Fuel usage

[Dusty1]

My lease runs out in Jan 2011, and when I filled up earlier this week I've done 27,715 kms. I have a diesel, and I have to decide whether or not it's worth my while looking at another when the lease is up. I'd like the wagon, but Ford haven't said it coming yet, so it's hatch only. Unless I go petrol.

I'd like to know what you are averaging with your fuel to see a. I am similar to you and b. whether the diesel is worth it for me. I thought I was going to be doing a lot of kilometres but changed jobs and don't. Like the diesel for economy, but the extra cost over the petrol is hard for me to make back with the number of kilometres I drive.

It will be interesting to see petrol and diesel. BTW, I never turn the a/c off, and do the majority of my driving in the city, with maybe 1 or 2 long highway trips (Melb - Colac) a month, which would be about 300 kms round trip.

Thanks to GRT046 for the spreadsheet that I've been keeping that shows all this.

1. Last fill up - 27/7/09
2. No. of kms - 27,715
3. Avg kms traveled between fill ups - 565.4
4. Avg total fuel cost - $74.89
5. Avg litres used - 46.9
6. Avg fuel usage - 7.7 l/100 kms
7. Highest price for diesel - $1.869 (12/7/08)
8. Cheapest price paid for diesel - $1.119 (24/3/09)

[scribbly]

I'm not keeping accurate tabs but the recorded average on the car is now 6.4l/100km.
I have 65000 km done.

[Dusty1]

Originally Posted by scribbly

I'm not keeping accurate tabs but the recorded average on the car is now 6.4l/100km.
I have 65000 km done.

That's not bad. I'd be interested to see what the petrol models are getting.

You're up and down the Calder a bit aren't you? If you got the heated seats, you're probably loving them - I am and I'm in Melbourne.

[ian b]

I am coming up to 30000 service and currently average 8.7lt/100km. I wanted performance with some semblence of fuel economy and I think I have just about got both.

Most my driving is freeway/highway from Sydney to Blue Mountains. (Heated seats good for this trip also) Usually run with the climate set to auto/ac on.

It would be interesting to see what you XR5 guys with more stop/start urban city driving are getting?

[scribbly]

Originally Posted by Dusty1

...You're up and down the Calder a bit aren't you? If you got the heated seats, you're probably loving them - I am and I'm in Melbourne.

Yeah and the seats heat up faster than the car heaters. My wife mainly drives the Calder but we do a short trip every morning & afternoon to drop one of the kids off for the school bus. Typical country living though with the fact that the school bus drop off is 20km all added up but most of it is at 90-100 kmh.
I find the turbo part loves the morning cold and when this next hot summer comes up then the diesel will love that temp.

[bathurst77]

Stock Zetec hatch. (currently with .. ahem.. custom front corner body mods OUCH!)
live near ian B so do same drive as him.
40,000 km up now

average speed 59 kmh
Average fuel 9.5 l/100km
I get about 720Km tween fills and put about 68-72km in per fill (I run it right down and fill it all the way). Nearly always e10, put in 95 or 98 once every month or so when price is good.

Seems xr5 uses 1 litre less than the zetec for evey 100 km, thats about about $125 for 10,000km lets say $250-300 per year.
(xr5 would need premium fuel tho, does it run on e10? If not then it woud cost the same or more per 100km as zetec on e10)

tdci uses 2.5 less (but diesel costs more per litre)
so prob about $200 per 10,000 Km or about $400- 500 per year

So you are gunna have to do a LOT of km before the tdci or xr5 woiuld be cheaper to own then the zetec, once you count in higher purchase price plus interest, servicing costs and insurance (for xr5)
But then there would be higher resale i guess. (contradicting myself..)

so i guess you buy the one that makes you happiest.

I like my zetec. I have driven a TDCi a fair bit and liked the extra urge, but found it not as smooth or quiet as zetec, and I cant afford the xr5.

