Does anyone own a Polo Dune 1.4TDI

[little dragon]

If this sounds insulting I assure you it's not supposed to!

Look at the way you use your right foot on the gas peddle.

It's not the quantity of engine revs that drink the fuel, but how far down you have your gas peddle.

So you may have your foot resting very lightly on the peddle with the revs quite high. If you change gear hence lower revs but peddle pushed further down, then you will get worse fuel consumption.

I know it sounds like I am having a dig, but I am not. I do alot of test drives with customers and often they change gear inappropiately.

I get 33 mpg as an average from a 2.5TD Toyota Hilux twin cab, and recently 60 mpg from an A6 1.9 TDi Avant.

Now allow for the fact that the test driver for VW will be better than me and you will have the official figures.

Happy motoring

Martin

hope that wasnt aiming at me.

but anyway, i am on about a normal driving with normal driving. it is obvious the harder you press down on your right foot, the more fuel it consumes.

[Emily's dad]

I've found that no car I have ever had has matched manufacturers fuel economy figures.
Reading some articles in the motoring press this is apparently down to the way that the figures are obtained. Manufactures put an engine on a bench in a workshop hooked up to a computer and test them in perfect conditions.

You and I actually drive the cars on a road. There are therefore 101 ways in which we will never match the figures.
Road surface variations, inclines, headwinds, stopping and starting again, load carried, slightly off tyre pressures in the car etc etc etc.

If you look at the manufacturers fuel consumption figures for motor cycles you would believe that the average car these days is more efficicent with its fuel than the average 600cc motorcycle. This is because motorbikes are tested more realistically to obtain the fuel economy figures.

However economically you try to drive your car I suspect you will never match the quoted figures, and I believe the manufactures figures to be a bit misleading. I don't rely on them and it is probably best just to use them as an indicator of how fuel efficient one car can be when compared to another.

Finally how do you rate the Dune in other aspects as I fancy one when I come to change my car

[Martin Burnard]

hope that wasnt aiming at me.

but anyway, i am on about a normal driving with normal driving. it is obvious the harder you press down on your right foot, the more fuel it consumes.

You are correct, it wasn't aimed at anybody.

It is quite amazing how many people change up through the gear box too early and labour the engine, hence use more fuel.

They seem to believe that the quicker they get into top gear, the less fuel they use

Ohhh well keeps those poor fuel companies going

[mick787]

Hi, have any Dune owners experienced tyre failure because of splitting of the tyres on the inner walls only? I see that VOSA has done a recall on Pirelli 18" 40 profile tyres failing because of tyre walls splitting when fitted to Alfa Romeo's. I am just wondering if this also affects the 17" 40 profiles they produced. My son's car has just had two consecutive MOT failures on Pirelli tyres made in 2007.

[28ash]

Hi,I have a 56 plate 1.4 TDI Dune,my wife drives it,but we are fed up with the harsh ride from the 40 profile tyres.Would fitting a higher profile tyre,like 50 say,make the ride better,and would it affect the MPG ???