Case in point (although not a truck in this instance). The guy I ‘employed’ to drive my new 1.7 Astravan back from Knebworth (170 miles in total) followed me all the way back and it was a clear run sat around 80-85mph for the majority. I checked the average mpg on the trip computer when we got back home - 38 mpg . For reference, my 3 litre beemer which is about twice as heavy and has twice the bhp managed to do 49 mpg. Both are 6 speed manual boxes.
I was seriously worried there was something wrong with it so I reset the trip computer, drove him home to Bradford in it and then back to mine again (around 12 miles) which is all local roads 30/40mph and even with a couple of short blasts to see what the power was like I managed to get 44.5 mpg from it . My faith was completely restored when I had to go over to Manchester last night which turned out to be a 100 round trip near enough, doing 80-85mph and the trip computer returned a healthy 57.7 mpg (reset prior to leaving).
So how the ■■■■ did he only get 38 mpg? I’m tempted to ask him but I don’t want to upset him . He must’ve driven it back in 3rd gear or something. . I did reset it prior to leaving Knebworth too, so nothing before picking it up could’ve affected the figure.
Some people just don’t seem able to drive economically. I’ve been a passenger in cars/vans/trucks with other people and very few of them could drive smoothly. They were either fully on and off the gas all the time like a damned yoyo or had some inbred thing of having to tear arse away up to the speed limit as fast as the vehicle would let them. WTF is that all about?
Do you know or employee a driver that can’t drive for [zb] or are you even one yourself that consistently gets poor mpg?
“morning” well i would’nt worry about an employee geting 38mpg from a c**py van when you have just admitted at doing a steady 80-85 mph in your very over rated 6speed baverian battle bus on the blog you just might need said employee to be a chauffer for you one day(speed kills).
Well he wasn’t paying for the fuel so it wasn’t he problem really though that is exceptionally poor for an astra van you should have gone for a citreon memo you’d have got near 65 mpg mate had one and driven properly not exceeding 70 he was getting 68-70 mpg
flapper:
“morning” well i would’nt worry about an employee geting 38mpg from a c**py van when you have just admitted at doing a steady 80-85 mph in your very over rated 6speed baverian battle bus on the blog you just might need said employee to be a chauffer for you one day(speed kills).
Haven’t got a ■■■■■■■ clue what you’re on about, so the best I can reply with is ‘whatever’.
alix776:
Well he wasn’t paying for the fuel so it wasn’t he problem really though that is exceptionally poor for an astra van you should have gone for a citreon memo you’d have got near 65 mpg mate had one and driven properly not exceeding 70 he was getting 68-70 mpg
I don’t think you read the post Alix. I said that when I drove it there was nothing wrong with the mpg. I did a stint at bang on 70 myself and it too was doing high 60s. If you get above 60 mpg doing 80-85mph with an engine of that size or bigger then you’re doing really well as the wind resistence plays a bit factor at that speed.
As for the Citroen Memo, have you seen the posts on the citroen owners forums and honestjohn about those blowing up? I’ll stick with my Vauxhall’s thanks. Far from perfect but I’ve had over 10 of them in my life time (both petrol and diesel) and generally they’d proved to be pretty reliable overall.
Anyway, the thread is about crap drivers being unable to get drive economically not reliability of vehicles (and not a discussion for the self-righteous to comment on what speeds I drive at either ).
alix776:
Well he wasn’t paying for the fuel so it wasn’t he problem really though that is exceptionally poor for an astra van you should have gone for a citreon memo you’d have got near 65 mpg mate had one and driven properly not exceeding 70 he was getting 68-70 mpg
I don’t think you read the post Alix. I said that when I drove it there was nothing wrong with the mpg. I did a stint at bang on 70 myself and it too was doing high 60s. If you get above 60 mpg doing 80-85mph with an engine of that size or bigger then you’re doing really well as the wind resistence plays a bit factor at that speed.
As for the Citroen Memo, have you seen the posts on the citroen owners forums and honestjohn about those blowing up? I’ll stick with my Vauxhall’s thanks. Far from perfect but I’ve had over 10 of them in my life time (both petrol and diesel) and generally they’d proved to be pretty reliable overall.
