Fuel economy get better with more km's? Is it true?

Hi all

Read a few of the threads re fuel economy for the FD1 Civic, but have a question that is still unanswered.

I have a brand new auto, first tank was 10.5L/100km, second tank is going to be roughly the same I think. This is pretty bad, although it is city stop start driving, i don't think it warrants 44% more fuel usage than the 7.3L city driving claimed by Honda.

Spoke to Honda technician and he said once the car has done more than 10,000km, then it should start getting much better. However I think the guy is just palming me off. I am sure some guys here get closer to the 7 mark.

Does anyone get similar figures? or got bad economy when the car was new, and then it started to get significantly better? If so, at how many kms?

Thanks

fuel economy gets better in controlled test conditions LOL

well.. at the start I got abit over 13lts/100km.. and now I get around 8 - 9ltrs.. my car has done around 6500km.. so its getting their.. i think 8 - 9 is pretty good.. considering its a medium sedan and not a small hatch.. my brothers jazz does around 7..

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Originally Posted by nuffsaid

Hi all

Read a few of the threads re fuel economy for the FD1 Civic, but have a question that is still unanswered.

I have a brand new auto, first tank was 10.5L/100km, second tank is going to be roughly the same I think. This is pretty bad, although it is city stop start driving, i don't think it warrants 44% more fuel usage than the 7.3L city driving claimed by Honda.

Spoke to Honda technician and he said once the car has done more than 10,000km, then it should start getting much better. However I think the guy is just palming me off. I am sure some guys here get closer to the 7 mark.

Does anyone get similar figures? or got bad economy when the car was new, and then it started to get significantly better? If so, at how many kms?

Thanks

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it's the same with me.. i do 100% city driving.. I think we both got a lemon considering we got the same knocking sound as well.. lol.. however, i've travelled 500k+ twice on very long trips in one full tank.. Maybe its the 'stop start' driving that's killing the FC..

I have now done over 39,000kms and have been getting excellent ecconomy from the very beginning. while i admit it has improved since the 20,000km mark, i believe the improvement is more about me learning how to get the best economy out of the vehicle

all depends if you have a heavy foot.

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Originally Posted by OMG.JAI xD

all depends if you have a heavy foot.

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Trust me the foot is not heavy at all!

warwick108 from 13l/100km, did it get progressively better?

How are you getting the 10.5L/100kms figure?

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Originally Posted by wynode

How are you getting the 10.5L/100kms figure?

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From full, drove and used most of the tank, filled all the way to the top, noted down the km travelled and number of litres poured, and then simple maths.

To work out your Litres per 100kms figure:

1. Fill up your fuel tank to full until it clicks, reset your odo
2. Drive until most of the tank is empty or when the fuel warning light comes on
3. Drive to petrol station fill up the tank to full (when it clicks) record down the number of kms travelled e.g 380kms and litres of petrol filled in (as per the pump or receipt) 32litres for example.
4. Calculate: 32litres divided by 380kms x 100 = (32/380)*100 = 8.42litres/100kms

well.. at the start it did 13l.. as I stated before.. I took back to the dealer and I told him.. and he told me its normal.. althought back then i thought he was just pulling my leg.. but gradually its gotten better by the day.. =)..
hint* dont make vtec kick in all the time..

why drive a honda if not to kick into v-tec...that is the question!

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Originally Posted by nuffsaid

Trust me the foot is not heavy at all!

warwick108 from 13l/100km, did it get progressively better?

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13L/100km is almost double my average which may suggest driving style.

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Originally Posted by cracker

why drive a honda if not to kick into v-tec...that is the question!

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Cracker, do you know how VTEC works on the current model Civic??????

I never said dont kick it in?.. I just said.. if u let it loose to often.. and ur wondering why your fuel economy is shit.. then thats your answers..

So many factors come into economy; that it's hard to tell.

95% of people will never get the economy suggested on the sticker.

Why bother really? just enjoy it imho :D. Mine just passed 3000k, the first few full tanks I got like 500k+ bcoz I took it easy, now i relax and drive the car like it is so between 400k - 500k is average. Sometimes even less but I know bcoz I push it a bit.

my FD1 full tank can drive 480km...... 40.2L

My Euro gets about 380 - 450kms full tank. 480 if i grandma drive the whole tank.

I got a heavy foot so average of 400kms a tank :(

I average around 400-450km/tank in the FD1 now... it actually improved slightly after installing the intake as I didn't need to accel as hard as before, but then over time, I got used to it and started driving the same as before. Combine that with the fact I moved to city and spend considerable amount of time in traffic (thank you Iemma for screwing up Epping Rd), and that's why my mileage has dropped from it's previous average of 450-550km/tank.

