Duetto 2.4 TD Model - What MPG?

Hi there,

Since retirement, and having the time to just doddle along, I regard getting the most MPG out of any vehicle I drive as a challenge.

In view of this, what should I regard as "good" mileage from a fully loaded Duetto based on the 2.4TD engine?

Best regards,

Dutto

Hi,

We have a 1995 Symphony, (Slightly shorter than a Duetto) but I guess we have the same 2.5 Turbo Diesel engine.
Like you, we're retired. We still run a 2004 Renault Laguna, which used to be our tow car until we recently gave up caravaning, and we're used to getting 45-47mpg from its 1.9 Turbo diesel engine.
It therefore came as a bit of a shock to discover the fuel gauge on our Symphony had a nasty habit of moving rapidly downward even after seemingly short journeys! After much observation and calculation over a couple of thousand miles, we have come to the conclusion that 30mpg seems to be about tops no matter what the driving technique or grade of journey undertaken.

In conversation with our friendly motor fitter we were advised that our engine is one of the rather unrefined sorts fitted to commercial vehicles of the period. Simple, but very reliable, as was the requirement before the more recent drastic increases in fuel costs.
So, we're resigned to the fact that we have what we have, and try to take some comfort from the promise that it will rarily let us down.
Hope this helps

Jeff and Di

Jeff and Di,

Thanks for that - I will now go and slit my wrists as I have averaged 13.8 miles to a litre of diesel with my old Vauxhall Corsa; which equates to just under 63 mpg!!

I suppose the good news is that we will get a lot fitter by using the push-bikes at home and, as I will still try to squeeze every mile out of every litre, I will let you know how we get along!

Best regards,

Dutto :

Perhaps you should think yourselves lucky that you don't have a petrol engine like me. I get around 23/24 mpg regardless of driving style or whether around town or on motorway. But I am lucky that the new LEZ regulations don't affect me and I can go into London (not that I have any intention to do so, but I could if I wanted to!)

Paul,

What are the "LEZ Regulations"?

We have virtually lived in France for the last eight years and only swing near Lunnun (i.e. that bit of the UK between The Wash and Dover) on our way back to God's Country.

Dutto

LEZ is London Emission Zone. From next January unless you have a Euro 111 or later engine you will be fined £100 per day (up to 3.5 tonnes, £200 over 3.5) unless you can convert by fitting a DPF (diesel particle filter) which could cost between £2000 and £3500 but none are yet available for motorhomes. See this thread
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Paul,

Thanks for that. I hadn't realised how far the police state had developed whilst my back was turned!!

It seems only yesterday that the government and motoring industry was encouraging us all to buy diesel powered vehicles on the basis that it was better for the UK economy as we all got more mpg!

Hey ho!! I guess wandering along country lanes will have to be my main use of "Petal". Oh, wait a minute; that was the plan anyway!!

Anyway, thanks again for the information. I presume that Garmin will eventually come out with a modification that allows me to avoid the relevant EZ areas; until then I will just have to keep my eyes peeled to avoid them.

Best regards,

Dutto

Dutto wrote:Since retirement, and having the time to just doddle along, I regard getting the most MPG out of any vehicle I drive as a challenge.

In view of this, what should I regard as "good" mileage from a fully loaded Duetto based on the 2.4TD engine?

I've only recently bought mine so yet to do any tours. However a friend of mine has owned the same as mine, Duetto TDi model, for the past six years and he's always reckoned on 30-33mpg. You won't get any more than that as the turbo injection is less economical than a direct injection (non-turbo) plus there is a fair amount of onboard weight being lugged around with the fittings and water tank.

My previous van was a SWB Transit 2.5di which I used to tour all over europe. On a run i'd easily achieve between 36-38mpg and even 40mpg a few times. But.....it was a swb model, non-turbo engine, no onboard water tank, and the fittings were much lighter in weight than those used in the Autosleeper.

Hi there,

Took delivery and filled up on Saturday.

It has been many years since I filled up a 65 litre Transit tank so I kept my wife on standby to re-start my heart as every £10 ticked over after I reached £40.

I have to say that my first three cars "on the road" didn't add up to the cost of filling up Petal's tank at Tesco - and that with a "5p off per litre" offer!! Ah, changed times eh?

Anyway, I follow the "eco" monitor on my GPS religiously so I will check out the mileage over the next month or so and let you know the results.

