My 66mpg Volvo

Awsomeshine · 10-03-08, 06:45

Hey guys.

I have been taking ecomomy readings on my car recently, as petrol here in the UK is over $7 a gallon.

My Volvo V40 1.9TDi is returning over 66mpg on my daily commute.

(Manual 5 Speed)

BMW, VW and Audi are promoting cars here that will do 74mpg, that are 1.9/2.0L 4 CYL TDi engines, an auto will do about 50mpg.

We were in Oregon in September and my sister in law was complaining about gas prices, her Accord only does 28mpg.

She has woken up to diesel and will be picking up a new VW Passat TDI auto when it arrives from Germany. She will half her gas expenses.

So my friends in the US don't be afraid of diesel, we've had them for years and I get upset if my car falls below 50mpg, plus it will outrun a 2.5L V6 Petrol if pushed.

But I would still love a big Dodge Ram V8 Petrol. drool!!!!

Togorashi · 10-03-08, 10:32

In the next couple years, we are FINALLY going to start seeing some of the great Euro diesels here in the states. I love diesels. I have 3 of them, two old Benz's and a 12v cummins Dodge. All of them run on B100 biodiesel made from recycled waste veggie. Love them.

It's terrible that the best fuel efficient car we've had here in the states is the dreadful Prius. It looks awful, drives like crap, and it doesn't really get that good of mileage. Such a sham that thing. Can't wait to see the Bimmers and Audis take their rightful place in the mpg race.

Lumadar · 10-03-08, 10:35

Diesel is amazing. Ford has the Fiesta getting mileage like you are discussing...but you also have to realize the MPG ratings in Europe are different than in the US, yours are higher.

VonLego · 10-03-08, 11:00

Miles PER gallon are the same everywhere. If you convert to kilometers, you're likely converting to leters as well...

1 mile per gallon = 0.425143707 kilometers per liter (google ftw)

Pretty sure he's not saying 50 kpl is a five star rate.

Holden_C04 · 10-03-08, 11:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by VonLego

Miles PER gallon are the same everywhere. If you convert to kilometers, you're likely converting to leters as well...

1 mile per gallon = 0.425143707 kilometers per liter (google ftw)

Pretty sure he's not saying 50 kpl is a five star rate.

But not all gallons are the same.

paul34 · 10-03-08, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by VonLego

Miles PER gallon are the same everywhere. If you convert to kilometers, you're likely converting to leters as well...

1 mile per gallon = 0.425143707 kilometers per liter (google ftw)

Pretty sure he's not saying 50 kpl is a five star rate.

The imperial gallon is larger than the US gallon.

It's nice to hear you are getting such great mileage! Hopefully, with some luck, we'll see more manual, small displacement diesels here, too

.

Only issue is whether my fellow countrypeople are going to realize they don't need the capacity to haul 8 people plus a trailer around when they're the only ones driving in their car 99% of the time.

gmblack3a · 10-04-08, 02:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul34

Only issue is whether my fellow countrypeople are going to realize they don't need the capacity to haul 8 people plus a trailer around when they're the only ones driving in their car 99% of the time.

Hopefully some realize that my #1 concern is safety when selecting a car for my wife and daughter to drive around in.

Domas · 10-04-08, 02:51

Yep, almost always big car = safe car, because there is more space for deformation when car body absorbs the shock.

Lumadar · 10-04-08, 04:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by VonLego

Miles PER gallon are the same everywhere. If you convert to kilometers, you're likely converting to leters as well...

1 mile per gallon = 0.425143707 kilometers per liter (google ftw)

Pretty sure he's not saying 50 kpl is a five star rate.

You're right...but you're not at the same time

The guys below your post (above this one) nailed it.

Togorashi · 10-04-08, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domas

Yep, almost always big car = safe car, because there is more space for deformation when car body absorbs the shock.

Well, I would disagree. There are plenty of large heavy vehicles that have horrible crash ratings. Some models of Land Rover as an example. Conversely, there are lots of tiny cars that have fantastic crash ratings. The new Aptera for examle is tiny, but because of it's teardrop shape, it has fantastic crash ratings.

It's an over simplification to say that a large car has more space for deformation. It's really about how the forces get transferred through the car. It's WHERE the car gets deformed that matters. Does it get deformed where your legs happen to be or does it get deformed evenly throughout the frame? Size matters not.

Awsomeshine · 10-04-08, 01:40

Our Gallon is 4.5 litres I think US gallon is just 4 litres.

Volvo, Audi and VW have 5 star crash ratings in europe.

Lumadar · 10-04-08, 05:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Togorashi

Well, I would disagree. There are plenty of large heavy vehicles that have horrible crash ratings. Some models of Land Rover as an example. Conversely, there are lots of tiny cars that have fantastic crash ratings. The new Aptera for examle is tiny, but because of it's teardrop shape, it has fantastic crash ratings.

It's an over simplification to say that a large car has more space for deformation. It's really about how the forces get transferred through the car. It's WHERE the car gets deformed that matters. Does it get deformed where your legs happen to be or does it get deformed evenly throughout the frame? Size matters not.

He did say "almost" and of course both of you have valid points. There are safe small cars, but even a safe small car will lose when crashed into a large safe car.