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Originally Posted by nuffsaid

From full, drove and used most of the tank, filled all the way to the top, noted down the km travelled and number of litres poured, and then simple maths.

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Just checking.....but that is the correct way to do it! :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by warwick108

I never said dont kick it in?.. I just said.. if u let it loose to often.. and ur wondering why your fuel economy is shit.. then thats your answers..

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Its very obvious you need to understand how VTEC works on the current model civic.........light throttle/low load/under 3500rpm

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Originally Posted by buddah51au

Cracker, do you know how VTEC works on the current model Civic??????

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yeah correct me if im wrong tho my basic defn..its like its already in ivtec when ur driving normally and it turns off when u want to go fast

sorry if i hijack this threat but, i was just wondering wat fuel you guys are running to get these km's becuase different fuel contribute to how many km's you get

I try to use v-power racing.. tho I think v-power is sufficent..the price of v-power racing doesnt fluctuate.. its around 10 - 25 cents different depending on what day you fill up.. =)

buddah51au.. well to my understanding.. vtec comes in at high revvs.. so.. can u explain to me how vtec works then?

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Originally Posted by warwick108

buddah51au.. well to my understanding.. vtec comes in at high revvs.. so.. can u explain to me how vtec works then?

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on the 1.8 ltr engine as fitted to the current model civic VTEC is on up to 3200rpm....only under light throttle and low engine load as determined by the computer. under these conditions it is working as a 12 valve engine. If certain low load or high throttle openings that the computer recognises VTEC is off and
the engine reverts to normal mode. If you go to the tov website u can read about it there

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Originally Posted by cuongn

sorry if i hijack this threat but, i was just wondering wat fuel you guys are running to get these km's becuase different fuel contribute to how many km's you get

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I have always used standard 91RON fuel

is e10 any good at fuel economy?

various studies undertaken on E10 have shown that it increases fuel consumption by around 10%

I ran a full tank of BP E10 and found my throttle responsiveness gone!

Yet to calculate my fuel consumption figure...

that is 1 of the problems observed in studies with E10

I'm finding it hard to find info on the BP website about the cons/pros of E10 fuel..Anyone have any information/links?

you guys should have a look at this petrol test thing, it was on current affairs
very interesting.

http://aca.syd.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=381128

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Originally Posted by 95331140

I'm finding it hard to find info on the BP website about the cons/pros of E10 fuel..Anyone have any information/links?

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there is a lot of information out there if u search ethonal fuel, just be prepared to spend time looking.

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Originally Posted by darkshines

you guys should have a look at this petrol test thing, it was on current affairs
very interesting.

http://aca.syd.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=381128

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there r so many variables on short tests like that, a slight change in traffic conditions of a few more/or less green lights. The fair way to get an accurate fuel consumption reading would be an average over say 5,000km as it is not hard to get a variation of 1L/100km between tanks driving in the same conditions & same route week to week

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Originally Posted by buddah51au

on the 1.8 ltr engine as fitted to the current model civic VTEC is on up to 3200rpm....only under light throttle and low engine load as determined by the computer. under these conditions it is working as a 12 valve engine. If certain low load or high throttle openings that the computer recognises VTEC is off and
the engine reverts to normal mode. If you go to the tov website u can read about it there

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WTF.. Buddah51au, please explain, more in depth please.

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Originally Posted by disappointed

WTF.. Buddah51au, please explain, more in depth please.

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If you wish to read about it in full go to the Temple of VTEC website, all the information is there

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Originally Posted by disappointed

WTF.. Buddah51au, please explain, more in depth please.

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Here is the article.........http://asia.vtec.net/Engines/RiVTEC/index.html

I was just looking at that the other day, thanks for the info on fuel economy with the economic cam lobe, I tried that method, keeping the load of the car as light as possible, as light pedal as possible, but fuel consumtion didn't improved significant enough, possible reason might because of the car isn't fully run in yet, it's still under 4000kms. But I've got another question, might be off topic, does the new engine has a vtec range(such as from 4000 rpm onward)? or the i-vtec means a new engine technology relating to fuel economy other than performance(fuel saving mode and normal 4 cyclinder engine)

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Originally Posted by buddah51au

Here is the article.........http://asia.vtec.net/Engines/RiVTEC/index.html

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Good one Thanx

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Originally Posted by disappointed

Good one Thanx

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that is an old article that has been around for a couple of yrs. If economy is important u need to understand how to achieve it.

we have an auto fd1 and run e10 and i don't think we're getting the claimed7/8L per 100k's!

i asked this already...apparantly e10 is shit in every aspect

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Originally Posted by sam.

we have an auto fd1 and run e10 and i don't think we're getting the claimed7/8L per 100k's!

