General How any miles to a tankful?

[myyluigi]

That's what I was thinking. Might look into a petrol.
Dont get me wrong, I don't drive like an idiot, but I'm used to diesels that will sit comfortably at outside lane motorway speeds and give decent economy as well, which the little MJT doesn't. I'm really not sure where the car is supposed to be driven - forum users say its no good for town driving and then others say its no better when driven at the speed limit on the motorway. Surely Fiat haven't designed a car that should only be driven on empty A-roads.

My next couple of tankful tests is only to see if there is a preferred way to drive it- infact I've seen a couple of posts on here saying that the mjt is best driven like a hot hatch petrol, but with better economy??

 

[myyluigi]

Sorry, I've just seen your comment re my 'gutless' comment.
There is a difference between cruising speed and the way it gets up to it. The mjt will cruise reasonably well at decent speeds but the way it gets there is hard work unless you have a very big gap in the traffic or use revs like a petrol - I don't believe that it actually has the torque that they claim.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, just looking for other peoples thoughts about these cars which I was really happy to buy but have been disappointed with ever since. All replies are appreciated.

 

[myyluigi]

Btw - what model are you referring to when you say t-jet? (sorry for my ignorance).
With you having both an mjt and a twin air, what are their different uses? Which do you drive for which sort of journeys and what's the best for economy?

 

[jrkitching]

I'm not trying to be argumentative, just looking for other peoples thoughts about these cars which I was really happy to buy but have been disappointed with ever since. All replies are appreciated.

I've been keeping an interested watch on this thread .

Firstly, for the OP, I'm sorry you've been so badly disappointed with your purchase - the 95bhp MJ obviously hasn't given you the combination of performance and economy you were expecting, particularly on the motorway,

I very much doubt ANY 500 will perform outstandingly well in the economy stakes at 'outside lane motorway speeds' (whatever they are ). At those speeds, aerodynamic drag is everything, and the 500 simply isn't slippery enough to compete with the best of the motorway cruisers.

Manufacturer's official economy figures tell only a tiny part of the story, and your experiences show how important it can be to choose a car that is well matched to your typical journey profile & personal driving style.

I've not driven the Mjet, so can't really comment on what its optimal mission profile might be, but I suspect that operating in a country where there is a substantial fiscal advantage to running on diesel fuel might be a significant factor.

 

[306maxi]

I've been keeping an interested watch on this thread .

Firstly, for the OP, I'm sorry you've been so badly disappointed with your purchase - the 95bhp MJ obviously hasn't given you the combination of performance and economy you were expecting, particularly on the motorway,

I very much doubt ANY 500 will perform outstandingly well in the economy stakes at 'outside lane motorway speeds' (whatever they are ). At those speeds, aerodynamic drag is everything, and the 500 simply isn't slippery enough to compete with the best of the motorway cruisers.

Manufacturer's official economy figures tell only a tiny part of the story, and your experiences show how important it can be to choose a car that is well matched to your typical journey profile & personal driving style.

I've not driven the Mjet, so can't really comment on what its optimal mission profile might be, but I suspect that operating in a country where there is a substantial fiscal advantage to running on diesel fuel might be a significant factor.

Further to this, I think the OP needs to get on fuelly, too often we've seen people who don't work out MPG correctly and think that they're doing better or worse than they're actually doing.

 

[jrkitching]

Further to this, I think the OP needs to get on fuelly, too often we've seen people who don't work out MPG correctly and think that they're doing better or worse than they're actually doing.

The OP is on fuelly.

http://www.fuelly.com/sig-uk/60306.png

Myluigi - you might want to change the code in your sig so that your fuelly badge displays correctly. Follow this thread to find out how to do it:

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/283911-fuelly.html?p=2874647

 

[frupi]

Further to this, I think the OP needs to get on fuelly, too often we've seen people who don't work out MPG correctly and think that they're doing better or worse than they're actually doing.

I don't know if you have any thoughts on it Maxi, but actually, I'd rather appreciate your own comments. Obviously I posted the total fuel/mileage/mpg thing with our own POP yesterday. Having checked the figures carefully, I believe the overall mpg figure of 47.1 is correct over the entire six month period of ownership.

Wife's journeys mainly consist of a 17 mile round trip daily, 5 days a week. Clearly if we do a significantly long journey in 5th at 65mph on the M1 as an example, then the possibility of obtaining a figure of 60 mpg + for a single trip, is entirely achievable?

The only thing I didn't work out yesterday, is exactly how many miles per tank our POP is achieving which I guess was the whole point of this thread! If you are able to work that out for me on an average, I would be grateful as I really am rubbish at maffs!

