Date:         Thu, 5 May 2005 12:17:48 +1000
Reply-To:     Stephen Overmyer <S.OVERMYER@UWS.EDU.AU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Overmyer <S.OVERMYER@UWS.EDU.AU>
Subject:      Re: gas milage
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

On 5/4/05 9:40 AM, "Don Williams" <williams@FIRE.BIOL.WWU.EDU> wrote:

> So I have my 85 westy with manual transmission running about as perfect as
> this human is able to  get it----and I get 16 miles to the gallon.  I have
> worked methodically through my 20's list (the things that I was doing to
> get my vehicle to get 20 MPG, but after working through it  I'm faced with
> the probability that that ain't never going to happen (unless I go to a
> different engine).  I love my beast but I get ridiculed by friends who
> drive really horrible cars (eg, Pontiac firebirds and Cadillac eldorado's,
> really ugly and old cars that I look at as environmental disasters) but get
> better gas mileages than I do.  I have taken to mumbling when people ask me
> about the gas mileage, so that 16 MPG sounds something like 26 MPG.  I
> carry a heavy burden in this matter because I parade myself (in some
> circles) as an "environmentalist" and people who know what I drive ain't
> buying it.  My wife told me that if I gave a sh** about the environment I
> would be driving a Prius.  I carry this burden as best I can but it is hell
> to love a vehicle that gets such poor mileage.
> Should I auction it off on Ebay or say to hell with the critics???


 

 

Just to give ya'll an idea of just how much a Westy or other camper laden with all manner of stuff,

auto transmission and  power everything that the Nth America models deemed necessary to appeal to

the market there impacts on fuel consumption, consider this for comparitive purposes...

My '92 Transporter with the standard 2.1 waterboxer has consistantly averaged 10L/100 kms over it's

entire life of 273,000kms to date. You can do an accurate conversion to mpg if so inclined however it

is in the order of 26mpg.

 

I have owned this vehicle since new and have monitored it's fuel consumption for the past 13 years.

Oedometer is re-set at every fill and distance travelled  at next fill compared to litres pumped in.

I tend to fill up at around 500kms and fuel required to fill again will always be very close to 50 litres.

Occasionally I might only need 48.5 litres and at worst I may see 52 litres on the bowser but that's it

under normal driving conditions. Exceptions are only noted if I have travelled a long distance with a

heavy load or I am towing  a trailer. Obviously that increases fuel consumption. Worst was towing 

a 6' x 10' trailer with a railway inspection vehicle in the back. Over the 4000kms total distance I dragged

this thing I found it neccessary re-fill at around 350kms but the van can be forgiven on that occasion ;-)

 

The van has the original 2.1L WBX engine and is a 5 speed manual....15" rims and 215/60 tyres.

I always run on the mid-range Premium fuel...95 RON .

It is a 5 seater with the rear 3 person bench seat folding into a full-width bed. No power steering, A/C

central locking or power windows. The van's side-mounted tent and all other camping gear is stored

seperately and only loaded into the van when I'm going camping or playing at a music festival.

 

For average mpg figures consistantly in the mid 20s, I can happily live with what others may see as a

basic 5 seater box on wheels but with all the potential versatility that actually gives me....

 

Your mileage (obviously ) varies...;-)

Cheers,

Steve O

NSW Australia

'92 Transporter WBX Kombi

'00 Transporter Double Cab

'03 Transporter Double Cab (work truck)

'78 Landrover Series 3 Soft top Ute (ex-Aust.Army)