Is Anyone Making Poor Consumption a Issue With Dealer?

(11-04-2012 05:32am)mark_n Wrote:  I agree, largely pointless exercise moaning to the dealer who probably knows little and cares less. Look instead to your driving and journeys.

The consumption varies a lot according to driving style and journey type. In particular the mpg falls rapidly with increasing speed, a big difference even between 60 and 80, so I expect the big frontal area it makes about as aerodynamic as a brick s**thouse. Short journeys round town, engine starts, especially cold ones are going to spoil your day.

Everytime you apply the brakes, you are converting expensively created kinetic energy back into heat, so let the energy dissipators you cannot do anything about - air resistance, tyre rolling resistance and driveline friction - do the work for you. The moment you see a red light in front of you or another reason to slow, lift off completely.

Similarly, put the gearbox into neutral if you are able to take advantage of downhill stretches and let the (expensively created) potential energy be converted by gravity into kinetic energy, providing of course you don't need engine braking.

Avoid carrying unwanted weight in the car and switch off the aircon.

My Si4, which started life with 21-22 is now up to 28-29 which I think is fine.

Coasting in neutral is not to be reccomended, it reduces your conrol of the car and with modern engines saves no fuel at all.

Yes of course, you are probably right, but I did say "providing you don't need engine braking". It's also interesting to see the mpg readout go to 99 mpg. Old Saabs used to free-wheel as does the latest Porsche 911 using the PDK gearbox.

(11-04-2012 08:18am)mark_n Wrote:  Yes of course, you are probably right, but I did say "providing you don't need engine braking". It's also interesting to see the mpg readout go to 99 mpg. Old Saabs used to free-wheel as does the latest Porsche 911 using the PDK gearbox.

My car shows 99mpg even when its in gear going down hill under light or no throttle.

(11-04-2012 08:39am)ED209 Wrote:  My car shows 99mpg even when its in gear going down hill under light or no throttle.

Isn't that likely to be because that's the limit to how many digits there are in the display?

Yes 99mpg will be a capped limit on the display, when your foot is off the throttle the injectors will not be firing and so no fuel will be going in other than anything needed to wet the cylinders, this gives effectively distance divided by fuel used which is a divide by zero error giving infinity so it's capped at 99mpg for 2 digit display rather than infinity. Some cars show --- instead.

Coasting in Neutral will use more fuel than rolling in gear off throttle, as the engine will go into idle when declutched and use fuel rather than being drivin by the drivetrain and needing no fuel. Obviously the fuelling requirements will be different with Automatics to Manuals.

Philskill is correct, modern engines cut off fuel supply on no throttle.

In which case, I admit I was wrong, don't coast in neutral!

I completely disagree with the posters who say there is no point in tackling the dealer on this matter. Ultimately, under the Sale of Goods act, he is responsible.

Without being too dramatic, we have been sold a car under false pretences and they have a legal responsibity to rectify the situation to our satisfaction.

Also, as to the suggestions that I should completely change my driving style, I find this ludicrous!

I am 60 years old, not some boy racer, and whilst I am not a complete Eco freak, I want to enjoy any car I own.

I don't think there's a car made which achieves the stated consumption figures in the real world. There's a specific test routine which is followed to allow comparison between cars and, however much you complain, there will always be a get out in the form of type of journey, accessories fitted, load, style of driving, how full the fuel tank and whether the driver lives on deep fried Mars Bars which I am told are part of the indigenous diet north of the border.

For example, specifying the glass roof adds the weight of a female passenger and you can bet the car is tested with no glass roof, no spare wheel, aircon, lights and stereo off, no windscreen wipers, heated seats, ambient lighting and all the other stuff.

I suggest you do the research to look at the testing techniques used Which might make you happier with your results.

It probably won’t help BUT, my out going car, Freelander SD2 auto HSE, was poor on consumption for the first 10months. Because of this I became very aware of how I was driving, how so often I push the gas when not needed at all, especially with a diesel with reasonable low down pull. Averages were around the 28-29 mark, I was really dissatisfied about it. My changes were to be really light on the gas and try to keep around 1500-1600 rpm on motorways .. I know this means only about 65 mph but the difference in mpg is amazing. This and following its 1 year service (more improvement), I can go Nottingham to West London and back on 1/2 a tank, around 45-6 mpg .. this represents about 570miles on a tank.
Really light-footedness around town does help a little ... 32ish. My average consumption is now 39.4, very exceptable for a 4 wheel drive house brick. I suppose all mpg tests are done to find the very best level, they are hardly going to lead foot it and show you 22mpg average !
I’m guessing the Evoke is new and exciting to everyone and they’re whizzing around, hence the high figures.
Ease off, you get there almost as quickly and use way less fuel.
Okay .. don’t !! LOL