[talkingcars]

On Monday night last week I drove from home, near Gatwick to a hotel at J15 on the M6 and then on to a meeting in Stoke on Tuesday, I then drove home.

As I was claiming fuel on expenses I brimmed the fuel tank before I left (petrol station 1/4mile down the road), topped up at the M6 toll services on the way back and again when I got home.

I drove resonably sensibly without much harsh acceleration or braking.

Av fuel was 29mpg.

Last year I did virtually the same journey but drove very carefully, gentle use of controls etc, staying under 70 etc and only got 33mpg because I wanted to do it as cheaply as possible.

This week I made the same journey as last week but as I had to go up and back in the same day so I drove quickly, 195 miles in 3 hrs 20, not much slower on the way back and was very suprised when I did the calculations.

You would have thought low to mid 20's, especially as last week was very very cold so denser air so more power.

I've also done the same journey in a Rover 114 and was only getting about 40mpg.

Would you believe I managed
















31 mpg!

Morel of the story - put your foot down, it doesn't matter.