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MPG Question/Help


J.Hyde93
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So i was wondering what range of mileage I SHOULD be getting. I don't exactly race off the line and would say I drive fairly economically. I mainly drive when the roads are quiet and don't do motorway driving. I have filled up twice now around the 230-250miles, with a full tank costing £40-45. I believe it has a 45L capacity (just under 10 Gallons), and should be getting ~43mpg. I understand thats as of new so i should be expecting around 35mpg. I am getting around 22-26mpg depending on how I drive.

Is this normal or should I be looking at getting new parts? -There aren't any signs of leaking on the driveway either before someone asks :)

Sorry if i haven't provided enough information.

Link to car specs:

http://www.parkers.co.uk/ford/fiesta/hatchback-2002/16-zetec-s-3d-(05)/specs/

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www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg 

always interesting reading!

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Is there anything I could do to increase it? Like I said I'm already driving economically so its an issue with the car.

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Maintenance
  • Get your car serviced regularly for best efficiency
  • Always use the right specification of engine oil (check your handbook)
  • Check your tyre pressures regularly and before long journeys – under-inflated tyres will make your car use more fuel 
Before you go
  • Save weight – extra weight means extra fuel so if you don’t need it, take it out
  • Cut drag – roof-racks and boxes add to your fuel consumption. Pack carefully to reduce drag, or take it off.
  • Don’t hang around – idling wastes fuel and your engine warms up more quickly when you're moving so don’t start the engine until you’re ready to go.
  • De-icing –  scrape ice in the winter rather than leave your car idling to warm up
  • Plan your journey – getting lost wastes fuel. Check traffic news before you go too.
  • Combine short trips – cold starts use more fuel so it pays to combine trips if you can.
  • Walk or cycle –  if you’re only going a couple of miles or so, do you really need to use the car?
Driving
  • Smooth and gentle – drive smoothly, accelerate gently and read the road ahead to avoid braking unnecessarily. Decelerate smoothly by releasing the accelerator in time, leaving the car in gear.
  • Keep rolling – stopping then starting again uses more fuel than rolling.  Slow early for traffic lights or approaching a queue and you might not have to stop completely.
  • Change up earlier – don't labour the engine but try changing up at an engine speed of around 2,000 rpm (diesel) or 2,500 (petrol).   Since 2014 new car models have been fitted with a gear shift indicator to encourage use of the most efficient gear. 
  • Use your air-con wisely – at low speeds, air-con increases fuel consumption but at higher speeds the effect is less noticeable. Try opening the windows around town and save the air-con for high speed driving. Don't leave it on all the time but running it at least once a week helps keep the system in good condition.
  • Cut down on the electrics – turn off your rear window heater, demister fan and headlights when you don't need them 
  • Stick to the limit – going faster uses more fuel. Drive at 70mph and you’ll use up to 9% more than at 60mph and up to 15% more than at 50mph. Taking it up to 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph.
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Lack of motorway driving doesn't help. Giving your car a good booting down the motorway (even for 10 minutes or so) can help get rid of any crap in it, especially diesels. The most common failure by not doing this is exhausts. If you don't give the car a good run in then your exhaust won't get up to temperature and water will build up in the back box. This will cause the back box to start rusting away a lot faster.

I take it a lot of your driving is in the city? Like sat at traffic lights quite frequently, or driving in short bursts before having to stop. Or even having to slow for roundabouts. 

Forgot to mention: Do you have any codes thrown up on the ecu. If a sensor has gone then it would a assume the worst conditions. Like the air quality is bad, it's cold outside, the fuel quality is bad etc. All these would lead to overfueling.

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@Tiexen Yeah I pretty much do all that already :) tire pressure, gear up early...no extra weight, barely have the air con or anything on. Maybe a good service will do it some good :) thanks for the help.

@Luke4efc Yeah I don't have a need to go on the motorways, I live right in the town centre so walk most places, I'm right next to a train station for longer distances too. I really only drive when Its to see people out in the countryside or if its just a town or two out. Even then that's not during peak times so I don't start/stop for traffic much. 
Maybe a good run would do it some good then, reason why I made the thread was because I went on a 10Mile drive and I went down by 3 Bars on the Digital petrol meter.
I'l be honest and say I wouldn't have an idea how to check the ecu. I've just had it MOT'd and they didn't mention anything about ECU issues, not sure if that's something they'd check.

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5 hours ago, J.Hyde93 said:

@Tiexen Yeah I pretty much do all that already :) tire pressure, gear up early...no extra weight, barely have the air con or anything on. Maybe a good service will do it some good :) thanks for the help.

@Luke4efc Yeah I don't have a need to go on the motorways, I live right in the town centre so walk most places, I'm right next to a train station for longer distances too. I really only drive when Its to see people out in the countryside or if its just a town or two out. Even then that's not during peak times so I don't start/stop for traffic much. 
Maybe a good run would do it some good then, reason why I made the thread was because I went on a 10Mile drive and I went down by 3 Bars on the Digital petrol meter.
I'l be honest and say I wouldn't have an idea how to check the ecu. I've just had it MOT'd and they didn't mention anything about ECU issues, not sure if that's something they'd check.

Is the fuel tank metal? Possible corrosion at that edge, get it up on a ramp or lift and have a look.

 

Edit...just seen you've had it mot'd so that shouldn't be the fault.

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On 05/05/2017 at 5:51 PM, J.Hyde93 said:

So i was wondering what range of mileage I SHOULD be getting. I don't exactly race off the line and would say I drive fairly economically. I mainly drive when the roads are quiet and don't do motorway driving. I have filled up twice now around the 230-250miles, with a full tank costing £40-45. I believe it has a 45L capacity (just under 10 Gallons), and should be getting ~43mpg. I understand thats as of new so i should be expecting around 35mpg. I am getting around 22-26mpg depending on how I drive.

Is this normal or should I be looking at getting new parts? -There aren't any signs of leaking on the driveway either before someone asks :)

Sorry if i haven't provided enough information.

Link to car specs:

http://www.parkers.co.uk/ford/fiesta/hatchback-2002/16-zetec-s-3d-(05)/specs/

I wouldn't bother with 'specs' for mpg as they're complete nonsense and this is why -> http://www.dft.gov.uk/vca/fcb/the-fuel-consumption-testing-scheme.asp

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@Russ I just put that as reference, nearly everyone I've asked who has one is getting 30+ and they drive them a lot more aggressive than I do. Like I said I'm getting around 22-25 odd and I'm driving economically. Gearing up early, slowing down over a distance to reduce start/stopping. Not pulling off mad either. I'll probably send it in for a service soon and mention the issues and see if they notice anything :)

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I have a 2011 Titanium 1.6 (non eco) and very local stop and start i get around 25mpg which does me and that's not putting my foot down.

I have compared mine off what people get on here plus other apps/ online and car reading and works out to around this but im one of the few as

when i mean local i mean very local.

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