 

[ahmett]

I've been keeping an interested watch on this thread .

Firstly, for the OP, I'm sorry you've been so badly disappointed with your purchase - the 95bhp MJ obviously hasn't given you the combination of performance and economy you were expecting, particularly on the motorway,

I very much doubt ANY 500 will perform outstandingly well in the economy stakes at 'outside lane motorway speeds' (whatever they are ). At those speeds, aerodynamic drag is everything, and the 500 simply isn't slippery enough to compete with the best of the motorway cruisers.

Manufacturer's official economy figures tell only a tiny part of the story, and your experiences show how important it can be to choose a car that is well matched to your typical journey profile & personal driving style.

I've not driven the Mjet, so can't really comment on what its optimal mission profile might be, but I suspect that operating in a country where there is a substantial fiscal advantage to running on diesel fuel might be a significant factor.

I agree the Fiat 500 has 'truck like' aerodynamics = ) Sorry Op but to get good economy on the Fiat 500 dont go above 60 mph = ((( At least all the drag helps slow down the car under braking from high speeds = )
I think the car can go faster than 190 kmh if it wasnt so drag friendly (i am talking about the 1.4 here).

Given your description, I think you are looking for a 320d.

 

[306maxi]

I don't know if you have any thoughts on it Maxi, but actually, I'd rather appreciate your own comments. Obviously I posted the total fuel/mileage/mpg thing with our own POP yesterday. Having checked the figures carefully, I believe the overall mpg figure of 47.1 is correct over the entire six month period of ownership.

Wife's journeys mainly consist of a 17 mile round trip daily, 5 days a week. Clearly if we do a significantly long journey in 5th at 65mph on the M1 as an example, then the possibility of obtaining a figure of 60 mpg + for a single trip, is entirely achievable?

The only thing I didn't work out yesterday, is exactly how many miles per tank our POP is achieving which I guess was the whole point of this thread! If you are able to work that out for me on an average, I would be grateful as I really am rubbish at maffs!

Best thing in terms of maths is to use fuelly

As a yardstick, I got 61 mpg over 440 odd miles going from North Wales up to Northumberland. On the way up it was doing an indicated 70 mpg but owing to the fact that I was there for 2 days I did a little bit of commuting from my hotel to the college I was visiting and the person who was training me needed a lift to his wifes work which was up on the moors so it dropped to 65.5 over the whole journey. If I'm perfectly honest I think I only touched 60 a couple of times on the whole journey and most of the time I was doing 50 as I was hardly pushed for time on the way up or back down. I should point out that i started out with a completely flat battery which would have drunk a bit of fuel to get fully charged again.

So is 60 doable on a long trip at 60? Possibly if you're on skinny eco pop tyres and you don't hit any traffic, but otherwise probably not.

In terms of your wifes commute, I think that's a decent enough figure. When I had a 22 mile commute on A and B roads I was getting 47-50 mpg just driving fairly normally and keeping up with traffic. When I had a 40 mile commute my figures ranged from 53-59 mpg over the three tankfuls I did whilst I was doing that job.

Best advice I can give is to try not to brake if you can help it!

Every single fuel up in the life of the car is here -> http://www.fuelly.com/driver/306maxi/500 . If you see any fuel up more than 42 litres it's a combined fuel up and any fuelup more than 504 miles is obviously combined as well. As I said before, this results in an average range of 387 miles and seeing as I'm only fuelling up with an average of 36 litres of fuel, I would be averaging 450 if I ran down every tank.

IMHO there's no excuse for any fuel up under 300 miles for a 1.2 or MJ or twinair for that matter, unless of course you're off on a long journey and want to fill up before you get on the motorway or whatever.

 

[jrkitching]

...if we do a significantly long journey in 5th at 65mph on the M1 as an example, then the possibility of obtaining a figure of 60 mpg + for a single trip, is entirely achievable?

At 55mph you'll do it easily. At 60, like Maxi says, just maybe. At 65 I'd say it's unlikely unless you've got a stiff tailwind*.

IMHO there's no excuse for any fuel up under 300 miles for a 1.2 or MJ or twinair for that matter, unless of course you're off on a long journey and want to fill up before you get on the motorway or whatever.

Or if you're down to half a tank & you happen across some particularly cheap fuel .

*This is real mpg. To get 60mpg true, I generally need to be looking at trip figures of at least 63-64.

 

[ahmett]

Or if you're down to half a tank & you happen across some particularly cheap fuel .

