Stock Volkswagen diesel goes 1626.1 miles on a single tank

[MrRline]

http://jalopnik.com/5908578/stock-vo...e-tank-of-fuel

Stock Volkswagen Diesel Goes 1626.1 Miles On Single Tank Of Fuel

Averaging 84.1 miles per gallon, John and Helen Taylor drove a stock, manual 2012 Passat TDI from Houston, TX to Sterling, VA on one tank of diesel. It took them three days and 1,626.1 miles, but they set a new fuel economy world record.

Specifically, they broke the record for the longest distance on one tank of clean diesel fuel by 99.5 miles, previously held by a European diesel Passat. The Taylors already hold numerous world driving records, and they didn't do any modifications to boost their mileage. They drove in 14-hour stretches, sticking to regular daytime traffic. They also had 120 pounds of luggage in the car.

Meanwhile, diesels accounted for a a fifth of all US Passat sales in March, and nearly a quarter of all of Volkswagen USA's sales were TDIs for the first quarter of 2012. Maybe American buyers are finding out that you don't have to buy a Prius after all.

Photo Credit: Volkswagen USA

[SCVR6]

That's awesome!

[Newbie16ver]

annoying article is annoying... how exactly does one get 84 mpg in a stock TDI?

[what]

annoying article is annoying... how exactly does one get 84 mpg in a stock TDI?

Yeah, not with those child bearing hips!

[TheDarkEnergist]

annoying article is annoying... how exactly does one get 84 mpg in a stock TDI?

They didn't. It's all a lie and Jalopnik has sided with the dark forces at VWoA to invade and take over.

[Grey Mouser]

annoying article is annoying... how exactly does one get 84 mpg in a stock TDI?

Driving 40 the entire time, making sure you never end up stopped for long? Coasting where you can? Hypermilers are crazy.

[.LSinLV.]

annoying article is annoying... how exactly does one get 84 mpg in a stock TDI?

THIS

[cheap sunglasses]

[SoCalDubber]

I consider myself as reasonable of a fanboi as someone can be... but how many of the 1600+ miles was the car towed?

[Hajduk]

annoying article is annoying... how exactly does one get 84 mpg in a stock TDI?

You leave it to the professionals.

The Taylors have made a career out of driving efficiently and conducting workshops globally on fuel-efficient driving techniques. They have collected more than 90 world fuel economy and vehicle-related records from drives around the globe.

[what]

Driving 40 the entire time, making sure you never end up stopped for long? Coasting where you can? Hypermilers are crazy.

I got 38.9 MPG in my GTI a few weeks ago on a 9 mile "trip". I averaged 38 MPH. =D

[McBanagon]

Yeah, not with those child bearing hips!

Easy now, he has a hard enough time finding pants that fit.

[Jrod511]

Without knowing the actual average speed this is a difficult one to figure out.

[Vettes, Volvos and VWs]

Without knowing the actual average speed this is a difficult one to figure out.

This. Still crazy though Checkmate, Prius! (yeah I went there)

[arethirdytwo]

DAMN!

[Grey Mouser]

Without knowing the actual average speed this is a difficult one to figure out.

14 hour stretches * 3 days = 42 hours driving

1626/42 = 38 mph avg...

Assuming they drove for 14 hours on the nose every day, none of this is a lie etc etc.

[2.0T_Convert]

If it is anything like the original Honda Insight guys that set a record doing over 1500 miles on one tank they used careful trip planning and every hypermiling trick in the book to travel a route with minimal if any stops.

[punisher89]

Imagine being stuck behind these people on the interstate.

[vasillalov]

Please.. 3 days driving 1600 miles. I can't possibly imagine driving on the highway at 40 mph, let alone for 3 days and 1600 miles. I'd just open the door and jump out hoping for a quick and sudden death.

Yeah, no thanks! The fuel efficiency achieved is not worth my time. I'd rather dump lots and lots of hydrocarbons in the air with my kittyless 335i

[Grey Mouser]

Please.. 3 days driving 1600 miles. I can't possibly imagine driving on the highway at 40 mph, let alone for 3 days and 1600 miles. I'd just open the door and jump out hoping for a quick and sudden death.

Yeah, no thanks! The fuel efficiency achieved is not worth my time. I'd rather dump lots and lots of hydrocarbons in the air with my kittyless 335i

[Jrod511]

14 hour stretches * 3 days = 42 hours driving

1626/42 = 38 mph avg...

Assuming they drove for 14 hours on the nose every day, none of this is a lie etc etc.

I'm not saying it is a lie, and I would also believe that they did not drive a full 14 hours the last day and had a higher average speed. But I wonder how much of the savings goes out the window when you figure that since it took 3 days instead of 2 days, another night was spent at a $50 a night motel off the interstate. They're probably still ahead of the game but it really becomes a time/speed/distance factor to figure out your best overall economy.

