I'd like some advice from the forum concerning what type of fuel consumption I should be getting from my bug. I have a '69 1500 bug, all stock standard with no special engine bits. I've only recently bought it and haven't had it serviced yet. I am only doing 'city driving' currently. I have the standard 40 litre tank, gauge is playing up but I am guessing that I will probably come in at about the 250 mile (400 km) mark for a tank, will be filling up tomorrow so will check then.
How does this compare to everyone else? As I said it might turn out better than that, what should I be aiming at? Any advice on how to make it more efficient? Apart from a normal tune?
Hi phantom,
The 1500 Beetles are often thought to be the best of the breed; right engine for the right body, before the extra weight of the 70s bugs.
Even in the city I think you'll do 10 litres/100 k or better; search this forum on 'fuel consumption' and you'll get lots of reading.
'Normal tuning' is exactly what will give you best economy. I doubt that any bolt-on gee-gaw is going to improve your fuel consumption, including extractor exhausts (usually a good idea on most standard cars, but seem to give little advantage on beetles).
hth
Peter Hill
1975 Type 2 Double Cab
modulus.com.auI am going to say anything better than 10km / L is FANTASTIC for a beetle.
I have usually sat round the 8km/L range.
Dual carbs were the best improvement. Went from 7km/L to 8
Had up to 14km / L on a decent country run in a 1776 with Webers
Futue te ipsum!!!
Thats about 31 MPG which is what i am getting out of my 1500. Pretty good for around Sydney.
Question where do you do " City Driving " in Wagga ???
10km / L = 10L / 100km = 28.3 mpg
Futue te ipsum!!!
I reckon yule be pushin it before you see 250miles,or so ive heard.😉
OK, I have the details here. When I fueled up I had driven 208 miles and used 32.6 litres. Now I am certainly no mathematician and tried to do the figures, so please jump in if you find I'm incorrect - certainly my numbers don't add up with the comments above.
I worked it out to be 10.2 km per litre, or 24.2 miles per gallon. Can anyone confirm my figures? If correct, how does this look for my 1500 bug?
And yes, 'city' driving is possible in Wagga, during my 'cross town' drive to work I have to go through 5 sets of traffic lights and 2 roundabouts! Well its as close to city driving as I can get currently.......
10km / L
50 miles = 80 kms
so
.625 miles = 1 km
so
6.25 miles / L
4.55 L = 1 imperial Gallon
so
6.25 x 4.55 = 28.4357
so
10km / L = 28.4357 mpg
Now
208 miles = 332.8 kms
332.8/32.6 = 10.2 km/L = 29 mpg
Go and buy yourself a beer!!!
That is GREAT mileage!!!
Futue te ipsum!!!
Folks,
A little nostalgia is not, of itself, a bad thing, but hanging on to miles per gallon when you can't buy gallons is a bit over the top; the conversion of units in Australia to metric (including litres/100 km for fuel consumption) was largely complete in 1974, 30 years ago.
The use of litres/100 km rather than km/litre, as well as being the legal standard for fuel consumption, makes perfect sense for a measure of *fuel consumption*, i.e. the larger the figure the higher the consumption.
Although some VWs still have imperial odometers, going through all the hoopla of converting litres to imperial gallons just to be able to refer to a 30-year-old standard doesn't make sense; you only have to look at the preceding posts where the MPG figures are all over the shop to see how poorly the conversion is performed. Multiplying odometer miles by 8/5, however, is very straightforward.
Time to move on and into the 21st Century......
Peter Hill
1975 Type 2 Double Cab
modulus.com.au