You should see the differences in greece. On the main road today it is 1.785 euros a liter.
ON the side road to the guy i always go to, it is 1.725 = ) Thats like 3 euros a tank!

 

[jrkitching]

You should see the differences in greece. On the main road today it is 1.785 euros a liter.
ON the side road to the guy i always go to, it is 1.725 = ) Thats like 3 euros a tank!

The difference is just as great here in the UK, Ahmett.

 

[ahmett]

The difference is just as great here in the UK, Ahmett.

Maybe i should have ventured out of the London and Surrey/Berkshire areas more often = ) The only crazy difference i saw was a texaco in knightsbridge that was ridiculous so i put 5 pounds in just to get me home!

 

[frupi]

Best thing in terms of maths is to use fuelly

So is 60 doable on a long trip at 60? Possibly if you're on skinny eco pop tyres and you don't hit any traffic, but otherwise probably not.

In terms of your wifes commute, I think that's a decent enough figure. When I had a 22 mile commute on A and B roads I was getting 47-50 mpg just driving fairly normally and keeping up with traffic. When I had a 40 mile commute my figures ranged from 53-59 mpg over the three tankfuls I did whilst I was doing that job.

Best advice I can give is to try not to brake if you can help it!

Every single fuel up in the life of the car is here -> http://www.fuelly.com/driver/306maxi/500 . If you see any fuel up more than 42 litres it's a combined fuel up and any fuelup more than 504 miles is obviously combined as well. As I said before, this results in an average range of 387 miles and seeing as I'm only fuelling up with an average of 36 litres of fuel, I would be averaging 450 if I ran down every tank.

IMHO there's no excuse for any fuel up under 300 miles for a 1.2 or MJ or twinair for that matter, unless of course you're off on a long journey and want to fill up before you get on the motorway or whatever.

Wife fills up from orange light every time, takes 42 litres on average
.
Car running on standard 14 inch steelies with eco pops (I've taken the winters off!)

Wife rarely goes above 60mph anyway. Even the short dual carriageway trip she does each day, no real need for her to exceed that speed.

Sadly, my wife is far heavier footed on the brake than I ever am. I always ease off the throttle and roll up to lights/roundabouts using the gears. Wife hits brake about 20 metres from the lights! I think I might be changing the discs and pads later this year lol!

All in all, still very pleased with the average return figure so far.

 

[306maxi]

Wife fills up from orange light every time, takes 42 litres on average
.
Car running on standard 14 inch steelies with eco pops (I've taken the winters off!)

Wife rarely goes above 60mph anyway. Even the short dual carriageway trip she does each day, no real need for her to exceed that speed.

Sadly, my wife is far heavier footed on the brake than I ever am. I always ease off the throttle and roll up to lights/roundabouts using the gears. Wife hits brake about 20 metres from the lights! I think I might be changing the discs and pads later this year lol!

All in all, still very pleased with the average return figure so far.

42 litres? You're one of the few people who actually brims it then!

My wife is the same with the brake too. I'll lift off in advance and come to a roundabout at a speed I could go through without braking yet she'll be going to fast or will just brake for no real reason.....

 

[jrkitching]

Sadly, my wife is far heavier footed on the brake than I ever am. I always ease off the throttle and roll up to lights/roundabouts using the gears. Wife hits brake about 20 metres from the lights! I think I might be changing the discs and pads later this year lol!

Ah well, they're easy & cheap to change .

 

[frupi]

Ah well, they're easy & cheap to change .

Apologies, I've just seen my own mistake there. I never fill up, I've just looked at the petrol receipts, wife puts in on average £42 per tank, average around 31 litres.

I've slapped myself

 

[306maxi]

Apologies, I've just seen my own mistake there. I never fill up, I've just looked at the petrol receipts, wife puts in on average £42 per tank, average around 31 litres.

I've slapped myself

Ah 42 pounds. Makes more sense

 

[frupi]

You should see the differences in greece. On the main road today it is 1.785 euros a liter.
ON the side road to the guy i always go to, it is 1.725 = ) Thats like 3 euros a tank!

Yes Ahmett the differences here can be pretty steep. My local supermarket currently charging GBP 1.32.7p per litre of standard unleaded fuel. Motorway service station 4 miles away from me charging GBP 1.40p per litre.

Still never ever ever figured out why people (who aren't running company cars) fill up at motorway service stations. I've always planned my journeys in advance. If I have to come off the motorway and travel two miles to a supermarket to save 8 to 10 pence a litre, I will do it 'cause I'm tight!

 

[ahmett]

Ah 42 pounds. Makes more sense

haha unless he pushes his car to the petrol station each time = )