MPG!!!

[Marc B]

Hi all

New owner with a 2002 A4 2.0 Sport. Very happy with the car but have one concern.

Picked up the car with little fuel so chucked in a tenner to get me home, the display showed a range of 105 miles which was fine, drove home about 30 miles all on 30 and 40 MPH a roads taking it easy and changing gear at 3000-3500 rpm and the car still showed a range of 70 miles, brilliant.

Started her up the next day drove half a mile and the fuel gauge dropped to the first red indicator showing a range of 25 miles!!!


Off the top of my head I work that out at about 20mpg!! Do I need to be a little more aggressive to get a better mpg? Or does it sound like something is wrong?

One thing I did notice was when I took the fuel filler cap of there was a big release of air, I know from owning VW's that some models have a small hole in the petrol cap to release the pressure, should this be the same on this car?

Thanks

 

[Broken Byzan]

the tank is vented into the charcoal filter at the front of the car.

TBH you will never have got 100 miles from a 1500KG car and a tenner,lol ( the DIS lies like a flat fish)

As thats only around 7.5 litres so without knowing how much was left in the tank, you would have had a range of around 60 miles TOPS on a tenners worth of fuel. I can use that much in 40 miles in mine without trying and i only have a 1.8

 

[simon.m]

my old vectra 140 bph 2.0 would do 100miles on a tener on a run my tdi is doing about 100 miles on 8pounds around town so id say its good

 

[Marc B]

Fair point re. the weight etc. but am I right in thinking I should get 30ish mpg?

The last car I owned was fairly accurate regarding estimated mileage so guess I expected the same.

Out of interest where's the best place to get a locking fuel cap? The one fitted is plastic twist on item which is connected to the rear of the fuel flap, annoying when you take it off and it swings about risking scratching the paintwork.

 

[simon.m]

if you look at the cap you will see on the sides of it there are what looks like bits missing this is so you can put it on the flap and not leave it hanging

 

[paul20v]

With regards to the cap
pull off the strapy thing job done
put the cap where you want then
as for mpg
only way too work it out is full tank till pump clicks reset the trip then run it for whatever distance but atleast 50miles then fill it back up till it clicks take the trip reading and how much fuel you put back in and the price at the pump and then work it out
Simples

 

[AJB Audi]

I have the same model and always fill the tank everytime I buy petrol and then work out the MPG from the last tank full and the average to date. Over 15,000 miles I have averaged 32 mpg with a good mix of short and long runs. Best I have ever had was 34 and the lowest just under 30.

As others have suggested the only way to get accurate figures is to go from full tank to full tank, and reset the trip recorder every time you fill up.

I find that for the first 100 to 150 miles of each fill up the estimated range (DIS miles to empty) + (miles on the trip recorder) always suggests a higher range than will ultimately be achieved. As the miles driven (per the trip recorder) build up so the DIS (miles to empty) number goes down at a faster rate than it did for the earlier part of the tank full. In other words don't place too much reliance on the DIS system. It's like playing russian roulette and one day you'll run out of fuel and have all the deposits in the bottom of the tank running through your engine!

 

[paul20v]

one day you'll run out of fuel and have all the deposits in the bottom of the tank running through your engine!

One thing were do you think the petrol comes from all the time ,
the bottom of the tank
The thing with deposits is a bit of a myth as all petrol is drawn from the bottom of the tank so why would it make a difference with the fuel level being low

 

[swarcup]

if you look at the cap you will see on the sides of it there are what looks like bits missing this is so you can put it on the flap and not leave it hanging

nice1 si didnt know that

 

[coyote]

if you look at the cap you will see on the sides of it there are what looks like bits missing this is so you can put it on the flap and not leave it hanging

Top tip - undo the cap, put the pump in the car and pull the trigger! Now insert the cap in the pump so that it holds the handle down for you (fits perfectly). Stand back and admire your hands free filling or clean the car out whilst waiting for the tank to fill up.

I fill my car up more than once a week and without this little trick I would have permanent cramp in my hand like a excited teenage boy!

 

[simon.m]

im not evan sure how i found out really was just looking what to do with it lol i like the above idea too as that bit they have on the pump never holds it looked lol

 

[Marc B]

Thanks for the replies and some good advice.

Filled her up this morning and as suggested will run for for 50 miles then top up and work it out.

Fingers crossed for about 30mpg.

 

[quattrojames]

Don't read too much into the DTE gauge, it takes it's reading from I think the last two minutes of driving. I often find that if I've had a leisurely drive home it will extend nicely, but then when you start it up the next day and the engine's cold etc the reading will drop significantly.

 

[vinesh]

Don't read too much into the DTE gauge, it takes it's reading from I think the last two minutes of driving. I often find that if I've had a leisurely drive home it will extend nicely, but then when you start it up the next day and the engine's cold etc the reading will drop significantly.

You are right the reading will drop when you start the car in the morning.