OK - Trip done. And the result is (drum roll)
52.6 MPG (imp).
Not bad given my old target was 50.
Main result was the whole trip done on one tank, which is more than 200 miles greater than I used to get from a single tank. I set off on the way back assuming I would have to stop and refill but I did it all in one go - 5 hours roughly - the tank did not seem to want to die. And best of all as it is all for work its all claimable at a mileage rate...
As I tapped originally I had no time to do much prep except check tyres, oil and washer bottle level, clean the screen and lights, and set off - I would do anyway. My tyres are at 45 just now. I'm going to go higher but left it at that for now.
Things I learned :
- An early start is good. The Police don't bother about you doing speed limit + 10 when there is nobody else around. I was passed at 90 in one spot by the cop and he just waved as he went by. A non aggresive style, lane discipline etc. probably help. If I was flashing people out of my way or 20+ over the limit I probably would have been stopped.
- A technique for FE that worked overall was to choose a min speed and a target MPG. My min speed on the way dowqn was 70 and MPG was 50, on the way back it was 60 and MPG was 60. In other words if I hit 60 MPG I could press on a little and gain some speed for the next flat section or uphill part. If I hit 60 on a hill I would pulse and maintain it.
- Anticipation is your friend - even for others. I could work out where someone would have ample time and space to move over to pass me when I moved out so got in nobody's way. Similarly I don't draft as I think its not worth the risk (OK I think its testicularly stupid - there I tapped it) but you can get a safe and similar effect by timing pull out to pass just when a faster vehicle has gone by.
- This is especially true if you end up in the same lanes as trucks. If they lose speed its a lot of time, fuel and effort for them to remake it - much more than mine.
- Similarly non-aggresive driving is also your friend - if you can lift off and let someone pass before pulling out to pass you gain quite a bit. If you ease off early enough then you can let a whole queue by with only just lifting off.
- Some people don't seem to realise that the big, glassy thing in front of them is designed to let them see what is happening in front - some people are really poor at anticipating speeds of others. I'm not talking about pulling out but just being in a lane doing a speed.
- Especially when they are on the phone.
- The left hand (nearside or slower) lane on UK motorways are cr@p. They have 2 large ruts caused by heavier Euro trucks in each one, making the ride quite uncomfortable. Where the heck have my taxes gone ?
- Which leads to the left hand lane being empty except for trucks. I ambled along at my speed and spent 5+ miles and 30+ cars undertaking all those morons who wouldn't move to the left in Cheshire. Which was good progress I suppose as I could keep to my target easily.
- And at the same time this lack of maintenance doesn't seem to limit the number of roadworks and lower temporary limits. These offer an excuse for slower speeds as nobody wants to get photographed by the average speed cameras. But using Sat Nav speed I was passing most people in these as everyone trusts their speedo totally.
- Side winds are weird at speed - Sometimes it seemed like someone was pushing me along and sometimes it felt like someone had glued my tyres to the road without any changes I could detect - no change in direction or the stuff at the side of the road - trees, fences and so on. I also couldn't work out a pattern based on wind direction (based on trees bending over etc.) - something to ponder.
- I didn't use AC at all, I opened the passenger windows when I first got in after warm weather and waited until the air inside had been replaced by cooler air from outside. A neat feature of the Fabia is that the ventilation system stays cool even without AC in hot weather. Strange as it comes from the Check Republic which is cold, whereas my old Fiat which comes from Mediterranean Italy would only blow warm air in warm weather.
- I tend to drive with headlights on, an old habit. I tried without (when the sun came up) but found that the reason I do was still valid - people just not noticing you are there.
- The vRS is a great car for this kind of trip - the sports seats are comfortable, its quiet (for a small car) and with reasonable space. With the engine from an Audi A6 in a Polo sized car its an excellent cruiser - tons of power, long gearing and so on.
- At the same time its probably got too much engine for the car. I feel a lower spec 1.4 or 1.6 TDI would probably do better as long as the gearing is as long as the vRS. Plus the front could be cleaned up for aero quite a bit and the tyres are quite wide and probably bad for RR - good for grip though.
And finally that technology is great - Mrs A's later year 2.0 TDI Octavia (aka VW Jetta) would probably do 60+ mpg - I know this because she does it and she uses the right pedal like a switch and has a minimum speed of the limit...
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