I booked a test drive in something special

[vtec-e]

A peugeot 308HDi.....oh....my...GOD!!!
Here is the link:How low can you go?
Check out the results tab. I may be in with a chance here! Pics tomorrow, all going well.....heh!

ollie

[RH77]

Nice! Let us know how it goes...

A couple years ago Peugeot had a Diesel-Hybrid concept (I think it was a 300-series) that really had my interest. Too bad it never made it to production (not that I could buy it in the U.S., but it could have perhaps forced some competition world-wide).

RH77

[Daox]

Sounds like fun! Good luck.

[Piwoslaw]

Um, Ollie, when will we see you in the "Winners" tab?
You're lucky! Too bad they don't do that around here I mean, sure, I can go for a test drive, but it's not the same...

[vtec-e]

I read an advert in a paper about it and it said the top prize will be given in time for Christmas so there will be plenty of time for others to try and better whatever i get later today. I think the winners tab is for the weekly winners that get a 100 euro fuel voucher.
Which worries me as the top dog in there at the moment is at 3.3L/100k. The next guy got 3.4 and he drove it like he drives his own car..... If he normally hypermiles then i have serious competition. If he drove like everybody else then there's a good chance i'll come back from the test drive having used no fuel at all!! I hope there won't be anybody in the car with me. Then i can throw the book at it.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by vtec-e

Which worries me as the top dog in there at the moment is at 3.3L/100k.

Yes, but he doesn't have the whole EcoModder.com squad backing him, does he?

Originally Posted by vtec-e

I hope there won't be anybody in the car with me. Then i can throw the book at it.

Maybe you should have gone to a different dealer earlier and asked for a test drive. This would allow you to get a feel for the car beforehand. I guess that if you won't be alone (which is more probable), then tricks like EOC are out of the question Will you be able to check/change tire pressure before you get into the car? I doubt removing the rear seats is an opton, neither is mirror chopping

I wonder what they'd say if someone showed up with a strapon roof extension and wheel skirts? "Excuse me, will I have time to do a belly pan before it's my turn?"

Wish you best of luck!!!

[vtec-e]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

strapon roof extension

That sounds scary!!

[vtec-e]

I did the test drive and it didn't go as well as i had hoped:

I threw everything at it but it wouldn't play ball. I think my p&g technique is ok but it only made things worse. Coasting didnt save enough to offset what was lost when i accelerated again. EOC didn't work either as the computer didn't register anything then. Great.
I do think that it did well at 90kph so when i get a chance again i'll do more of that.
Here's more pics:



The belly pan is pretty good. Has vents pointing at the gearbox i assume. There were panels either side of the tank and they stopped short of the rear axle. Otherwise the underside was normal enough.
I thought the engine bay was fairly sparse too. I was expecting a jungle of wires and sensors but it was more like an old vintage car in there!
I'll get another two chances to drive it and can have it overnight some weekend too so i'll hopefully do better then.

ollie

[Cd]

Why can't we have cars like this over here across the pond ? Instead, we are stuck with boxes on wheels that get horrible mileage, and look like a six year old designed them.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by vtec-e

I did the test drive and it didn't go as well as i had hoped:

Oh, man! I just lost the money I'd put on your winning (Just kidding ) I think you did pretty good with such a heavy car.
Is the car's computer the only measure of FE? If so, then I wouldn't even call it a "Contest", but more like "Let's see what random numbers you get this time". I know from other Peugeot owners that the comp can be off by as much as 2 l/100km (!), usually it's closer to 0.5 l/100km. And it's not constant for each car: I once did a 5.0 l/100km tank but the comp showed 4.5, a few months later I did a 4.7 tank and the comp showed 4.8. One of reasons I want a SGII is the hope that it will be more accurate.

In most eco-races the car's tank is filled to the top before and after each run, and a GPS in the car measures the distance (we all know that odometers are usually off by up to 5%). I've read about one eco-race in which the car and driver are weighed before and after the race, and the difference is translated into fuel. If your car wasn't filled up before and after, then every next contestant gets to drive a lighter car.

What did the test course look like? Was it a closed circuit, or city/rural driving? What was the weather? Did you have your coffee in the morning?

Originally Posted by vtec-e

I'll get another two chances to drive it and can have it overnight some weekend too so i'll hopefully do better then.

That's good. Getting used to the car is important. Plus you can fiddle with the tire pressure. I'd slap on a grille block, b/c the grilles in the newest Pugs are grossly oversized and just plain U-G-L-Y!! I bet that would be the most help, without doing anything more radical. Have you signed up for the next try?