56 mpg?!?

2013 VW TDI Sportswagen (I don"t know why the Germans spell wagon with the letter "E")
OK, I know the car's trip computer isn't 100% accurate but I think they are pretty close. My commute to work is 20 miles. Most of it (16 miles) is highway. I kept it under 65 mph on the highway, drafted a couple semi trucks for a bit, and got all of the traffic lights green. I included pics of the travel time, average speed, and route distance to show it's not just a snapshot when coasting down a hill. By the way, if I'm not hypermiling I usually only get about 45 mpg.

 

You sold the Safari? Say it ain't so, Joe!
I was going to suggest you run the same test with that, just for s*%ts and giggles.......

Marshall

 

31 litres to travel 230 kilometres at 80 MPH in Pink Bits yesterday can someone do the math please as the old girl may be close to a Jetta

 

Dennis, you are using 13.5 litres/100 km. That is 17.4 miles to the U.S. gallon. Not quite up there with the Jetta, but not terrible!

 

As I've mentioned before, I had a 1987 Ford Escort that consistantly got 50 MPG no matter how or where I drove. The electric fan rarely ever came on either. Not that it really mattered ??????????
My brother had a 1986 Escort with different type carb and pre throttlebody. I believe he got around 25 MPG most.
This was the only vehicle that I kept records because it was so unusual.
After many times at the Ford garage they determined it had an experimental carb and wanted to swap it. I never went back.
I also had Ford trucks that got 9 MPG!!!!!!!
My 2004 Hemi Dodge truck was getting 17.2 highway this summer. Now 15.7 mostly city.

 

I got a record breaking 13.7 MPG in my Toyota recently.
I must have been wearing lighter shoes that week.

 

i have 305cid in my '83 caprice wagon. i have plan to swap it to '70 454 ls6. with all respect i hate this economy stuff. thats why we loose the amazing ls6. if im going in a road trip i will not drive 4 cyl engine to save money. i will drive v8 and enjoy every moment in the trip.

 

Steve, is that Corona MarkII a wagon? Those were cool little cars. Only 13.7mpg? I'd say something is wrong..... that should be in the 20's easy.

 

No, its the MX13 sedan. 2.6L I6 2bbl and a serious lead foot. 0 - speed limit as fast as it will go is normal driving. Compression is bad, too.
Cost of ownership is so low, MPG is almost irrelevant. Its all about the SPG (smiles per gallon).
Finally blew head gasket and is stripped down to prepare for full rebuild.

 

I have heard about the great gas mileage of this and that and I even owned a Geo Metro for a brief time that got a consistent 48 mpg but everything else I own I can't brag on. As for the 305 Chevy engine I have never had much luck with them. My C-10 has a 2bbl bone stock 305 with a 3.07:1 rear gear and I can get around 15 or 16 mpg out of it. Not that I worry about that but just in comparison to our '55 with a 423 hp 355 that gets around 14 mpg. I never could get any mpg out of anything I ever owned with a 305. I drove the Malibu half of Crusin' the Coast and my truck the other half. The Malibu gets around 9 mpg with the 502 in it but is a blast to drive and could be considered a hybrid because it burns gas and rubber!

 

I've never really worried about fuel mileage. I either get good MPG or I don't. The Escort always amazed me.
Finally traded it for a used Chevy van with either 307 or 305 that got somewhere around 18MPG which I used to move to Florida. It became my driver for seven more years and to camp in.
I still have more fun driving my old cars and the 04 Dodge Hemi quad cab truck than something like an Escort.

 

Hey guys, don't be hatin' on my Vdub.
It may not be as cool to drive as the Safari but the Jetta is quicker, faster, handles like a slot car, and brakes far better than the the V8 Poncho. As far as the "fun to drive" factor goes, the VW still puts a smile on my face. I've never had to chance to drive a Geo or an Escort so I can't compare them to the Sportswagen. Don't get me wrong, I love Big Block wagons, but I still dream of the day when I won't have to worry about saving money.

And yes, I did sell the Parisienne. It was hard to see it go but it's in Southern California now with a new owner who will give it a fun and full life in the Golden State.

Jim

 

Thanks Mike I more than happy with this result from the old girl

 

Dennis: Swap in a mechanical AOD instead of the 3 speed you have, and make sure you have a good dual exhaust, and you'll be amazed at just how far you can take the gas mileage on that beautiful old wagon.

 

Mike I hear you but I need to finish my Fairlane and then Pinky will receive some power steer/disc brakes 15 inch wheels and tyres (to allow disc conversion) and a full tear down to bare external as inside is already completed while this is going on I would like freshen the 312 which has original 52000 miles now and maybe a C4 as I am not aware of an upgrade for AOD to 312. I have 95 injected (Mustang) 5lt with lots of hp around 550 set up with an AOD in the Fairlane which will be a nice sleeper but any advice would be welcome