A work in progress.

[euromodder]

Time for an update.
I won't call it a progress report, for painfully obvious reasons.

After yet another of the horrendous DPF regenerations that ruined my 65 mpg (indicated) tank average to a mere 51 mpg (indicated - turned out around 50mpg), I've officially given up on Hägar a few weeks ago.
I won't be trying to get the best mileage out of it, only to see my efforts being ruined.

DPF regeneration frequency is getting worse, lately it's been down to just over 100 km (some 62 miles), with some 150km intervals at best.

I've simply had it with this car.

[euromodder]

Some turbulator tape updates :

The pieces of turbulator tape on the rear of Hägar have been removed as they didn't seem to have any effect at all on the air flow - no telltale signs in the build-up of dirt or lack thereof.
The tape is just too shallow (1mm or 1/25" ) to have any noticeable effect on the boundary layer of air .

The much more effective tape on the mirrors is having a hard time just staying on.
It has partly peeled off, and is broken in a few places.
Only the tape on the A-pillars and the top of the windshield are holding up.

Apparently, dimpled turbulator tape can't really stand compound curves on the surface it's stuck onto.
I could see the zig-zag tape coping better with compound curvatures as it can flex in any way.
Dimple tape, being a straight strip about 1cm wide (2/5" ) can't flex in 2 dimensions.

[euromodder]

I test drove a VW up! last week, as I had plans to buy the CNG EcoFuel up! to replace Hägar.
Unfortunately, I can't call that a success either ...

The absolute deal breaker was that it severely hurt my back after only half an hour ...

L'll update ...

I found a local upholstery outfit that will adapt the seats to my back and put a wee bit of dead cow on them at the same time, and decided to go for the CNG up! after all

It's planned to arrive early April.

Now sourcing some lightweight 15" wheels (why are Volks' wheel so fù€k!n§ expensive ?) and will most likely opt for what are technically illegal tyres - a size too big, can't get the ***** **** in the up's approved sizes.
[can't get it - in any size !]

They'll wear out before the car is 4 years and needs tech inspection.

Original tyres can go on my sister's car, and the steelies will likely get wrapped with winter tyres.


As for Hägar, he's on his last legs.
Wheel bearing is grinding - it's less noisy over 110 kph / 70 mph, so that's the speed I drive these days.
Brakes have had it - it's still on the original pads and discs - and vibrate when braking. No screeching yet though.
Most of the stuff I tossed out, has been put back in.
All turbulator tape is off, the windnoise is back - hard to hear over the bearing though.
I'll sell him to a spare-parts outfit, so it won't get back on the road and cause someone else more grief.

No longer really hypermiling at the moment, as the DPF regenerations would usually swiftly kill my efforts.
MPG ain't too bad though - it still pulls off 50 mpg.
This will likely be its last full tank of juice.


The driver weight reduction program may have compensated for all the extra weight - I'm down 60 pounds since last year and 73 since 2010

[euromodder]

Latest on Hägar, my Volvo V50 :

Selling it privately was always out of the question, with its questionable history.
I do have some ethics, even when they cost me.

Exporters and breakers didn't offer a lot for it.
So it sat for a while on my sister's driveway, awaiting my decision.
Until last week.
A nephew who's driving an ancient gas guzzler, got interested.
So I gave the car to him.
He knows what wrong with it and that he'd bettor not sink too much money into it, but he says he'll repair the wheel bearing and live with the DPF.

We'll see how long it keeps going.

[Piwoslaw]

Nice to hear that Hägar stayed in the family. Is your nephew interested in saving fuel?

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Nice to hear that Hägar stayed in the family. Is your nephew interested in saving fuel?

Not really, but he'll be saving fuel anyways, wether he wants to or not
I expect he'll be more or less halving his current fuel consumption.

[euromodder]

Nephew fixed the wheel bearing, found some more issues, and after checking with me, sold off Häger for export at a better price than I was ever offered
We split the extra so he got a pretty good RoI, and Hägar is now gone.

If not a success, it's been a relief

[320touring]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Nephew fixed the wheel bearing, found some more issues, and after checking with me, sold off Häger for export at a better price than I was ever offered
We split the extra so he got a pretty good RoI, and Hägar is now gone.

If not a success, it's been a relief

Hurrah!

profits

so what mods you fitting to the new car then- financed with your ill gotten gains?

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by 320touring

so what mods you fitting to the new car then- financed with your ill gotten gains?

Nothing much.

Tyre pressure is up! ... considerably.
2.2 bar / 32 psi to 3 bar / 43.5 psi

Some very minor weight reduction - like having no provision to fix the mandatory fire extinguisher.

LED DRL instead of a bulb - I won't ever regain the excessive price for the LEDs though


The 15" alloys with 185 tyres will be costing me a bit of fuel though.

[320touring]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Nothing much.

Tyre pressure is up! ... considerably.
2.2 bar / 32 psi to 3 bar / 43.5 psi

Some very minor weight reduction - like having no provision to fix the mandatory fire extinguisher.

LED DRL instead of a bulb - I won't ever regain the excessive price for the LEDs though


The 15" alloys with 185 tyres will be costing me a bit of fuel though.

good stuff!

you starting a thread for the car?

I for one would be intrigued to see what the CNG setup looks like compared to LPG