After half a tank full/350 miles in my van the trip computer is showing 57.8mpg. These are admittedly in favourable conditions, I’m not stonking along because I’m only going to work and the difference between cruising along and ragging it is possibly 5 minutes.

My missis took the van to the gym yesterday, 7ish mile round trip and this morning the recorded average mpg is 57.1. Different roads admittedly, but that’s a big hit over a very small % of the driven miles. The family car is also to my mind a lot less economical than it should be and she’s not into making progress.

Are some people naturally uneconomical drivers? I don’t notice any poor mechanical sympathy when I’m passengering, but we do seem to have large fuel performance differences.

Different roads admittedly, but that’s a big hit over a very small % of the driven miles.

It’s not really – a 2%? variance. Could depend on a multitude of factors, including external temperature, road surface, wind/drag etc.

I wouldn’t worry about it. Literally.

Bill her for the difference.

Short trip round town is always going to get much lower mileage compared to a long steady cruise.

Was your 350 versus her 7 miles on the same mix of driving conditions? Otherwise there’s no point in looking much further. On 7 miles, town driving(?), the van would barely even have warmed up

It won’t show in the mileage, it’ll be the considerably longer time taken to park it.

I’m not worried about it, I was just wondering if there is such a thing as unecomomical/ecomomical drivers who by an large have laid back habits.

I think trying to bill here for the extra fuel could seriously backfire! 🤣

It won’t show in the mileage, it’ll be the considerably longer time taken to park it

Although I should defend her from this sexist remark, she actually won’t reverse it! On the odd occasion tried as soon as the first reversing beeper goes, she just stops dead.

Are some people naturally uneconomical drivers?

Yes.

It’s not really – a 2%? variance

I was reading it that an average of 57.8 after 350 miles has dropped to an average of 57.1 after 357 miles, so I see where the OP is coming from. Driving style definitely makes a difference carrying speed into corners rather than braking and accelerating, anticipating traffic etc will reduce the amount of throttle required. However it’s not unsual to see a higher consumption on a small journey – engine is colder, more starts/stops and so on.

Yes there are. I’m one. Riding motorbikes across France with my buddy, me on a BMW r1100rs him on a zxr1100. the BMW is lighter, has by the book better fuel economy. I got thru more petrol and wore my tyres worse – significantly so

We put it down to standing starts – I tend to rev out in first he rolls it into second.

I think you’re right and the difference would be quite significant. Hence hypermiling.

I was reading it that an average of 57.8 after 350 miles has dropped to an average of 57.1 after 357 miles, so I see where the OP is coming from.

You interpreted it correctly scotroutes. Completely understand that the cold engine and urban/fast road mix will make a difference, but that much over such a short distance?! That’s my point.

Some people are terrible drivers. Watch how much people are constantly on the brakes because they’re too close to the car in front. Or keep tabs on the person behind you as they accelerate up your chuff then back off again. It’s all just wasting fuel.

I, of course, am the only perfect driver.

That makes the 7 miles at 35mpg. Not unusual I think. I see similar figures driving my wifes Yeti. It’ll show average mpg for the “trip” starting at 30 or so then the average will be over 50 mpg by the time we reach Inverness.

Could just be to do with traffic levels also. And way too small a sample size.

Just looks like you’re trying to find evidence for you being a better driver tbh.

I was just wondering if there is such a thing as unecomomical/ecomomical drivers who by an large have laid back habits.

Oh, I often drive like a ****. Really kills the fuel economy.

Cold engine and stop start driving will do that for sure. 350 miles isn’t big enough to be a proper average and 7 miles of 20(ish)mpg will have nose dived it.

It used to be incredibly frustrating to come back from a long commute one day showing 60 odd mpg to do a few around town trips over the weekend and it lose 5mpg – it happens.

But in answer to the question; Yes some people have no idea how to make the most of fuel. It’s mostly acceleration and braking. Not the braking itself as that’s free from a fuel point of view, but the excess of speed for the upcoming traffic (usually) conditions that requires use of the brakes when an ease off/coast would have been more appropriate.

That makes the 7 miles at 35mpg. Not unusual I think.

Ah, thanks for doing the maths. Next time I’m driving to town I might try and see what I get over the same journey.

Just looks like you’re trying to find evidence for you being a better driver tbh.

I’ve not had this conversation at home! Do you think I’m mad? 😨

She sitting texting for ages idling, pretending to be at the gym 😉

Light use of the pedals coupled with short shifting rewards with improved fuel consumption.

