is220d poor MPG

drunkmonkey

Anyone any experience with this car, I stuggle to get over 35mpg which is pretty bad for a diesel, I'm not driving it hard, is this normal, on a long spin I might get it up to 37mpg but it's usually between 30 & 35mpg.
Can anything be done to improve it, lexus say it's normal and 35mpg is normal.
It's a 2006 manual.

Plug

Well if Lexus say its normal well then you will have to put up with it:(
Maybe you can get the engine remapped for economy rather than performance?

drunkmonkey

Is there anywhere that can remap them, I don't think it's possible, I'm kinda blaiming the gear box, the gearing makes no sense, they shouldn't have bothered with first or 6th gear. You've to break the speed limit on the motorway if you want to use 6th.

Plug

why what RPM does it read at 120kph in 6th gear?

Eric Cartman

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Is there anywhere that can remap them, I don't think it's possible, I'm kinda blaiming the gear box, the gearing makes no sense, they shouldn't have bothered with first or 6th gear. You've to break the speed limit on the motorway if you want to use 6th.

and thats a problem because...

drunkmonkey

Anything below 70mph and your labouring the engine in 6th,

@120kph it's 1650rpm

Plug

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Anything below 70mph and your labouring the engine in 6th,

@120kph it's 1650rpm

Sure thats grand.

Eric Cartman

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Anything below 70mph and your labouring the engine in 6th,

@120kph it's 1650rpm

sounds like you need to start doing 160 like all the other diesel saloon rocketship drivers :rolleyes: just talk to somebody with a 1.9TDi VAG-mobile

colm_mcm

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=42419

drunkmonkey

It makes 6th useless for non motorway driving, it's still terrible mpg, current tank average is 31mpg, that's after a 50 mile round trip.

mickob16

I have a 525d and cant get over 35mpg on a motorway journey but ive read about other people with same car getting 50mpg.You might just have to put up with it.

drunkmonkey

colm_mcm wrote: »

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=42419

Yea I saw that and threw it up to lexus but they said the 5th injector has nothing to do with mpg, they also said I was doing pretty well to be getting 35mpg. Yet the claimed mpg is around 48mpg, I can get no where near that no matter how long a trip.

nogoodnamesleft

I remember reading a few Lexus fourms before regards the IS220d and there was issues with the software version on the ECU. Apparently many main dealers had to flash the ECU with updated software versions due to owners complaining of power MPG.

_Conrad_

Plug wrote: »

Sure thats grand.

it is indeed. 1650rpm isnt particularly low for cruising along a motorway with a reasonable sized diesel engine.


OP:


I am already aware of quite a few people complaining of the MPG from IS220ds, and they're probably not the greatest on fuel all told, but getting early 30s average from a modern fancy diesel is nuts, waste of time having the car really, as there are a good few 2.0+ petrols that will manage that on the motorway.

But back to your particular car, it seemed like you thought 1650 rpm was too low to cruise in 6th at 120k, (now im actually not being smart or anythin here...) are you sure you're not unintentionally driving it harder than you think you are? Or if you've come from a petrol car before you may think the rpm is very low and be trying to drive it at "high" (for a diesel) revs all the time, when really the power comes in pretty low in a diesel engine and there's not usually much point using the last 1500-odd rpms when driving at speed unless you just want to go as fast as possible

ltdslipdiff

Drove one of these for a few weeks and was glad to give it back ! Found it horribly bad on fuel ! It was an 07. I'm not one of these moaners that expects a sporty diesel to do 50+ MPG but I really tried hard to break the 25MPG barrier even with very very careful driving. 6th gear is a joke and until you actually experience how long it is you just wouldn't understand. Its so bad that Lexus replaced the rear view mirror under Warranty because 6th gear causes it to shake and rattle with the engine under load ! Lexus also did the ECU remap, a twin catalyst replacement and 5th injector work whileI had it. (Took it as a trade-in) Lovely machines but thirsty !

ltdslipdiff

_Conrad_ wrote: »

it is indeed. 1650rpm isnt particularly low for cruising along a motorway with a reasonable sized diesel engine.


OP:


I am already aware of quite a few people complaining of the MPG from IS220ds, and they're probably not the greatest on fuel all told, but getting early 30s average from a modern fancy diesel is nuts, waste of time having the car really, as there are a good few 2.0+ petrols that will manage that on the motorway.

But back to your particular car, it seemed like you thought 1650 rpm was too low to cruise in 6th at 120k, (now im actually not being smart or anythin here...) are you sure you're not unintentionally driving it harder than you think you are? Or if you've come from a petrol car before you may think the rpm is very low and be trying to drive it at "high" (for a diesel) revs all the time, when really the power comes in pretty low in a diesel engine and there's not usually much point using the last 1500-odd rpms when driving at speed unless you just want to go as fast as possible

Believe me, try driving one, I'd go as far as to say that below 130 kph 6th is completely unuseable !!! It dies with any sort of incline and shakes the **** out of the car at normal speeds, it really is that bad !!!!!!

ltdslipdiff

I'd put some of it down to the huge turbo lag (forgot to mention, Lexus also replaced the EGR valve under Warranty too), it only really starts spooling up around 2-2500 RPM which you won't reach in 6th gear keeping to to the speed limit as per OP's post. I hear you and have felt your pain Drunkmonkey!!

sundodger5

Have an 09 220 and the remap makes a big difference to using 6th. It does not labour as much even at 100Kph. Now you wont be getting any acceleration but it wont boom and rattle.
fuel consumption still heavy though even after EGR being changed getting around 7.8l/100km on the trip.

sundodger5

sundodger5 wrote: »

Have an 09 220 ........ getting around 7.8l/100km on the trip.

36mpg........... makes the 21 ish mpg the ZT returns seem quite ok :cool: