£30 an hour to just take it easy.

T

TexMex

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Started moving all my worldly possessions to Great Grimsby (from Romford Essex) this week. Filled up the tank (LDV Cargo van) and took the first load up Saturday at an average speed of 75-80mph. By the time I got back to Essex I was running on fumes. it took £66 to refill it.

Next load, I experimented with a sedantary 60mph all the way there and back. Nett result is over half a tank left. So that's a saving of about £30 for just an extra hours driving.:eek:

I knew that the lower speed of such an un-aerodynamic beast was bound to be more economic, but the scale of the saving is absolutely staggering. Even by car (2ltr nissan primara) usually takes about £44. (mind you, that's at 90+mph).

BTW door to door comes out at 180 miles each way.

I just wish that they would put a stronger return spring under the throtle peddal. After hours of holding my toes up in the air, the tendons in the upper part of my foot are really gettting stiff.
 
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TexMex said:
Even by car (2ltr nissan primara) usually takes about £44. (mind you, that's at 90+mph).

BTW door to door comes out at 180 miles each way.

I just wish that they would put a stronger return spring under the throtle peddal. After hours of holding my toes up in the air, the tendons in the upper part of my foot are really gettting stiff.
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i think you mean slightly over 70mph :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: ;)
 
big-all said:
i think you mean slightly over 70mph :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: ;)
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:oops: You're right, of course. I must have pressed the 7 too hard, so it came out as a 9 ;)
 
your like me its nice to be frugal and energy efficiant buuuutttt

nothing like a good burn up though :) :p :p ;)
 
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Tex, not sure of your age, but did you find the LDV a bit of a design dinosaur?

The interior door releases date back to the era of the Austin 11/1300's.....

Mind you, they used the same ones on the Lotus Esprit, so they can't be that bad....

Get in a Sprinter or even the latest Tranny, and things look much better.

I found my fuel economy very good when taking it easy. We had a full load (two of us, three kids in the back, and a full boot, plus a double bed on the rack....) down to Croydon, and set the cruise to 56.

I bottled it at 700 miles....!!

700 miles for (then) £39.00's worth of diesel. Not bad.

And to be honest, it always takes an age with 3 young uns, so I didn't notice a huge difference in journey time.

That's my mistake. I always hare about on long distance trips doing 85 (I mean 69) plus, then having to stop for 1 1/2 hours lunch and a nappy change (and that's just for the missus!!) negates the gain.

Come to the conclusion now that taking it easy (like the Cadbury's Caramel Bunny Rabbit!) is the way to go. Trouble is, now I'm collecting more non m-way points.......Norty boy!
 
but did you find the LDV a bit of a design dinosaur?
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I've actually hired this one for the week. (£220 for the week). Interior design wise, it is definately a blast from the past.

Talking specifically of the Cargo. The handbrake needs a bit of redesigning as well. You have to stretch down a long way to pull it up and when you are releasing it, you have the keep a good deal of pressure on the button as you lower it all the way back down again, otherwise it's inclined to stick. The seat is also a bit numbing after some miles.

I was also serious about the problem with the throttle. Nice and light to the touch, but after many miles of toes pointing skywards, you really do get a pain in the instep. I've ended up wedging my foot between the peddal and the side of the footwell, supporting it with the left foot, all to no avail. Cruise control would definately be a plus.

On the plus side, I found the stearing and gearchanges excellent. But then after my own antique LDV 200 the original Fergy Tractor would seem like a rolls.
 
I get 33-35mpg out of my Astra when driven in a fun manner, 41mpg when driving like a girl (but with the handbrake off). It adds up, that would equate to £150 a year off my fuel bill I guess.

But I agree with Al: there is nothing like a good burn-up. I reckon about 5 times a year I get bored on an empty motorway and wind it up a bit. 100mph really isn't that fast (provided your tyres don't blow, and the road is empty of vehicles, debris and wildlife :eek: ), but it is still a nice round number to be doing. :D I remember first time I went over the ton, aged about 9 with my Dad driving

"And this is 100mph." car whizzes past... "and that moron is going about 120. Bl**dy idiot." ;) :LOL:
 
All this talk about mpg and no-one's asked the poor guy why he's going to Grimsby!
 
TexMex said:
The handbrake needs a bit of redesigning as well. You have to stretch down a long way to pull it up and when you are releasing it, you have the keep a good deal of pressure on the button as you lower it all the way back down again, otherwise it's inclined to stick.
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Like the older Trannys.

Talking of which, the LDV's have lots of Tranny bits nowadays. I think engines gearboxes, locks etc come from Ford. Dunno bout the rack, though...

Never noticed the A pedal, but then only do short distances in LDV. If I go long distances, I get a Tranny or pref. a Sprinter.

Cruise control would definately be a plus.
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:LOL: On LDV? :D
 
Hitachimad said:
LDV is the new name for 'Sherpa' is it not?
Didnt Sherpas get nicknamed 'Slurpers'....?
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Think you'll find that was after the people who drove them, too busy in t'pub to get from A to B ;)
 
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