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General Information => General => Topic started by: JBG3 on September 05, 2012, 02:03:06 pm

Title: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: JBG3 on September 05, 2012, 02:03:06 pm
I watched some of it, until I became annoyed with those three guys and changed the channel. 

Premise was 700 miles from portland WA to san francisco CA on one tank.  Featured a BMW, a passat TDI, and a ford truck. 

Im curious if anyone caught the end, who won?
Im convinced I could do it in my 1.6 NA. 

Some people on the forum out in that area should try it
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: bbob203 on September 05, 2012, 05:44:53 pm
I 100 peecent have gone over 700 miles on a tank.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 05, 2012, 05:54:48 pm
55L I presume bbob?

4.92L/100km Fully achievable. If you stayed constant highway cruise for an entire tank full I see no issue getting over 700 miles.

fwiw, the TDI Passat has like a 70L tank.. if it couldn't do over 700 miles.. something was wrong with it.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: CRSMP5 on September 05, 2012, 07:06:45 pm
tdi passat... sedan ~18gal... wagon +20gal... ive put over 20 gal in my wagon a few times... done 800miles per tank too.. not a tdi.. just 1.6td...
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 05, 2012, 07:07:32 pm
tdi passat... sedan ~18gal... wagon +20gal... ive put over 20 gal in my wagon a few times... done 800miles per tank too.. not a tdi.. just 1.6td...

Right, so the TDI should be able to do 920miles (~15% better) easily.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: theman53 on September 05, 2012, 07:10:03 pm
I have done 700 miles in mixed driving with a/c on 90% of the time in the 85F or higher heat in my 01 TDI with over 200,000 miles on it. I can't get 13 gallons in it either.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: bbob203 on September 05, 2012, 07:15:36 pm
15 gallon tank in my ride. So a Tdi with a 20 gallon tank would get over 900 a fill up? holy smokes just one more reason to get busy making mine.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 05, 2012, 07:17:07 pm
900 miles on 20 gallon is 45mpg. Pretty easily obtainable. I only have a 10gal in my 84.. so I am limited to only getting 510-530 miles from a tank.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: burn_your_money on September 05, 2012, 07:19:30 pm
Sounds like a pretty lame contest.

I don't know much about tank sizes on 18 wheelers, but empty I'd be surprised if one of them couldn't complete the challenge.  ::)
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 05, 2012, 07:27:31 pm
Sounds like a pretty lame contest.

tank sizes on 18 wheelers

They come in three sizes: 100 gallons, 150 gallons and 200 gallons.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: burn_your_money on September 05, 2012, 07:35:30 pm
At 8mpg that sounds pretty easy
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 05, 2012, 07:36:55 pm
I dunno if they get 8mpg though.. Maybe empty.. maybe.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: burn_your_money on September 05, 2012, 07:42:09 pm
This thread
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-300275.html
states that 5-7 is common and 8 is very achievable.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 05, 2012, 07:46:26 pm
"A new, full-aero 18-wheeler tractor-trailer at 40 tons will get close to 12 miles per gallon on level ground at highway speeds."

Wow.. I never knew they were able to do this.. but that industry has come SO far in the last 10 years alone.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: EcoTX on September 05, 2012, 10:45:12 pm
"A new, full-aero 18-wheeler tractor-trailer at 40 tons will get close to 12 miles per gallon on level ground at highway speeds."

Wow.. I never knew they were able to do this.. but that industry has come SO far in the last 10 years alone.

The only time I saw a lot of these trucks being used I was out driving in west Texas a lot.  Makes sense.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: JFettig on September 06, 2012, 03:52:04 am
Silly contest.

I beat the piss out of my 1998 Passat TDI at 180hp and still get over 700 miles on a tank. I've done 800.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: JBG3 on September 06, 2012, 08:47:54 am
all the responses above are exactly what annoys the heck out of me about TGUSA.  The most ive ever done on my 86 1.6 is about 620 miles, but just like everyone else, it should be fairly easy to actually do it, and quite easy given the version of the car you choose.

Problem is I haven't found a single person who actually watched that whole show, everyone tuned out, so I don't know who won.   ;D

Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 07, 2012, 08:18:57 am
Its because TGUSA is so lame in comparison to Jeremy and the British crew ;)
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: RabbitJockey on September 07, 2012, 08:44:56 am
the show is strictly entertainment with nothing really there for true car enthusiasts. Even their comparo's have no real definitive conculusions, like the first car episode where they smashed the clean diesel caddy.  When they wreck the 3 cars together the one in the middle is hit by 2 cars and they say it doesn't do as well in wrecks, really?  it was hit on both side while the others were hit on only one side.  It's really sad adam corolla didn't get to be on the show, i'm sure he would have made sure that some true tech info was a part of the show, not to mention adam by himself would be funnier than those 3 put together.  i will give ruthledge props for having a presence on vwvortex tho, and also i saw him come into a thread where the show as getting drug through the mud and he put up a pretty good defense.
Title: Re: anyone see the USA top gear fuel economy challenge yesterday?
Post by: CrazyAndy on September 13, 2012, 05:33:42 pm
I like Tanner the most being he has actual driving stills, as well as does have moments when he presents things well from a technical standpoint.  But every time Adam Fererra talks I want to punch him, and Rutledge is a such a baby sometimes.  Their worst offense is that their group doesn't jive as good as the Brits do.  I did like the episode where they re-sell past commercial failures.  I remember thinking Adam acts just like a typical shady used car salesman does, and it was awesome that Rutledge bought Tanner's Merkur.

Hmmm. 

Next project:  Merkur TDI!  ::)