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redthreat Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2003 Posts: 1 Location: indiana
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 6:53 pm Post subject: are these gas hogs? |
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my friend said his brother used to have one, he said it was a gas hog. is this a common problem? i am looking into buying one of these as my 1st car i buy, i have been driving my moms plymoth grand voyager. are they worth it to buy? i was also wandering if they are expensive in the upkeep department. i live in Indiana if that matters . thanks for anyhelp givin. |
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sixfootdan Samba Smartass
Joined: February 13, 2002 Posts: 4848 Location: \Lo*ca"tion\, n. 1. The act or process of locating.
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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Depends on your mech. skills? Any old car requires more work than a new one. If you have to spend lots of $ to have someone else do it you will get discusted with it and give up. Seen that lots of times. Just a thought. Oh yeah, Welcome new guy _________________ Schrodinger's cat walked into a bar and it didn't.
GO SEAHAWKS!!! |
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ratwell Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003 Posts: 8717 Location: Victoria, BC
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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If you work on it yourself and get quality parts the cost overtime will be low but the initial investment in tools will be expensive although less so than relying on the mechanic.
I love working on my own bus but when something goes wrong I have to find the time to fix it rather than get it done in a day or two at the mechanic.
Another minus about mechanics is that the good ones that understand VWs are few are far even if they specialize in VWs. You'll be able to do a better job than most of them and simply rely on shops for machining.
They are not good on gas although the mileage is the same as a 2003 Eurovan albeit a lot slower. Still better than 95% of the SUVs and trucks on the road. _________________ '78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
Read the Baywindow FAQ |
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chabanais Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2002 Posts: 4866
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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14-25mpg depending on condition and driving habits. _________________ "I spud therefore I yam." |
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sixfootdan Samba Smartass
Joined: February 13, 2002 Posts: 4848 Location: \Lo*ca"tion\, n. 1. The act or process of locating.
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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And how much weight in snow you have on top of your bus! _________________ Schrodinger's cat walked into a bar and it didn't.
GO SEAHAWKS!!! |
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chabanais Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2002 Posts: 4866
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2003 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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0. I live in CA. _________________ "I spud therefore I yam." |
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llamas1 Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2003 Posts: 237 Location: Houston, TX
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 5:32 am Post subject: |
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I made a Houston to Austin trip a couple weeks ago (my first real road trip) I averaged about 22 mpg that weekend.
As far as maintenance, If you purchase a good deal then that makes a big difference. My bus is not a daily driver so it sits in the garage and I gradually replace things in order of priority and importance. However it does run great and I use it on the weekends.
I believe that once you get it all whipped into shape that maintenance costs are affordable. I'm not a mechanic so I trying to teach myself to look, listen and feel for anything that may need replacing or fixing. As a teenager my parents bought me a Baja Bug that was wonderfully restored. Being young and dumb I drove it into the ground in just over a year. Man do I regret that. My bus is a sort of therapy for me I guess. A way for me to redeem myself 20 years later. |
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TimGud Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2002 Posts: 6459 Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 7:38 am Post subject: |
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I get about 18 mpg, but that is with a loaded up westfalia so it's heavy. |
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crofty Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000 Posts: 19672 Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 8:06 am Post subject: |
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I managed 23 mpg in my '65 Westy on a trip to Arizona a few weeks back! _________________ Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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ratwell Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003 Posts: 8717 Location: Victoria, BC
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 11:31 am Post subject: |
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Splits almost always get better mileage because of their weight and slower top speed.
On my recent long trips I've managed 19-21 mpg. What's interesting is the average speed:
- 19 mpg going 55-65 mph with points
- 20-21 mpg going 65-75 mph with pertronix
I don't know what my in town mileage was before pertronix but it's now 17mpg. You have to run the tank dry in order to get an accurate figure but be careful not to run a FI pump dry more than once. _________________ '78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
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nothereanymore Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2003 Posts: 86
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 11:58 am Post subject: |
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Hmm. I thought FI models got better mileage. About the same as my type 1 engine. |
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jeremysmithatshawdotca Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2002 Posts: 2530 Location: Edmonton, AB
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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Why would you have to run the tank dry? You can track your fuel consumption and mileage at fillups in a log, and work out your average mpg without ever running out of fuel. Jeremy |
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jeremysmithatshawdotca Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2002 Posts: 2530 Location: Edmonton, AB
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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The variance you would get from the difference in a "full tank" from fuel pump to fuel pump (with auto shut off) would be insignificant, especially over time and lots of fills. Jeremy |
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Thor Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2003 Posts: 184 Location: Chubbuck, Idaho
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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Here is an easy MPG calculator http://www.mistupid.com/automotive/mpg.htm
Some simple instructions, it does suggest running the tank low, but avoid empty for obvious reasons.
I would suggest doing this over a couple of tanks and note whether the miles were in short distance travelilng or road tripping.
What do you guys think about FI cleaner every other tank. Does it really help? Or just a cleaner Once every month? Or what do you suggest? _________________ 1979 Bay & 1978 II Westy Current Owner, 1963 Beetle & 1972 Beetle & 1976 SquareBack (Sold) & 1976 Westy (Wrecked) & 1978 Bay (Sold to pay for Wedding) |
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ratwell Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003 Posts: 8717 Location: Victoria, BC
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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The reason is that pumps at different stations fill up differently and I didn't want to risk spillover just to find out the true mpg. I carried a 2g can around, ran out, checked the mileage and poured the can in the tank.
FI cleaner is useful once every oil change and any more is waste. Techron concentrate is what I've used. You can feel the difference after you leave the gasstation but that feeling depends on how old the gas is in your tank in the first place. It has less effect on a VW bus that say a high revving Honda engine that is dirty and you can hear the slight pinging near the redline.
The FI cleaning services recommend against using the bottles for the obvious reasons. Their claim is that the varnished deposits are loosened by the formula and end up in the screens of the injectors. _________________ '78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab
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