 days.

[Tave]

^^^^I was also babying the throttle (sorry Soup) to see if I could push it, on Sunday when I hit 48 mpg I wasn't nearly as cautious. Not a bad drop off at all though given that I did the 48 in the mountains.

For my next weekend drive, I'm going to turn off the mpg tracker until the end of the day and try not to drive with any purpose.

[CALL_911]

Fuck to you TDI

[2o6]

Those on the fly computers aren't that accurate. It's most accurate to do it via hand calculations

[CALL_911]

This is a trip computer calculating for one isolated trip, not a whole tank. Its a useless picture, I just like the figure