[vasillalov]

Watch-out-we-got-a-bad-ass.img

You got that right. Cheers.

[brickfrenzy]

I've driven roughly that many miles since I bought my car in March. I've filled up 7 times. I bet I've had a hell of a lot more fun in those 1600 miles than they did.

[Smigelski]

I'm not saying it is a lie, and I would also believe that they did not drive a full 14 hours the last day and had a higher average speed. But I wonder how much of the savings goes out the window when you figure that since it took 3 days instead of 2 days, another night was spent at a $50 a night motel off the interstate. They're probably still ahead of the game but it really becomes a time/speed/distance factor to figure out your best overall economy.

I don't think their overall point was to spend less money (as you said, the extra hotel room stay costs money).

What this excursion did prove is that it is possible to drive 1600 miles on a tank in a TDI Passat with the couple driving. That provides a lot of positive PR for Volkswagen (notice how the included picture is a VW PR shot) and positive PR for the couple's business.

It's a win-win. I wouldn't be surprised to learn VW paid for the trip.

[John A]

Freshly waxed car? Tires pumped to 50psi? Washer fluid emptied? Enough AdBlue just to make the trip? Coasting on every downhill, stopping engine at lights, who knows what else they were doing - but lots of slow cruise control had to be a big part of it.

[Grey Mouser]

Freshly waxed car? Tires pumped to 50psi? Washer fluid emptied? Enough AdBlue just to make the trip? Coasting on every downhill, stopping engine at lights, who knows what else they were doing - but lots of slow cruise control had to be a big part of it.

Unless something changed VW's small diesel motors didn't need adblue, they had a noxbox.. at least in the US? Our 2010 TDI didn't use adblue.

[MCTB]

Freshly waxed car? Tires pumped to 50psi? Washer fluid emptied? Enough AdBlue just to make the trip? Coasting on every downhill, stopping engine at lights, who knows what else they were doing - but lots of slow cruise control had to be a big part of it.

Dont forget drafting semis. Depending upon which route they took, there would be a plethora of right lane semis to draft up behind.

[xtravbx]

Please.. 3 days driving 1600 miles. I can't possibly imagine driving on the highway at 40 mph, let alone for 3 days and 1600 miles. I'd just open the door and jump out hoping for a quick and sudden death.

Yeah, no thanks! The fuel efficiency achieved is not worth my time. I'd rather dump lots and lots of hydrocarbons in the air with my kittyless 335i

Aw heck yeah! super bada$$ !!!

[Grey Mouser]

Dont forget drafting semis. Depending upon which route they took, there would be a plethora of right lane semis to draft up behind.

At 40? not likely.

[Smigelski]

Unless something changed VW's small diesel motors didn't need adblue, they had a noxbox.. at least in the US? Our 2010 TDI didn't use adblue.

I thought so too, but it looks like the Passat needs Adblue:

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/b...review-faq.htm

[romanl]

Imagine being stuck behind these people on the interstate.

they didnt drive on the interstate, there are articles out there with a lot more details.
they took mostly rural roads with speed limits up to 60 MPH and only on those faster 60MPH roads they went 5 under.
their average did end up being just over 40 MPH for the whole trip.
is it doable? yes it is, would one go craze,, yes.

as for being stuck behind them... most rural roads are Broken YELLOW line, so you can pass whenever. and even if it was interstate that would mean 2 lanes minimum each way, so once again you could pass

[dub01]

Unless something changed VW's small diesel motors didn't need adblue, they had a noxbox.. at least in the US? Our 2010 TDI didn't use adblue.

The Passat needed the AdBlue to pass EPA cert. The Jetta, Golf and Beetle squeaked through without it. Can't remember the exact reason though.

[Grey Mouser]

I thought so too, but it looks like the Passat needs Adblue:

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/b...review-faq.htm

Interesting. Too bad you can't just buy adblue outright and do it yourself. (I've read you can get it at truck stops if you happen to be so lucky)... but the dealer won't sell it to you, it's a service type item?

Has that changed?

[MCTB]

At 40? not likely.

Probably not for long stretches but every little bit helps. There are some very slow sections in southern Va as you wind your way through the mountains (if they took 81). In that area, trucks arent going too much faster because of the grades and turns.

[Smigelski]

Interesting. Too bad you can't just buy adblue outright and do it yourself. (I've read you can get it at truck stops if you happen to be so lucky)... but the dealer won't sell it to you, it's a service type item?

Has that changed?

Dunno about the dealer, but I just checked ECS and they have it

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Adblue/ES465415/