I'm not sure how that makes any sense. A fuel tank leak is time dependent, not distance. If you had a fuel leak serious enough to affect mileage reading, the tank would empty itself every night.
Diesel mileage reports - MPG of 200 Tdi vs others
- Thread starter rovercolorado
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I'm not sure how that makes any sense. A fuel tank leak is time dependent, not distance. If you had a fuel leak serious enough to affect mileage reading, the tank would empty itself every night.
Well, it does affect the measured mileage because I don't know how much fuel I'm actually using, but I'm still recording how much is put back into the tank at every fill up. I'm not, but just as an example, I could be using 9 gallons for every 10 I put in, and my measurement would be off the 10 gallons, not the 9. This would register as low MPG. Since I have no fuel flow meter, I can only measure MPG off of what I put in at every fill up.
But I think you're right, it only affects the MPG a tiny amount. Couldn't be enough to register more than a few 10ths of gallons over the course of 1000's of miles.
But I think you're right, it only affects the MPG a tiny amount. Couldn't be enough to register more than a few 10ths of gallons over the course of 1000's of miles.
@ $3 a gallon for diesel, the expense of a leaky tank doesnt take long to recoup the sub $200 cost of a new tank
RDavisinVA
Technical Excellence Contributor
Drove both 200 and 300TDIs for years.
Always seemed to get just under 20 MPG, like 18 or 19.
Always seemed to get just under 20 MPG, like 18 or 19.
Down hill with a tailwind
mgreenspan
Founding Member
People just don't want to admit they are only 5mpg higher than they were with their V8s. I got about 25mpg in a 200tdi 90 van with nothing(no spare, no tools, front seats only) daily driving about 60 miles a day @ about 60-65 mph with highway tread tires. I would expect around 20 in a 110 going over 65 mph.
I drove a V8 Disco for 4 years. Average fuel consumption was 12.5 mpg. For the 200TDI 90, my average over 9 years is 22.1 mpg. 22.1/12.4 is a 1.78, a 78% improvement.
Robert
Well-known member
Do you think the 800lb difference in weight affected mileage?
NPT90
Well-known member
Probably negligible but can't be discounted. I think 12.5 was pretty good for a v8 considering.
My 300TDI 90 has been returning around 18@75-80MPH highway. I am sure she would return around 21-23 at 65MPH
1of40
Well-known member
Sorry, apples and tangerines.
I drive about 10k miles a year and even at 20% improvement the higher maintenance of a tdi, plus the downsides of driving 25+ year old technology, lack of ample professional support a tdi is a third-car kind of vehicle IMO.
NPT90
Well-known member
I drive about half of that but the 'relative' ease of maintenance (most jobs taking a day or weekend) has made it viable for me these past 6 months even with replacing the head, the suspension, the clutch ect. It's certainly a hobby but I don't think I would DD it if I was going 20K a year.
I'm not sure how it is not directly comparable. Both vehicles are 1991 models. Others than the bodies and the engines, they are the same. Maintenance is not higher on the TDI. Why would it? Reliability is the same and I've driven them both about the same. I could care less about "professional" support and really that would be the same as well if I did.
It is a perfect direct comparison.
Difference in weight? These are basically the same. The Disco body weighs a bit more, the V8 weighs a bit less. It would be pretty close.
Robert
Well-known member
Im just going by advertised curb weights
donb
Well-known member
Those skinny SSR's 35's are probably closer to 36's (I have a set of used ones waiting to go on and they actually measured over 36"). You are running 3.54's gear sets in the axles IIRC which helps keep the RPM's low. But I don't know how that 200tdi pushes them off a start even with the lightweight. I have 4.10 gears and was thinking I might have to gear lower to move those tires on and off road.
Yeah, but compared to most other SUVs in America at the time, the 200/300Tdi probably would have been much better MPG.