Best regards,

Dutto

Hi


I had a 1995 Duetto, with 2.5 Turbo(Retro fitted), and I got 30/33 to the gallon no matter how I drove, it or the terrain.
I get about 22mpg with my present petrol engined Exclusive. But of course petrol is cheaper now



Andy

Hi there,

I think I must be a bit more gentle on the throttle and brakes than most other people as I can now report after the first one-thousand miles that:

1) Towing a boat for about 30% of the time I averaged 32 miles per gallon.

2) Wandering up and down the roads of Lincolnshire without the boat I averaged 34 miles per gallon.

I have yet to try ambling along at 46 miles per hour on an extended motorway journey (don't worry, I have an automatic "I don't care!" signal fitted on the drivers side window!) but I am reasonably confident that I may be able to squeeze 35 miles per gallon out of "Petal" if I drain the tanks of unnecessary liquids before setting off.

The extra 5 mpg may not seem a lot but on a round trip from Skegness to Malaga in Spain and back it saves £85 of diesel at £1.35 a litre. That is enough for 255 litres of wine in Lidl, France!! Well worth the effort!

Best regards,

Dutto

Hi there,

Just completed a Birmingham to Peterborough to Aberdeen to Mansfield to Skegness trip with a Cruise Control fitted.

It is amazing what mileage "Petal" manages on nice slow runs up motorways!

Basically:

2,250rpm (smack in the middle of the 'green' section of the tachometer),

5th gear

= 46mph

= 38 miles per gallon!!

The average for the whole trip (including heavy traffic in the cities and a couple of motorway traffic jams) was 35 mpg.

At this rate the Cruise Control will pay for itself in saved fuel by the time I've done 8,000 miles - plus the added comfort of not having my right foot welded into a fixed position when I arrive somewhere.

Brilliant bit of kit and can recommend Conrad Anderson in Birmingham who fitted it.

Best regards,

Dutto

Dutto wrote:

5th gear

= 46mph

Pretty good MPG Dutto, but bet at that speed you had a good tail back behind you

CruizingComet wrote:

Dutto wrote:

5th gear

= 46mph

Pretty good MPG Dutto, but bet at that speed you had a good tail back behind you

CC
When he turned of the A1 for Mansfied the queue went all the way back to Scotch Corner
Alf

On a serious note I personally find if I'm doing less than 50-55 I end up getting bullied along the roads by others up my backside and swaying out all the time trying to overtake, get's really annoying at times

I've kept my MPG down by installing SATNAG- We've been married 3 years now
Stevo

CruizingComet wrote: . . . . if I'm doing less than 50-55 I end up getting bullied along the roads by others up my backside and swaying out all the time trying to overtake, get's really annoying at times

Ignore them. At a difference of about tuppence a mile they can go forth and multiply!!! They may have the money, be on expenses or get their fuel for free; but I don't!

A useful thing to buy (especially if like me you tow a boat a lot of the time) is a "50" and an "80" marker. (Stick the "50" on the right for people in the UK overtaking you and the "80" on the left hand side for people on the continent overtaking you.) That way even the numpties who don't realise that there is a speed limit for such things will give you a bit of slack even if you are not towing!

Always remember the man who wrote to the newspaper during one of those "Britain Grinds To A Halt With Traffic Jams Everywhere" scares. He explained that he never had a problem and went on to say that he drove on open roads most of the time.

He then suggested that everyone else should tow a caravan!!

Best regards,

Dutto

stevomar wrote:I've kept my MPG down by installing SATNAG- We've been married 3 years now
Stevo

Thanks for that; but I will pay for it as I was overheard laughing!!

There is a way us experienced and battle-hardened ones get our own back though. We just mutter "No-one knows . . . " and sigh whenever the one who never makes a mistake actually errs slightly. (Like this morning when the fruit bowl decided to decant it's contents all over the floor because it had been left up on the work surface!!)

When asked what it means (it will happen only once I promise!) we complete the sentence with ".... what I have to put up with!"

Afterwards all it takes is a muttered "No-one knows . . . " and you have the satisfaction of knowing that they know that you know - if you know what I mean!

(This morning, all I had to do was mutter the magic words and pull into a lay-by for the fruit to be re-harvested and secured, without another word!!)

Best regards,

Dutto