Reasurance

[installer]

I would like people`s opinions on this.

1.9 CDTi 150 54 plate done 14k

Well here is the average day of my car - which the wife drives 95% of the time.Where I live it is 90% 30 - 40 mph limits with cameras.

Off my drive 100 yds to junction - another 100 yds speed bump - another 100 yds speed bump - another 100 yds speed bump - another 100 yds speed bump - 500 yds lights - 500 yds round about - 600 yds roundabout - 700 yds lights - 300 yds roundabout - 100 yds junction - 250 yds junction - 100 yds speed bump - 100 yds speed bump - stop.Now reverse the route.Yes it`s only used on school run twice aday.Also once a week shopping run - again 30 - 40 mph limits and once a week three miles of dual carriage way.I find that the temperature needle doesn`t move at all really when doing the above.Wife took it to dealer we use 20 mins driving at 40mph - with cameras along 70% of way and needle was just moving.



My mpg is not wicked,on last tank I averaged 32 mpg.I think vxl state around 36/37 for urburn driving.On previous tank averaged 43mpg (462 miles on 11 gallons) - this was driving to Sunderland and back including town work up there then usual stuff round home.Now we are used to driving a diesel but it seems so poor the mpg.

Just come back from few days away (35 ish miles away) averaging 36ish on way up,not free flowing traffic a bit stop and start.Then to get into the place queued for ages 1st gear all around my mpg dropped to 30mpg
on way back with being carefull get it upto 36mpg.(my car is set to UK units checked that already)
Now these are my thoughts.

is the fact it rarely gets warm killing my mpg
is the fact that it`s used in general in urburn/ultra urburn enviroment
is the ECU used to plodding around and therefore when goes on a `run` it freaks out on the fuel front and isn`t used to it - this is on my assumption of it having an adaptive ECU that learns your driving style.

another thing does anyone think the throttle is short - I mean there is a lot of travel,before you know it your foots on the floor ( I am comparing this to my TDCi Mondeo)

thanks in advance for any thoughts opinions and ideas

[installer]

any thoughts?
comparisons?
send to back to a dealer?

[Ste]

I would question why you paid the large extra for a diesel, as you clearly don't do any mileage?
Also, why do you have a car at all? It seems to me that you may be better off using taxi's to travel around, as you are paying for insurance, capital investment (loan or cash -I don't know) road tax, fuel, repairs, depreciation etc.

What's your annual mileage?


Anyway, back to the question of the thread

Cold engines do not perform well for MPG also you will see premature failures of exhaust, starter motor, oil will deteriorate quickly, leading to engine trouble (ask Ford about 30,000 mile Focus engines going bang)
The adaptive ECU is a red herring, it doesn't do that much. If you regularly did longer runs you would notice an immediate improvement. 'Learning your driving style' (In my honest and professional opinion) is sales talk. The ECU is mapped to provide the correct amount of fuel at the correct time for all engine operating conditions. The 'trims' (if any - I personally doubt it) would be very very slight, as the car has to be homologated by the relevant legislative body to be sold.
Don't put much stock in the published MPG figures, they are for guidance only, and are achieved over a specific test cycle. No cars do the same as the figures, as no cars do exactly the same test cycle.

I would be surprised if anything is wrong with your car to be honest.

Cars and engines do not like the way you are using it, ie never warms up, slow driving all the time etc.

[installer]

I would question why you paid the large extra for a diesel, as you clearly don't do any mileage?
Also, why do you have a car at all? It seems to me that you may be better off using taxi's to travel around, as you are paying for insurance, capital investment (loan or cash -I don't know) road tax, fuel, repairs, depreciation etc.

What's your annual mileage?


Anyway, back to the question of the thread

Cold engines do not perform well for MPG also you will see premature failures of exhaust, starter motor, oil will deteriorate quickly, leading to engine trouble (ask Ford about 30,000 mile Focus engines going bang)
The adaptive ECU is a red herring, it doesn't do that much. If you regularly did longer runs you would notice an immediate improvement. 'Learning your driving style' (In my honest and professional opinion) is sales talk. The ECU is mapped to provide the correct amount of fuel at the correct time for all engine operating conditions. The 'trims' (if any - I personally doubt it) would be very very slight, as the car has to be homologated by the relevant legislative body to be sold.
Don't put much stock in the published MPG figures, they are for guidance only, and are achieved over a specific test cycle. No cars do the same as the figures, as no cars do exactly the same test cycle.

I would be surprised if anything is wrong with your car to be honest.

Cars and engines do not like the way you are using it, ie never warms up, slow driving all the time etc.

Annual mileage = we do 8000 ish a year

Why do we have a car = because I`m not allowed to use my works car for private use,I have 3 kids under 6 (just come back from 4 days away,my boot in my estate was full floor to ceiling).Public transport is **** to say the least.Taxi`s are £5 for 3 - 4 miles where I live.Also I would need to get 5 people in,taxis are 4 passengers.So I`d end up paying for 2 or a large one.

I have moved on from a modded vec B 2.5 V6.max to a tank as a general rule was 220.It also ran only on shell optimax which is still 2 - 3p more a litre than shell diesel extra so I`m actually saving minimum a month on fuel £45.It would do max 22mpg round town and that was being super gental to it.So it is actually cheaper for me to run me CDTi.

I`m concernd because people are getting 48 - 60 ish from what I`ve read on here,theres me with early 30`s.

I get my oil changed every 6 months and thinking of using 0 - 30/40w oil for better cold start protection etc.

I had a feeling that it`s where I live,that`s killing my mpg.But wanted other opinions.

ta very much

[R-man]

I'm afraid I'm not very technical at all, but I would say your car is not getting a chance to heat up.. sucking through more fuel when cold. I've noticed mine takes an eternity to heat up.... so I think thats your problem, mind you early thirty's is not horrendous mpg. I've tried leaving mine on the driveway idleing before take off, but it seems to make no difference as it did with petrol engined cars I've had...

Just enjoy your car mate, your not in Scotland so don't worry about every penny it costs!!!

[redbullkid]

Just enjoy your car mate, your not in Scotland so don't worry about every penny it costs!!!

[Duncan]

Just enjoy your car mate, your not in Scotland so don't worry about every penny it costs!!!

You must be feeling brave R-man, bearing in mind that three quarters of the admin are Scottish!!!!

D

[R-man]

No guts no glory! lol only for a chuckle anyway as I'm sure you know!

[installer]

I've noticed mine takes an eternity to heat up.... so I think thats your problem, mind you early thirty's is not horrendous mpg. I've tried leaving mine on the driveway idleing before take off, but it seems to make no difference as it did with petrol engined cars I've had...

Just enjoy your car mate, your not in Scotland so don't worry about every penny it costs!!!

It`s does take an age to warm up,ALOT more than my TDCi mondeo.

I`m not worried about running cost`s,all round it`s cheaper to run than my previous v6.Just looked at some peoples mpg figs and gone holy moses ,then looked at mine.Me thinking is something wrong.

Ta very much

[R-man]

Yeah but most of them are based on long journeys mate...thats the difference. I think all is fine your end.