I think you should cut her allowance and tell her why.

Report back on how it goes. 🙂

She didn’t go to the Gym ,she was in a hurry to meet her lover.

My GF is the same…..

I have to sit there and bite my tongue because I’m either too drunk or stoned the (legally) drive…. Watching the average climb due to a heavy foot, late braking and cruising along in the wrong gear.

In the old van (2.5 T5) I used to average 7.5-8l/100km….the GF was always around 9-10l/100.

Drop even… I k w y m tho

Some contributing factors
You know your commute, the traffic light sequence, when to lift off or roll up to the lights etc.
Car gets up to operating temp and distance is done at correct temps
Weight of traffic during rush meams booting it pointless
Most women are horrendous drivers

Its not just her. Dimlo drivers accelerating up to a light that had kust gome red, its going to be red for 1 minute so why the rush

Same morons who drive 4ft off the car in front as its gotta be quicker right, fail. They are constantly braking then accelerating

Booting it away from traffic lights when there is a queue 50mtr in front.

Not looking 150mtr up the road to the line of cars all stationary with their brake lights on and accelerating as if they will all simultaneously evaporate and the road will be clear

Booting it out of every roundabout and redlining the motor in a drag race against other cars who arent racing, when the actual race is the one to see who can empty their fuel tank quickest and the prize is dropping 70 quid at esso.
See also ragging cold engine, gearbox and bearings
Inability to calculate closing speed of oncoming cars to enable 3rd continuation at roundabouts and junctions

The other day i was in a queue at an almost gridlocked roundabout, so engine off and use gravity to get the front. Gentle downslope but enough to get to walking speed and the woman behind banzai s in around me into the 10mtr gap. To sit 1 car length in front of me for another cycle od lights.

Yes they are. And they are the sort of people who fill the kettle to make a single cup of tea.

Most women are horrendous drivers

Most men are too.

The other day i was in a queue at an almost gridlocked roundabout, so engine off and use gravity to get the front.

Driving test fail IIRC

Yep, no engine off ever for anyone.

Which isn’t to say you cannot still roll down a hill.

Save the baby koala bears pass tho

Dont annoy the locals by stting there with a dirty diesel engine running pointlessly

And stop start equipped cars whose owners re start them at level crossings the instant they switch off, which is aircon reasoning i guess

What van you driving?

Almost 58mpg in the real world sounds like my sort of van.

Driving test fail IIRC

Absolutely. Moving in neutral is a fail.

Moving, engine off, in traffic is downright daft given your brakes and steering will both be ferkin useless without it on.

Almost 58mpg in the real world sounds like my sort of van.

Indeed, I’m not even sure I get that on a “current” readout, let alone average.

I’m not worried about it, I was just wondering if there is such a thing as unecomomical/ecomomical drivers who by an large have laid back habits.

Yes, very much so, but those numbers don’t necessarily incriminate your wife.

If the maths done above is correct and her gym trip is 35mpg, that’s entirely in line with what I’d expect. If she’s hit traffic and queued for a bit, on a short run that’s entirely within my experience. I’d get 55 or even low 60s in some circumstances in the Passat on longer runs, but a short town run could get down to mid-high 30s, and a bad traffic light on a really short trip will really ruin the average.

Next time I’m driving to town I might try and see what I get over the same journey.

Same time of day as well.

Most women are horrendous drivers

The worst drivers I see are school run DAD followed buy school run mum but dad is ruddy dangerous

singletrackmind

Drop even… I k w y m tho

If your talking about alpin he’s in Germany so using l/100km so higher is worse.

I had a Mk1 Mazda6 that had a really stupid l/100miles display!! I know we buy it in liters and use MPG its a mixed up system really.

What van you driving?

Transit Connect L2 1.5 turbo diesel.

Impressed. I couldn’t get that out of a Mondeo.

My GF is the same…..

I have to sit there and bite my tongue because I’m either too drunk or stoned the (legally) drive….

So you’re baked and you’re still fretting about fuel economy?

Are you sure you’re doing it right?

Christ, I’m glad I drive an ancient car with no MPG gauge. Life’s too short surely?

Moving, engine off, in traffic is downright daft given your brakes and steering will both be ferkin useless without it on.

my car has stop start. It will happily move in neutral down a hill at up to 7mph at which point the engine kicks in. I can’t imagine that driving my car would fail your driving test.

Well it would – freewheeling is an instant fail