MPG Estimate Gatwick - Scotland

[mr.rosco]

I am planning a road trip to the Highlands Shortly. I am using a twin tank WVO / DERV. Thanks to Popeyes recent donation of a heated second tank. My overall fuel capacity is 280Ltrs. I have loads of veg, really I want to avoid buying diesel. Do you think I will have enough fuel onboard. I have never been passed Manchester and I have been told that Scottish roads are very different to our motorway systems down south. Ideally I would like to come back via wales, as I would like to climb; Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon. My total Milage would be around 1300 miles. If I was to average 22 mpg I would need 268Ltrs, leaving me 12Ltrs to play with which is quite tight. My trucks engine is in reasonable condition. I have never really used the truck before for distance journeys, is 22 mpg a sensible figure or should I expect less on this type of journey?

[Albannach]

Absolutely impossible to answer.

Except by saying it's imposible to answer. Unfortunately this answer means that it is indeed an answerable question and by saying it's impossible to answer I was being untruthful...

[Sancho]

If you REALLY don't want to buy diesel (why?), just put a few jerry cans of veg in the boot....

[mr.rosco]

If you REALLY don't want to buy diesel (why?), just put a few jerry cans of veg in the boot....

My fuel capacity includes jerry cans. Surely someone must have driven to Scotland before and must know how many times they have filled up?

[Sancho]

Well, if I say no, what are you going to do?

As Albannach says, anyway, it's impossible to answer. Yes, 22mpg is a reasonable figure, but how fast are you planning to drive on the motorway? Once you're past Glasgow, driving in Scotland is easy and shouldn't use much fuel. Much the same for the Lake District and Snowdonia, but there could be a lot of holiday traffic depending on when you go. You could equally get stuck on the M8 around Glasgow for eternity and burn a load of fuel going nowhere.

If it was my trip, I'd just take the amount of fuel I thought I needed, then fill up with diesel if I got low.

I have done pretty much the trip you're talking about, but it was in a Peugeot 306, so I can't offer you any experience.

'Scotland' is quite a large area to try to get precise information on fuel consumption to get there and 'the Highlands' is not exactly a point on the map. Do you mean Fort William?

[mr.rosco]

Thank you, you have answered my question 'Yes, 22mpg is a reasonable figure'

[KERRSURF]

You won't be in lockup much on a lot of the roads in and around the hills, unless you plan on keeping it above 55 and basically driving like a tool.

[Highlander1]

I am planning a road trip to the Highlands Shortly. I am using a twin tank WVO / DERV. Thanks to Popeyes recent donation of a heated second tank. My overall fuel capacity is 280Ltrs. I have loads of veg, really I want to avoid buying diesel. Do you think I will have enough fuel onboard. I have never been passed Manchester and I have been told that Scottish roads are very different to our motorway systems down south. Ideally I would like to come back via wales, as I would like to climb; Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon. My total Milage would be around 1300 miles. If I was to average 22 mpg I would need 268Ltrs, leaving me 12Ltrs to play with which is quite tight. My trucks engine is in reasonable condition. I have never really used the truck before for distance journeys, is 22 mpg a sensible figure or should I expect less on this type of journey?

Give me a calll 01687470404 when you get to Fort William and i will walk the ben With you Scottish roads are economical enough there are no serious hills to climb from Glasgow to the Fort Cheers H

[mr.rosco]

Give me a calll 01687470404 when you get to Fort William and i will walk the ben With you Scottish roads are economical enough there are no serious hills to climb from Glasgow to the Fort Cheers H

Company would be good. I am between contracts at the moment, so I thought I would travel the country on my oil stash and enjoy the countryside. I am heading up on Wednesday or Thursday depending on when I get the truck finished. So if you are around late week or at the weekend company would be good, I'll give you a call when I get to the campsite. Cheers Ross

[ROMEROTECH]

The more fuel you're carrying the more weight you're carrying and the less mpg for a while till you've used some up. I do envy you though with two tanks. Nice one!!

Suffice to say i got over 400miles on a single tankful during my recent trip to Pitlochry at a steady 75mph. Hazel riding shotgun, all our holiday crap on the back seats and two large dogs in the boot. That's very almost 27mpg fully laden so quite pleased about that.

Once you get off the main roads it can be an up and down affair on the twisty bits however, just think of the views!!

As has been said, stick to the main roads and you should be fine.

[gwh200]

I don't expect you to make it from gatwick to the highlands and back, on 268 litres, if you come back via Wales. Both north Scotland and north Wales, have A roads only, and going off the beaten track will pact on your mpg. I used to get 24-25pg at 56mph, following wagons between Eastbourne and Oban.
Lexurf was most consistent. I got 19.9mpg, on motorway or going up a mountain. Good luck though, and have a great time.

[mr.rosco]

I don't expect you to make it from gatwick to the highlands and back, on 268 litres, if you come back via Wales. Both north Scotland and north Wales, have A roads only, and going off the beaten track will pact on your mpg. I used to get 24-25pg at 56mph, following wagons between Eastbourne and Oban.
Lexurf was most consistent. I got 19.9mpg, on motorway or going up a mountain. Good luck though, and have a great time.

Cheers, as long as I can get 90% of the way I will be happy. At £85 a tank of diesel I can't afford that many of them until I get a new contract. I'll give it a go and see what happens.

[pops]

My fuel capacity includes jerry cans. Surely someone must have driven to Scotland before and must know how many times they have filled up?

i drove back from edinburgh to southampton Via Scunthorpe last year in my double cab and filled up twice to get back and as i recall had about just over 1/4 tank fuel when got home.

[dieselboy]

My fuel capacity includes jerry cans. Surely someone must have driven to Scotland before and must know how many times they have filled up?

I drove to Leeds and have done Surrey to Lowestoft a few times recently. Depending on the drive I can get 23MPG and as bad as 19MPG. I have some small lift and 12" wide x 33" tall tyres which should be psi'd up to 35. I normally cruise around the 75 to 80 mark which is pretty much 3/4 throttle. I averaged 27mpg on my 2.4 cruising at 50-55mph which was around 1/4 throttle if that (turbo wasn't even making 2psi boost on my gauge).

If you want higher MPG you need to start making the engine more efficient. Slower cruising speed, cooling air down as it enters the intake, someone even mentioned an exhaust system that exits the rear and cut angular so that the affect of driving causes passing air to partially create a vacuum (or lower pressure) inside the exhaust to enable a better pressure differential around the turbo. <- needed a full stop in there somewhere. You could be really anal about the whole thing. Personally I don't care so much about MPG, I just enjoy driving the Surf (:

[Overland Tonka]

As yoshie knows I drove from fort William to gatwick a month or so ago...fully loaded.
Roof tent and Jerry cans up top cutting down the brick aerodynamics to house aerodynamics.
Took forever and used loads of fuel...sorry it's a crap bit of info, but as others have said there are so many variables....just enjoy the trip and try not to get hung up on the fuel..

P.S..... The countryside around fort William is stunning.... Fort William itself is depressing and the curry house is the most expensive one I've ever been in.