Suggestions for fuel-efficient/economic car - VERY HIGH Mileage

colino

First of all, your Clio needs looked at because it should certainly be in the low forties mpg all of the time unless you are carrying a ton of gear in the back. If you need a comfy motorway muncher, save your cash and get a 1.8 petrol Vectra and throw it away after a year.

Freefall

I have taken it to both an indy and a dealership and they have no clue.

All the dealership could suggest was that it was because it was a TCE.

colino wrote: »

First of all, your Clio needs looked at because it should certainly be in the low forties mpg all of the time unless you are carrying a ton of gear in the back. If you need a comfy motorway muncher, save your cash and get a 1.8 petrol Vectra and throw it away after a year.

bigjl

Freefall wrote: »

Thanks what do you mean by left field choice?

I am also very scared of the second hand market.... sounds like a bit of a minefield and at these miles I need reliability.

Left Field Choice is an option that not many people would even have considered.

Just thought I would introduce the Dacia name, I think they will be a very popular in the UK, maybe not as popular as they are in Europe.

But the 1.5dci engine is a decent lump, it if fitted to many different vehicles, Nissans Renaults and Dacias.

Sitting in the wife's at the moment, showing over 103 k miles and apart from the injectors being noisier than they were when we bought it with less than 30k it has been a reliable vehicle, excellent on fuel.

Easy to change the oil and oil filter and the air filter is a doddle to change.

The only jobs I have farmed out were changing the fuel filter, inside the wheelarch trim, the cambelt and water pump and I got the discs, pads and rear shoes done at the same time as the cambelt.

All it gets is very regular oil and oil filter changes. Have never left it longer than 10k with a manufacturer limit of 12k.

The only caveat with Renault ownership is try to minimise all the extra electrical gubbins that can prove unreliable.

I would personally avoid the 1.9dci and I don't know much about the 2.0dci.


The trick with used is finding a car that has been well serviced with cost not a factor.

Which is why I would rather have an ex lease car with 60k on it than a privately owned car with 30k on it.

Not least because it means you can get a three year old vehicle for under £6k when a 30k one would be £9000.

Though if you are unsure about used then have a serious look at Dacia.

I wi fully admit that I have owned lots of Renaults over the years as have my parents.

And they have been reliable.

mattyprice4004

I do 30,000 a year in a 1998 Rover 600, don't rule out the older stuff too.

No need to spend a fortune, I've done about 240,000 miles in old diesels and it's been a very cheap experience!

forgotmyname

If economy is the key, Why not sacrifice a bit of that and spend less on the car in the 1st place?

Why spend £20,000 on a car if you cannot afford to run it unless it gets 100mpg?

I am used to thirsty petrol cars so the MPG doesnt really bother me. My current car is a diesel and on short journeys its thirsty, But on a run its brilliant.

Converted to diesel? Maybe. Shame about the noise though.

GJ_WRX

I've got an Octavia 2.0 diesel and do 40,000-50,000 miles a year. I've had it a year and it averages 58mpg being driven fairly quickly. However I have averaged closer to 70mpg when trying hard.

It's had two services in this time, the car itself tells you when but were at around 18k and 36k. Its also been good on tyres with the fronts only now needing to be replaced.

I would recommend these and will hopefully be changing to a new version in a few years.

Ultrasonic

GJ_WRX wrote: »

I've had it a year and it averages 58mpg being driven fairly quickly. However I have averaged closer to 70mpg when trying hard.

I hate to ask, but is that the mpg indicated by the car or what you've measured yourself? I ask as your numbers sound rather high I'm afraid (but hope they're right for you!) Significantly better than most data at Honest John suggests:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/skoda/octavia-2004

(The other reason I ask is that I know the indicated mpg on my (2005) Octavia is about 10 mpg optimistic.)

bluep

If size isn't an issue, I got a Mini Cooper Diesel a couple of years ago for work and haven't looked back - it literally halved my fuel costs overnight and I do 20-30k miles per year. I get around 50+ mpg, depending on how heavy I am on the accerlerator because it is such fun driving.

GJ_WRX

Ultrasonic wrote: »

I hate to ask, but is that the mpg indicated by the car or what you've measured yourself? I ask as your numbers sound rather high I'm afraid (but hope they're right for you!) Significantly better than most data at Honest John suggests:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/skoda/octavia-2004

(The other reason I ask is that I know the indicated mpg on my (2005) Octavia is about 10 mpg optimistic.)

Yeah the car is a tad optimistic to say the least! This is from hours spent doing expenses and tracking my mileage.

Getting around 650-750 from a tank. Keep trying to get 1,000 from a tank but always end up being late at some point so have to exceed 64mph!

Ultrasonic

GJ_WRX wrote: »

This is from hours spent doing expenses and tracking my mileage.

Really? I'm genuinely surprised you can get 70 mpg out of a 2.0 TDi (CR or PD). Or is that driving along at a steady 40 mph or something? What age/model/engine is it out of interest?