[NZ XR6]

I just posted this in another thread:

I recently ran 3 tanks of petrol in mine without resetting the trip computer and averaged 9.2 l/100km. This was probably about 25% city, 25% motorway and 50% open road, and definitely not economy driving. I'm pretty happy with this, especially considering the size and weight of the car.

The best I've managed is 8.4l/100km cruising at about 100 km/hr and being careful with the throttle. This equates to a range of about 850 km!

[ian b]

Yes, XR runs on RON 95, I haven't tried E10 although the sticker of the filler flap says it is compatible.

I find that due to the extra torque I can run a low revs at low speeds which may go some way to explaining the low fuel use, plus downhill from Blue Mountains helps.

[piquetcon]

I do 95% city driving and am lucky to do more than 200km's in a week. Lots of short trips, often the motor doesn't get a chance to warm up and the average for my XR5 is 11.9l/100km. In a return trip from Melbourne to Adelaide it averaged 7.9l/100km

[apstar]

Yeh but don't forget your behind the 8 ball with the Turbo Diesel v Petrol because we have paid over $3000+ extra for the engine and that buys a lot of petrol!!

apstar

[paulie0735]

Originally Posted by ian b

It would be interesting to see what you XR5 guys with more stop/start urban city driving are getting?

95% city driving in traffic. 5% tight country roads with my foot 'buried' in it!! 40,000 k's old and my latest my lease plan report is showing a total average usage of 9.4 lts/100.

[DRU842]

Haven't got the exact figures but computer says I'm running 9.5ltr/100km or better around town.

[apstar]

Originally Posted by DRU842

Haven't got the exact figures but computer says I'm running 9.5ltr/100km or better around town.

yep same as mine 10ltr/100 so much for the 7.9 on the car label

apstar

[buts44]

I have XR5 and drive between brisbane and the gold coast with 60000 km's. Average fuel is 8.8.

[paulie0735]

Originally Posted by apstar

yep same as mine 10ltr/100 so much for the 7.9 on the car label

apstar

The label is not telling you what fuel usage you can expect. Its the advertised result of a government controlled testing procedure. All cars are tested exactly the same way and the results must be published on the window when they are offered for sale. The purpose of the test is so people can make direct comparisons between different cars, its not generally expected to be the fuel consumption you would expect, there is quite simply to many variables to predict what fuel consumption you will actually achieve.

[Dusty1]

My BA Futura used to get about 14 - 15 litres around the city and drop to about 9.5 on the highway. From my 7.7, the highest so far for Petrol is about 9.5 and lowest is about 8.

Not really that much difference is there? the $3K is a bit of an ask, and as Bathurst77 said, I like it, so that's it.

The main benefit for me with the diesel is that I don't fill up that often, and I am saving about a dollar per litre more than a petrol does over 100Kms. Am I correct in saying that us diesel drivers are saving, what I get 800 to a tank or so, about $8 each time I fill up? My maths aren't real flash.

[NZ XR6]

If you look at the UK Mondeo forum, a lot of diesel owners are disappointed with their fuel consumption. Around 35-40 mpg (7-8 l/100km) seems about average.

I intended to buy a diesel, but when I did the calculations, it just wasn't worth it, even at 25,000 kms per year. The diesel certainly has more torque than the petrol, which does feel a little underpowered. So there may be other reasons for buying diesel, but saving money isn't one of them.

[Katoomba]

"feel a little underpowered"

My Zetec has done 60,000 kms now and I certainly wouldn't say it's underpowered. Only today on a long drive I kept noticing how zippy it is.

Perhaps the engine has loosened up a lot at this mileage.

One of the reasons I didn't buy a diesel (there were actually quite a few) were horror stories from friends about the cost of repairs to diesel engines.

[NZ XR6]

Take a new Mazda 6 or Honda Accord for a test drive, then see how your Mondeo feels...

[Dusty1]

Originally Posted by NZ XR6

Take a new Mazda 6 or Honda Accord for a test drive, then see how your Mondeo feels...

Will I notice a good thing or a bad thing?