Anyway, the thread is about crap drivers being unable to get drive economically not reliability of vehicles (and not a discussion for the self-righteous to comment on what speeds I drive at either ).
Rob K:
Anyway, the thread is about crap drivers being unable to get drive economically not reliability of vehicles (and not a discussion for the self-righteous to comment on what speeds I drive at either ).
So any comments from Adam Mc wont be worth reading! I get 9.5 and 2 others on identical wagons get 7.5. We all do same sort of route and mileage over the week…When I drive other peoples trucks, I like to try and beat the “best mpg” shown on the computer; bit of a “haha, I beat your highest score!” However, grass around the axles does affect mpg figures.
Rob K:
Anyway, the thread is about crap drivers being unable to get drive economically not reliability of vehicles (and not a discussion for the self-righteous to comment on what speeds I drive at either ).
So any comments from Adam Mc wont be worth reading
Are they ever…
I get 9.5 and 2 others on identical wagons get 7.5. We all do same sort of route and mileage over the week…When I drive other peoples trucks, I like to try and beat the “best mpg” shown on the computer; bit of a “haha, I beat your highest score!” However, grass around the axles does affect mpg figures.
Haha! I was looking to slip in a comment about that but you’ve shut down before I had the chance . I used to always get what I considered good mpg figures from the trucks I drove too. I also had a thing of beating the figure on the display as well, for exactly the same reasons as you . I used to see it as my personal challenge when driving the XFs for Hanson to get the mpg display into double figures when doing the water down to Thurrock and then bananas back to Wakefield. Both loads were maxed out weight wise and it required a VERY delicate foot and much forward planning at roundabouts and junctions in order to keep her rolling. These loads were always in fridge trailers so not too much wind resistence height wise, plus I used to cruise at 50 instead of the limiter but I’d let her run on to 60 down the hills . 10 mpg is achievable at full weight running like that (had a few over 10.5 too) but most drivers don’t care as they’re not picking up the tab are they?
I have one who drives my truck on nights, the pedals have 2 positions, accelerator is up or down, brake is full on or off, cruise control not used on a motorway night trunk, “its too dangerous” !!
Trouble is though his mpg figures are lumped in with mine for the truck and a paid bonus On my own I can push the average up by 1.5mpg, I do A roads, towns, multi drop, he does a straight motorway trunk trailer swap, over 2yrs with this truck the accident score is 3-0 to him Great ! I also get to drive a truck with bumps and scrapes on it !
Don’t start me about its too dark to put the truck through the wash on nights
Ok rant over
How close was he following you? He was probably on and off the brakes all the time if he was a bit close and didn’t have the brains to increase the gap a little to avoid it.
A lot of it is down to tailgating the vehicle in front. The amount of people who drive too close to the vehicle in front is amazing. I don’t know if it’s down to the pressure of having someone else behind you so you must not leave a gap in front of you so the vehicle behind doesn’t get the hump or what. Most people don’t even realise they are doing anything wrong I believe. Sometimes you have to do it in a truck for an overtake but in a car there’s no excuse.
I must admit to being a heavy right footer on most occasions when the road is clear even in the truck which is strange as it’s mine.
Are you in business for yourself now Rob? (bet it’s not owner driving!)
Do you know one?
. My faith was completely restored when I had to go over to Manchester last night which turned out to be a 100 round trip near enough, doing 80-85mph and the trip computer returned a healthy 57.7 mpg (reset prior to leaving).
. He must’ve driven it back in 3rd gear or something. 
well i would’nt worry about an employee geting 38mpg from a c**py van 
when you have just admitted at doing a steady 80-85 mph 
in your very over rated 6speed baverian battle bus 
you just might need said employee to be a chauffer for you one day(speed kills).
).
. I used to always get what I considered good mpg figures from the trucks I drove too. I also had a thing of beating the figure on the display as well, for exactly the same reasons as you 
. 10 mpg is achievable at full weight running like that (had a few over 10.5 too) but most drivers don’t care as they’re not picking up the tab are they? 
On my own I can push the average up by 1.5mpg, I do A roads, towns, multi drop, he does a straight motorway trunk trailer swap, over 2yrs with this truck the accident score is 3-0 to him