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Independant tests carried out on E10 indicate an approximate 10% increase in fuel consumption along with an approximate 10% decrease in power

Damn still getting 9.8L after 2000km.

Maybe he Civic FD just does real poor in bumper to bumper city driving.

This is worse than the EK that we had, with a smaller tank. Yes it was 1.6L, but this is a brand new car with supposedly better technology for better economy.

keep your revs low mate.. and when the car is rolling.. let it roll.. instead of keeping your foot on the accelerate pedal and putting the revs at 3000. I have a fd1 auto aswell.. when I drive normally I get around 9.8.. but when I really wanna squeeze out every km.. I keep the revs low.. and accelerate like a granny.. =)

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Originally Posted by nuffsaid

Damn still getting 9.8L after 2000km.

Maybe he Civic FD just does real poor in bumper to bumper city driving.

This is worse than the EK that we had, with a smaller tank. Yes it was 1.6L, but this is a brand new car with supposedly better technology for better economy.

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Here in Australia Honda only advertise a combined average fuel consumption figure - eg. 6.9 - 7.2 for manual & auto. if you check on the Honda UK web site you will find they advertise city and country fuel consumption figures. According to their advertised figures of 8.4 and 5.2 for city and highway your not that far off the mark. As i average 6.8 L/100km for country driving 1.6 above the advertised figure, and your getting 1.4 above their advertised figure for city driving it puts us both in the same ball park.

Personally, i cant give any long term figure for city driving having only ever used 1 tank (not enough to give a proper result) from Gosford to sydney and commuting pennant hills rd for a week returning 7.19L/100. i just don't believe
it is possible to get an fair result on 1 tank only.

For those interested i have kept a comprehensive log book on fuel useage since i got my civic, the results to date are 40,927kms - 2786.24 liters giving an all up average of 6.808L/100km. worst 7.6L/100 - best 5.8L/100.

i only do driving from uni and back.. and on the weekends work and back.. and I just filled up not long ago.. and i am doing 10.3ltr/100km.. only less than 10 percent highway driving.. but I do step on it.. when needed.. =)

I bought a new Civic VTi-L Auto 5 weeks ago to save on fuel-costs and was looking forward to a consumption of under 9 l city driving. So far I have only managed a disappointingly 13 l /100km. Surely, that's not the consumption advertised. I only drive in the city and mostly with a passenger and the AC on. So far I have only done 1200km.
When could I expect the consumption to improve and what "real" figures could one expect?
Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Hansa

I bought a new Civic VTi-L Auto 5 weeks ago to save on fuel-costs and was looking forward to a consumption of under 9 l city driving. So far I have only managed a disappointingly 13 l /100km. Surely, that's not the consumption advertised. I only drive in the city and mostly with a passenger and the AC on. So far I have only done 1200km.
When could I expect the consumption to improve and what "real" figures could one expect?
Thanks.

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13L/100km is not indicative of the potential economy from a Civic Auto. When will it improve.....when you learn to drive in an economical manner

just limit the acceleration to about 2-2.5k rpm and keep it steady to get the 1.8litre to get into vtec.
im getting 6.9-7.2l/100km. passenger and air cond on full time. 23 degrees fan level 1 or 2. but been a while since i tested.

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Originally Posted by Sexythang

just limit the acceleration to about 2-2.5k rpm and keep it steady to get the 1.8litre to get into vtec.

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How does getting the engine to run in VTEC going to improve fuel consumption?

vtec is already on its when it isnt in vtec the car goes fast

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Originally Posted by 95331140

How does getting the engine to run in VTEC going to improve fuel consumption?

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it depends how u think of it in your own way. i think of the 1.8litre engine running on 'high' cams on acceleration and during variability on the throttle. the vtec comes in when the engine/computer wants to change it to 'economy' cams when it detects you're just cruising.

as opposed to the conventional vtec and the civic sport engine where it engages 'high' cams when it wants better breathing/power at high revs.

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Originally Posted by Sexythang

it depends how u think of it in your own way. i think of the 1.8litre engine running on 'high' cams on acceleration and during variability on the throttle. the vtec comes in when the engine/computer wants to change it to 'economy' cams when it detects you're just cruising.

as opposed to the conventional vtec and the civic sport engine where it engages 'high' cams when it wants better breathing/power at high revs.

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in simple words, go near the speed limit as short time as you could and stay there with as little throttle as possible? sorry for being a noob about engine tech.

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Originally Posted by nuffsaid

Hi all

Read a few of the threads re fuel economy for the FD1 Civic, but have a question that is still unanswered.

