New car mpg

WobblyDog

Based on my limited first hand experience, I think the car manufacturers are getting progressively better at gaming the fuel consumption tests, so older cars are more likely to approach their published consumption figures than newer ones.

For example, my 1998 Fiesta had a published overall consumption of 42mpg, but I got 49mpg in practice (lots of motorway driving). My 2011 Fiesta has a published overall consumption of 49mpg, but I get 48mpg in practice.

mcpitman

Marktheshark wrote: »

You need to factor other costs, if the new diesel has a DPF , they go wrong often and cost, sometimes a yearly bill of £1500.

On which cars are these sometimes a yearly cost?

Because I've had diesels with dpf's for 5+ years and never had an issue.

redux

Marktheshark wrote: »

MPG is not the only cost, that and EU legalisation is on he table to ban all diesels from all cities and if it makes it, the car will be useless if you have to pass through any kind of city.

What are the authorities going to do about the riots in the streets when this fictional event comes about, with no food or anything else in the shops?

And £1500 to £3000 a year to replace one or two unreliable components? Who wrote this drivel well enough to convince you?

I've driven almost half a million miles in 4 diesel cars, and not one of these events has ever happened.

Jay_Tee

Iceweasel wrote: »

Wow! - can you give us a link to that proposed legislation?

It's just a few Cities in the UK here's a link http://fleetworld.co.uk/news/2015/Sep/Defra-plans-could-see-diesel-cars-banned-from-towns-and-cities/0434021537

Iceweasel

Jay_Tee wrote: »

It's just a few Cities in the UK here's a link http://fleetworld.co.uk/news/2015/Sep/Defra-plans-could-see-diesel-cars-banned-from-towns-and-cities/0434021537

Thanks for that Jay Tee.

The Europewide picture/situation is available here:

http://www.urbanaccessregulations.eu/

Ever more countries/cities are putting restrictions on vehicle access to city centres.

Where there are total bans - it's usually all vehicles - not just diesels.

Germany for example has a windscreen sticker system which works well to keep older vehicles out of city centres:

http://www.german-way.com/travel-and-tourism/driving-in-europe/driving/driving-in-germany-green-zones/

The problem is that there is not yet a universal approach over the whole of the EU.

I look forward to that - but it sure as eggs is eggs won't be a ban on all diesels from all cities.

Gloomendoom

The German system relies on a windscreen sticker. To get one you need a vehicle emissions key number (Schlüsselnummer).

Where do you find that?

Herzlos

WobblyDog wrote: »

Based on my limited first hand experience, I think the car manufacturers are getting progressively better at gaming the fuel consumption tests, so older cars are more likely to approach their published consumption figures than newer ones.

For example, my 1998 Fiesta had a published overall consumption of 42mpg, but I got 49mpg in practice (lots of motorway driving). My 2011 Fiesta has a published overall consumption of 49mpg, but I get 48mpg in practice.

It's worse for smaller engines too - one of the tests I saw, a Focus RS (2.5l turbo) did better than quoted, but things like the Fiat Twin-Air (0.9l) got about half of that claimed. Presumably due to how hard you have to push it to get anywhere.

Our dCI clio only gets close to the quoted figures at about 55mph on an empty motorway.

Iceweasel

Gloomendoom wrote: »

The German system relies on a windscreen sticker. To get one you need a vehicle emissions key number (Schlüsselnummer).

Where do you find that?

The emissions rating is on your V5C - g/Km

You go to any TÜV testing station - they are very easy to find - pay your €6 and you get a sticker - took all of 10 minutes.

It was €6 and not the €12.50 mentioned on their web-site -perhaps because my car is German built?? But anyway it's valid for the life of the car.

The Polizei do check that cars in city centres have the correct colour of sticker - I got a green one with a big 4 on it meaning my car conforms to Euro4 spec.

redux

Gloomendoom wrote: »

The German system relies on a windscreen sticker. To get one you need a vehicle emissions key number (Schlüsselnummer).

Where do you find that?

It's a two digit code on the German registration document.

For us, you might be able to discover it somewhere on some database listing on some website, but I suspect they'd treat that has unproven for your individual car and ask anyway for the test Iceweasel mentioned.

It's apparently possible to apply for an exemption for older cars, but it's quite an expensive fee per year, no point at all for visitors.

My car is hypothetically no longer allowed to visit family in one city. Last time I went the city had upgraded from yellow to green required, and I would only qualify for yellow if I even bothered applying.

I only go a couple of times in a couple of years, so I intend to risk it, plead ignorance if caught, and pay the fine if they insist.

Reading some of the background, apparently only 1 to 3% of the cars still remaining on the roads are at standards lower than now deemed acceptable, so perhaps all the enforcement and badges can't achieve much on top of the general progress in new car emissions anyway.

almillar

Find out the three figures for your current car, as well as your new car. Then you'll know where on the 'scale' yours fits. If your MPG is closest to the urban figure, that's roughly what you can expect. And you don't do the mileage to justify buying a diesel for MPG, it'll take you ages to get your money back in fuel, before factoring in any extra maintenance costs.