For info: fuel effeciency differences between manuals and autos

[TeaMonsta]

I'm about to make an assumption and a generalisation here but it would appear that the auto I now drive will give better MPG than the manual I had. Two reasons:

1 - My mate from work (who sold it to me) said he always got about 380 miles out of a tank (and his run to work is pretty much the same as mine). I never pushed the manual past 350 miles from a tank.

2 - At 60mph the auto revs at just over 1500 (top gear). The manual revved at about 2200-ish in top gear (I seem to remember). Or to put it another way, 2000 revs gave me a touch over 55mph in the manual but gives me 60mph in the auto.

I suppose if I were to do alot of "urban" driving with more acceleration and stopping, the benefits gained in a cruise would be counteracted. My drive to work, however is A road and dual carriageway for 85% of the way so much of the drive is cruising in top gear. Once I've filled the tank and re-filled it again, I'll let you know what I'm getting MPG-wise from the auto. The manual generally came out at about 27MPG, a bit more if I drove with a lighter right foot.

[M8WHR]

:O

What size you got?

I'm getting 250 to a tank in my 3.0D auto. Fairly short runs though.

[DLowe]

I too only see around 250 miles on tankfull - 3.0TD Auto

[Sylux]

Not had mine long enough to be bothered to test the MPG.

But at 2000rpm (I'm manual) it is bang on 60mph.

[Sparkie67]

I get about 230miles from 50 litres. 3.0 auto and a heavy right foot. Mostly urban and city roads.

[BUSHWHACKER]

2.7 petrol...


On a run from Newport to Chester a few years back, (All 'A' roads, sensible driving, baby on board) I got 34 mpg.
MPG sucks on short runs though.

Doesn't run out of puff after 70mph either.

[TeaMonsta]

It's a 3.0 litre TD, 3rd gen.

250 miles from a tank is just under 19mpg, assuming you've got a 65 litre tank and you're re-filling with 5 litres left in the tank (so getting 250 miles out of 60 litres).

The speedo and tripometer are both in miles, not kms. Like I say, though, alot of my miles are somewhere between 1500 and 2000 revs (depending on whether I'm on a single carriageway doing 60 or a dual carriageway doing 70).

[TeaMonsta]

....I got 34 mpg....

That's some mpg. I'll have to have a look at mine if I take the Surf back home, 600 miles away down the motorway. I'd like to think it might give me that sort of efficiency.





Gotta get a life, I'm getting obsessed with this mpg thing.........

[cabbage]

With my 3.0L diesel I get 300miles from a tank, that's with a combination of my heavy right foot and towing the missis' fat ponies around. If I drive sensibly I can scrimp 320miles per tank but I'm not very sensible....

I would always have thought the manual would be better on the MPG as it wouldn't have to turn the mahooosive torque converter and all that gubbins but maybe not.

[TeaMonsta]

Don't know much (anything!) about all the mechanices but I think it's the simple fact that the engine is running at a lower speed in top gear for a given road speed. It works for me as I'm only really ever on the A96.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Don't know much (anything!) about all the mechanices but I think it's the simple fact that the engine is running at a lower speed in top gear for a given road speed. It works for me as I'm only really ever on the A96.

Exactly, autos are more thirsty getting up to speed than manuals.

[TeaMonsta]

Exactly, autos are more thirsty getting up to speed than manuals.

Thought they might be. It seems to hold 2000 - 2500 revs for quite a while before changing. That's why I was surprised at the lower fuel consumption.