I have a brand new auto, first tank was 10.5L/100km, second tank is going to be roughly the same I think. This is pretty bad, although it is city stop start driving, i don't think it warrants 44% more fuel usage than the 7.3L city driving claimed by Honda.

Spoke to Honda technician and he said once the car has done more than 10,000km, then it should start getting much better. However I think the guy is just palming me off. I am sure some guys here get closer to the 7 mark.

Does anyone get similar figures? or got bad economy when the car was new, and then it started to get significantly better? If so, at how many kms?

Thanks

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just got my civic a week ago, brand new fd1 m/t. i put a full tank of caltex 98 when i picked it up and fuelled up today, 510kms for 39ltr. avg 7.6l/100. about 90% city driving. and i ain't babying it either because its got to be run in. in saying that im not bouncing it off the rev limiter or anything, just getting it close:)

Hmmm I think FD1 manual is a lot more fuel efficient than my Sports Auto... Just fill her today, 24.80L for 210.5Kms :( 11.7L/100kms?

Edit: this week I used full paddleshift and RON 95, not much diff from last week (full auto and RON 91) 11.9L/100kms

denot, thats still extremely high fuel consumption, stop start peak hr traffic is a killer for FE.

ya... another thing is, I always switch gear around 2k-3k RPM... :S

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Originally Posted by cracker

why drive a honda if not to kick into v-tec...that is the question!

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here here !!!

since the car after 10000km service my average is around 8L-8.5L/100, and did once sydney to canberra and got 630km from 40L, however before the 10000km service, around 10L-10.5L/100, all runing on 98ron

Dayum... I've read this whole thread and some of those figures are scary o.o

On comparison, driving my mum's 2003 Astra (Auto) does about 7.3L/100 kms, shifting before 4000 rpm 95% of the time, on regular 91 octane...

Gonna get my manual FD1 around January 2009 when that mid financial year sale is on =)

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Originally Posted by stylish.

Dayum... I've read this whole thread and some of those figures are scary o.o

On comparison, driving my mum's 2003 Astra (Auto) does about 7.3L/100 kms, shifting before 4000 rpm 95% of the time, on regular 91 octane...

Gonna get my manual FD1 around January 2009 when that mid financial year sale is on =)

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dont worry stllish, maual FD1 will do fine... I think FD2 got problem with the fuel consumption... somehow :(

whats an FD1 and FD2?

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Originally Posted by clayton4115

whats an FD1 and FD2?

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FD1 refers to the Vti and the Vti-L, whilst FD2 refers to the Sport.

ok thanks and what is my 7th gen, in my picture?

FD1 is actually from the 2nd section of your car's VIN:

eg. MRHFD16506P021536

My guess for your car would be:

eg. MRHES16505PO20240

You can check your own VIN to see what it is.

that deserves a pq...

from that brief report about testing different fuel, premium Mobil Syn, does that mean 6000 sync or 8000sync? anyone know? I'm ready to give it a try~~

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Originally Posted by clayton4115

ok thanks and what is my 7th gen, in my picture?

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Just to make sure clayton, the FD1/2 are the eighth gen civics... can't help on what your chasis code is.

But as Howy said, it'll be in you VIN.


(Apprently ES)

ok thanks Mark i have got it checked out it definately is ES

No worries mate!

you weren't at the qld meet today! I was looking out for your 7th gen civic!

yeah i know i was supposed to come, but wifey had other plans! :-(

can someone please confirm the size of the fuel tank? Both times i've poured fuel once fuel light comes on and fuel down to 1 bar i got 39L first 2 tanks.. now i run it a little more and still get just over 40Ls.. so 40L tank? mines manual, dont thrash it, rarely use air-con and i've been gettin around 600. got upto 630 with 1 bar left so slowly its getting better

mates. u got a 50 litre.. if u fill up 40.. u most likely have 10 litre left in ur fuel tank.. =)

it's a 50L tank...

But since I'm here, I've been doing 9-11l/100km consistently... car has done about 13,000 kms... so thats pretty poor... but I must admit I thrash it anywhere I go... lol

Definately a 50 Ltr tank, you should find once all bars on the gauge disappear you will have 5 to 6 liters remaining. 56,578kms - 2829.52 lts - ave = 6.77 l/100km

shit.. never knew u cud run it that much haha.. i thoght it was good gettin 600k's off 40L tank and only a few weeks old ^_^ thanks for it info

I based that comment on a refill after 710km - 44.5lts to refill, had beed driving for 10 to 15km with no bars showing on the gauge. The only question is - do all gauges read the same? thats anyones guess.