MPG issues ON NEW GOLF MK7 2.0TDI

**maisbitt** · 27-03-2013,08:51 AM

Sounds like Dave's car was nicely run in during the first few hours of service to get that kind of economy - especially given the speeds averaged on the way down. If Dave had stuck to 75mph all the way there and back i'm sure he'd have cracked 57mpg even in this current weather. That's the kind of economy my Scirocco is capable of on a long motorway journey and it doesn't have any bluemotion tech on it at all. A few weeks ago I did an 80 mile round trip down the A19 between Newcastle and Hartlepool on mainly uncluttered A roads and got 58mpg for the trip in +2C temperatures.

Are VW cars really that variable in their manufacture or is it all down to the way they've been run in? My past experiences would suggest running in is the biggest factor, and if that's correct I fear that Tom's car may never achieve the kind of economy myself and Dave are seeing, although it will improve with higher temps.

**dickt** · 27-03-2013,11:49 AM

I've only done just over 600 miles, and the overall reading is 38.2 mpg. However, it has all been shortish local trips. Yesterday it went up to 45 mpg on a 35 mile trip. Once the engine is warm, and once the weather improves, if I do not get over 50 I will be upset!.

**maisbitt** · 27-03-2013,01:35 PM

@dickt: My first trip in my new Scirocco 170TDI from Pulman Sunderland to my home in North Shields (17 miles, avoiding the Tyne tunnel) resulted in a 54mpg ave trip (In June admittedly - better weather). It was always around the 50mpg mark from day one. Although I do not have the bluemotion tech, I don't think my economy would improve much by having it, i'm rarely stuck in static traffic on my commute.

The economy has never improved in leaps and bounds as the miles have gone on, although the power has. My driving style is quite economical even though I put my foot down. I accelerate relatively hard, but on approach to a roundabout/junction etc I do let the car decelerate a lot of the way on it's own rather than speed towards roundabouts and jam the anchors on. You should not be struggling to average 40mpg on a trip greater than 5 miles in a TDI even a new one in this weather we've been having. I have had economy issues on a previous Golf, but that was directly related to the DPF on a 170TDI PD MK5 GT Sport, the only model at that time with a DPF and there were a lot of troubles with the new tech that it was at the time. Keep an eye out and if your DPF is playing up (constantly on regen/burn-off mode) then you might have a cause there.

**DaveB666** · 27-03-2013,03:36 PM

Originally Posted by dickt

I've only done just over 600 miles, and the overall reading is 38.2 mpg. However, it has all been shortish local trips. Yesterday it went up to 45 mpg on a 35 mile trip. Once the engine is warm, and once the weather improves, if I do not get over 50 I will be upset!.

are you in 'ECO' dickt? If not, you're probably loosing 5/6mpg at least. I leave mine in ECO, and use 'Sport' if I want some entertainment.

**cdgthreesalmons** · 27-03-2013,03:41 PM

This will be my first diesel engine (2.0tdi) and I am interested in the various replies regarding "running in". Maisbitt suggests under 3000rpm to run in, DaveB666 has taken his upto 5000rpm/110mph - so which is best?????

Hard driving to loosen up the engine, or gentle driving to let the engine settle??????

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

**DaveB666** · 27-03-2013,03:44 PM

I may have 'run the engine in' differently if I had been spending my own money it. However, it's a company car. If the car breaks in the first 3 years/60,000miles VW will cover it, after that I may have a new one, or my employer will foot the bill.

I just know that on my mk5 golf I did 100,000miles in 5 years and it never put a foot wrong. My mk6 did 60,000miles in 3 years and, prior to it being replaced by the mk7, suffered from a broken EGR cooler (replaced under warranty). The EGR cooler faults seem to be a new common problem on the mk6's so that can't be associated with the manner I ran the car in on.

My advice would be to drive as you would normally - if you normally pootle about and never go above 3,500rpm then so be it. If however you drive hard, then do drive hard.

Car ticked over 1,100 miles today. (got it 2 weeks ago). Runs beautifully and I'm enjoying driving it more and more.

**dickt** · 27-03-2013,07:11 PM

maisbitt and DaveB
Thanks
(I'm only on 630 miles)
For first 400 miles I did not use Eco. I switched at about 400 miles.
So far the car has never been anywhere near 50mpg in any circumstances.
My Mk 5 170 did 45mpg with ease, but only after VW replaced all the injectors, and, as you say, fixed the DPF issues. No DPF issues with this 7. .
I'll be doing a few miles at the weekend, and will check again then.

**maisbitt** · 28-03-2013,09:28 AM

Originally Posted by cdgthreesalmons

This will be my first diesel engine (2.0tdi) and I am interested in the various replies regarding "running in". Maisbitt suggests under 3000rpm to run in, DaveB666 has taken his upto 5000rpm/110mph - so which is best?????

Hard driving to loosen up the engine, or gentle driving to let the engine settle??????

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

In my personal experience I haven't thrashed it from day one, but variation is definitely the key in the first few hundred miles - don't let it sit in 6th doing 70mph on the motorway while it's bedding in - lots of shortish journeys (<30 miles) with plenty of scope for changing speed and getting through the gears. Acceleration with maybe 2/3 throttle once the oil temp is normal, and i've had the occasional lapse into 4000rpm territory. I would say "mild thrashing" is probably better for the car than driving it like you're driving miss Daisy.

The above is what worked well for me in 5 of my 6 VW TDIs I have owned (1 x 1.4 3-cyl; 1 x 140TDI PD; 1 x 170TDI PD; 2 x 140TDI CR; 1 x 170TDI CR) - the one with motorway miles (140TDI CR) run in was a bit of a dog with it's thirst for oil low economy and relatively low power.

**dickt** · 28-03-2013,12:26 PM

cdg.
I'm on my 3rd VW 2.0tdi. A 170 in a Passat, a 170 in a Mk 5 Golf, and now the 150 in a Mk 7 Golf. I would simply echo what mais has said about "Variation". Vary speeds, gears, conditions, road types for about 1,000 miles.
Some dealers say you do not have to do this anymore. I disagree, but have no "science" to prove my opinion.
Some engineers still advocate changing the oil after 1000 miles............due to bits and pieces getting in to the oil in the settling in period. I have no opinion about that idea, and I have not done it.

**Pommyboi** · 28-03-2013,05:59 PM

Originally Posted by DaveB666

are you in 'ECO' dickt? If not, you're probably loosing 5/6mpg at least. I leave mine in ECO, and use 'Sport' if I want some entertainment.

how did you reach the conclusion of loosing 5/6 mpg? I have it is Normal or Sport as Eco mode made the engine unresponsive and sluggish even on the motorway. On my trip back from Sheffield today I was wondering how I could possibly measure the MPG difference between the different modes to see if it is worth sticking with Eco. I do have the cruise control in Eco but that's it.

I managed 58mpg over 2 hrs of motorway driving at 70mph.