I know I took a hit leasing a diesel, and I did it as I had a job in which I thought I was going to do a lot of driving - that changed. I do like the idea that we can head off on the weekend with a full tank of diesel and not need to refill for another 600 - 700 kilometres. Which in our case normally equates to about two weeks between fills.

I was looking at the Mazda6 here: http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/results.aspx?Qpb=true&Cr=2&SearchAction=N&N=1216+4 294965340+4294961345+4294922008+1621++1652+1246&si lo=1011&sid=121F019C6BC8&seot=1&Nne=15&YearFromSho rt=1652&trecs=15&Ns=pCar_YearMade_Int32|1||pCar_Ra nkSort_Int32|1||pCar_PriceSort_Decimal|0, and they don't look too bad.

If I was to change from a Mondeo (petrol or diesel) when the lease is up the Mazda 6 Sports Luxury will be on the list to take for a test drive.

[scribbly]

Wait until you take your Mazda in for a service. I had one years ago and is this a pricey exercise or what?
I've driven a few new Mazda 6 rentals about and I'm not impressed. I'm aware a rental might be a bit 'thrashed' but I don't really like the model.

[NZ XR6]

Originally Posted by Dusty1

Will I notice a good thing or a bad thing?

The Mazda and especially the Honda are both noticeably quicker than a 2.3 petrol Mondeo. But in everyday driving, the Mondeo diesel would probably feel quite similar, if not quicker.

Originally Posted by Dusty1

I know I took a hit leasing a diesel, and I did it as I had a job in which I thought I was going to do a lot of driving - that changed. I do like the idea that we can head off on the weekend with a full tank of diesel and not need to refill for another 600 - 700 kilometres. Which in our case normally equates to about two weeks between fills.

I usually get at least 700 per tank from my petrol Mondeo. So you wouldn't notice much difference in range.

Dusty1, I'm sure that the automotive landscape will be a very different place by the time you lease your next car. I'm sure by then the Mondeo will have the DSG gearbox, and might even have the new Ecoboost engine. I'd guess the fuel economy (and power!) of the Ecoboost will be far better than the current 2.3, and who knows how much better the diesel will be.

There will be a hybrid Camry in 2010, and I'm sure that the other Japanese manufacturers will have significant powertrain advances also. But we'll need all this as the price of petrol will surely begin to increase again soon...

[XtRmn8]

2007 Zetec sedan 2.3L

26000kms
Average Speed 49km/h
Average Consumption: 9.1L/100km
Average tank rage 720-750kms
Average fill-up 62-65L

Best range out of a tank was on a long weekend trip down south when the car had about 5000kms on the clock and got about 860kms for a tank.

Very impressed with the cars economy. Always fill with Caltex PULP 95.

[Dusty1]

NZ XR6 - hopefully those things will happen, but being in Australia we do tend to be a kick and a handball behind Europe (and you guys). My lease is up early 2011, and going by how fast this year is speeding by, that will come up before I know it.

XtRmn8 - thanks for the info. Makes the differences between the diesel and petrol more interesting.

[jweb]

Originally Posted by NZ XR6

Take a new Mazda 6 or Honda Accord for a test drive, then see how your Mondeo feels...

Dont suggest that he may trade his car in for one of those.Or a diesel mondeo

[NZ XR6]

Originally Posted by jweb

Dont suggest that he may trade his car in for one of those.Or a diesel mondeo

No, I wasn't suggesting that he get an Accord or Mazda 6! This was a reply to Katoomba who thought that his petrol Mondeo was "zippy". Certainly not a word I'd use to describe mine.

[jweb]

Originally Posted by NZ XR6

No, I wasn't suggesting that he get an Accord or Mazda 6! This was a reply to Katoomba who thought that his petrol Mondeo was "zippy". Certainly not a word I'd use to describe mine.

I think you misunderstood what i meant.I meant that if he test drove those cars,he would want to trade in his mondeo,as he would find that the mondeo is actually not "zippy" in comparison.