Introducing Hermann - no really...

[320touring]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I really hate these LCD fuel gauges, they're too unaccurate and poor-looking.

Another case where "digital" is inferior to analogue..

so, Arragonis, how many miles to £10, and what was the price per litre?

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by 320touring

Another case where "digital" is inferior to analogue..

If "Digital" actually included digits (as in "you have xxx.xx litres remaining") then it would be superior, but these segmented displays are naff. They were naff in the 1980s and have not improved. The Prius has the same issue, stupid.

Originally Posted by 320touring

so, Arragonis, how many miles to £10, and what was the price per litre?

I didn't record them properly - although I do recall £10 got me about 7.4(ish) litres. I did about 75 miles which would equate to ~45-48 MPG which isn't bad given I didn't really try at all. This also coincided with school holidays so I managed to avoid Embra and the useless traffic management employed there too. Additionally Marco had no redeeming features, well maybe one - no rattles, and no character. Just a bland, silver, humming thing - the Bosch fridge of cars.

Hermann is back, all fixed so I can start to look at some eco mods, non-eco mods and some other fixes. His rear is as smooth as a, er, rear should be

[Arragonis]

Hermann is back - new tailgate is fitted and looks shiney and above all crust free. They have blended in the new paint to the rest quite well. I did have to pay for a new rear wash pump as the old one was leaking but that seems little to pay for a whole new car part painted, fitted and warrantied.

On the MPG front started to get mid-30s on the SG2 (early 40s on board) on the way to work which is mostly uphill. By comparison George would do early to mid 50s on the SG2 and the Polo did in the 40s.

The gearbox is starting to be a pain - hesitating on take off sometimes and being quite jerky to change. Will check fluid levels at some point. I think tyre pressures may be down as well.

EDIT - went to check washer fluid (it was empty before it went to Audi) and it was full - Thanks Audi

[Arragonis]

A new tank of 33.4(imp) is a drop on the last one. Very little driving, mostly town kills MPG, longer warm up times, plus not enough time to either wash Hermann or hypermile him - might do a video of my routes so you can see the full 'orrer.

[Arragonis]

Another new tank but the other way - a trip to Inverness. I think Hermann likes longer trips more than the usual stop-start town driving he has to put up with day to day.

[320touring]

Looks a decent improvement.

I imagine the gearing and BSFC is set for that 60-80mph range?

[Arragonis]

Not sure about the BSFC but the gearing is really set for long journeys out of town rather than the suburban driving and traffic I have to deal with - damn you Edinburgh and your useless traffic management, damn you...

1st and 2nd are low and just serve to make every start from standstill really annoying. 3rd is held until 25 MPH (~1800 rpm) and then 4th is selectable from 25, but the box likes to swap down to 3rd as soon as speed drops below 24. 5th is selectable at 35 and will hold down to 32, 6th is selectable from 45 and will hold down to 40.

When cold the box holds 2nd a lot and needs a hefty push to make it go at all and then responds with clunky gearchanges - worse than a learner in an original Mini. The car won't move much unless the RPMs are over 2K. When warm 1500 is enough to make it accelerate at a decent rate.

In summary the gearbox is kind of like driving with someone else working the gears, who is wearing boxing gloves, and is drunk, and can't see outside anyway. Oh and they don't understand MPG or gearing or even what a car is either.

We are doing a trip from the Northern Colony to civilisation and back again tomorrow which won't be an eco drive and will empty the tank - so we shall see if the longer trip idea holds.

EDIT - i.e. this is the perfect car to cross a continent - Wick to Instanbul would be a lovely trip in it.

[320touring]

My Burd has banned me from looking at that map incase I get ideas

[Arragonis]

Well that didn't work - worse tank ever...

[freebeard]

EDIT - i.e. this is the perfect car to cross a continent - Wick to Instanbul would be a lovely trip in it.

What's that take, about 3 days? With a Golden Arrow-style full boat-tail, you could put down a kick-stand and use it as a [clip-on instead of slide-in] camper.