24 replies to this topic

[owls4ever]

Hi guys,
I've recently exchanged my old 54reg focus for a 3month old 1.6 econetic TDCi 115 focus (4000miles ont clock now) and I've been driving it for about a month. Reported MPG is 67.3 as an average however I don't seem to be able to get above 50MPG, even though I am following the gear shift recommendations on the computer as close as I can. Anything above 50MPG is more often than not influenced by gravity than 'true' fuel efficiency.
I was wondering if anyone has had the same issues? I know that pure urban driving has a tendency to lower overall MPG but I do 40miles per day from derby to nottingham and back. Even long haul distances average MPG is around 50, miles below the comparison within the ford
Manual (circa 80Mpg)!

I recently turned the traction control off which has boosted the MPG somewhat but all very wierd for a car that has 99% decent reviews.
Is this normal for diesel cars to be inefficient and then develop an efficiency throughout their life?

Advice or knowledge gratefully received

Cheers
Andy

[Steven33]

I know its pretty obvious stuff but have you checked tyre pressures? driving with air conditioning on / windows open? carrying extra weight in the boot?

[Graeme900]

I've got a 60 plate 1.6 tdci zetec s and get 60-67 depending on style. Usually around 680miles a tank before fill up. check out the which & honest john mpg websites which gives you an indication on expected mpg based on a few factors and what others get from their cars.

[owls4ever]

The air con has been used but not too much, windows are up and not load in the boot.
I had thought of the tyres earlier and went to check them, not low at all.

Honest John website is really good so thanks for that. Real life MPG (which I must admit is an absolute joke when you read why the EC figures are so optimistic) is between 44-59.

Real average around 50, so I guess the car is acting 'normal'. So much for efficiency ey, more like a smokescreen!

[james_60]

iam getting 50mpg from my focus which has 2000 miles on the clock.

my car is a focus zetec econetic (so the badge on the boot says)

Jamie

[artscot79]

forgive me for saying not again.
fuel figures supplied are based on optimum conditions these cars are tested on an a track and in a lab to get these figures we dont drive on perfectly flat roads with no lights or roundabouts etc etc nor do we drive in perfect temperatures real life mpg will never match what they claim.
outside temperatures inclines in the road surface all effect this so what you get and what someone else gets as there mpg wont be the same unless you drive identical routes.
apologies for the start of this but so many people come here after buying a car expecting 80mpg when it just wont happen ignorance and poor research by the buyer and stupid laws that allow manufacturers to dupe customers into buying in some cases a car no more economical than there old one

[jimrex]

Yeh, ignore the official figures... there's no way they can be reproduced in the real world. The best thing to do is reset the average MPG when you fill up, set the read out to instant MPG and just aim to keep the number as high you can (very light on the throttle and brakes, coming off the gas for down-hill slopes and backing off early when approaching junctions etc). Then, check the average periodically and see where it's headed.

I'm not much of an eco-driver, I just drive, but this last tank of fuel I've tried to make last as long as possible and got the average from 43MPG to 54MPG. It's really made me think about my driving style!

It's also worth mentioning that a 3 month old engine isn't going to be as efficient as the same engine with 20k miles on it, if properly serviced etc.

[GSM]

Diesel engines do tend to gain efficiency in the first few months/thousand miles of driving, as the engine is "broken in" so to speak - as long as you properly service at the appropriate intervals, so you might see an increase of the next few months.

But as others have said, the official MPG figures are generated during a highly controlled test that eliminates a whole variety of real-life driving factors, that there's barely a car in the world that will match them on the road.

But for somebody like myself who struggles to top 38mpg (in exchange for just a measly 100bhp), I can't see why you'd complain about 50!

[tomo2001]

Do a search there are other threads on this car (mine included). I have only had a handful of tanks where I have achieved 500+ miles from them. Typically i get around 470-480.

The economy drops drastically at anything above 60mph and using it all the time on the motorway you will only see 50mph at best.

Slightly disappointing I know but real life conditions I'm afraid, not lab conditions like the manufacturers quote.

[owls4ever]

Cheers guys, amongst anything I just wanted to check I wasn't being daft and make a prat outta myself at the Ford garage!

Managed to get 50 mpg today so I suppose that will do me, driving miss Daisy mind!

[tomo2001]

Andy, you in Sheffield by any chance with that username ?

Forget that just re-read original post, you're in Derby !!

[owls4ever]

Yeh I'm from Sheff, Wednesday fan as you've probably guessed!
Live in Derby now though since I came to Uni here

[tomo2001]

WAWAW

[grahamp]

mpg... is the average on the dash accurate-ish? I started writing down mileage and fuel amount at every fill and was going to work it out by hand and then lost the bit of paper with the numbers
The Econetic should get virtually the same figures as a stock 1.6 I wouldve thought. Flatter wheel trims and harder tyres... anything else?
I get anything from 55 to 64 on the dash. Drove 200 miles one weekend in a car with wife and 2 kids, air con on, 460 litre roofbox stuffed full of camping equipment, 20Kg 6 man tent, calor gas bottle, camping furniture, stove, the works, in the estate boot, and it still reckoned I was getting 60

[jg321]

My dash reading says something in the region of 50 (average) usually. I do tend to drop it down gears quickly; as soon as it feels like it's even slightly struggling.

Brimming the tank tends to tell me the same, low 50s. I do tend to drive rather quickly though, although I'm not the slam on the brakes kinda guy, quite the opposite, I probably over-anticipate sometimes, especially on the A580 (anyone in the North West will know what I mean - you can see the lights for miles!).

I tend to do short trips to/from work every day, and it goes on the motorway almost every weekend.

I know it might sound daft, but BP fuel seems to go further. Not sure if it's just that I happen to keep it calm after I've filled up there; probably cos it's so bleeding expensive!