fuel consumption yet again

We have a petrol cruiser, and tow a nearly three ton van, fuel consumption drops about 20% (average), but does vary depending on the terrain, and weather conditions.
Friend has a 4.2 diesel, and his is similar.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Baz

baz&pud
do you kniow the basic numbers per 100kms with and without van

Trip just completed was 14000++, and we averaged 4.55 ks per litre, as far as around town i don't keep figures, as the cruiser is really only for pulling the van.
Back some 6 or 7 years ago when i did keep the it was about 6kpl, but take into account it was all short running around town.
We have now made the decision not to keep consumption figures because if we want to go somewhere, we are going to go, so bugger the cost .

yeh i know the question has alot of varuables but im hopeing people will keep it simple. eg 2003 4.2td 12ltr around town, 17ltrs towing 2.5t camper at 100kms. Im not looking for exact numbers just a basic comparison between makes and models and years.

Hi Kim111,
Based on what figures you provided, I wouldn't be too keen on changing anything on that engine. Those figures are very good results given you are towing a 3ton van. As far as the air filter getting clogged, it isn't hard to quickly clean the filter and put it back in.

looking at those figures on straight diesel after the gas choked, they must've been going downhill all the way home.

I stand very corrected... I just checked with hubby, on the way home we did 25ltr/100kms! Absolutely hideous!

As for the air filter, it should have been replaced before we hit the road. As it was, when it was discovered that it was clogged, a simple tap wasn't enough. Hubby cleaned the chunks of oily mud and dust out best he could (no spare....), cleaned it with petrol, let it dry and put it back in. I believe a new one went in the day after we got home...

having said that, at the end of a long day's towing, my tug provides me with a recling supermodel on the bonnet with a nice cold one in one hand and a lovely roast dinner in the other but I'm buggered if I could get 17/100 towing three ton on the dirt.

2ooo patrol ute /na, towing roadstar 2.1 ton, plus water etc , 400ks on 90 litre tank, 700 ks when not towing, slow but we get there, 30 thou kms in 10 months ... 193 thou on odometer, 1 water pump fixed myself, 1 alternater belt last weekend ( probably over tightned it) thinking about turboing ute...

if my maths are correct, that's roughly about 66,000ks of petrol saved by going petrol. Taking your lower figure of 15 grand cheaper and fuel @ $1.50 doing a regular (not towing) 15L/100ks . So around three years or more average mileage/kilometerage "paid for". I have used diesels for a good few years now but it's a reasonable argument, as I'm sure Robin, in his 4.8 Pootrol would testify. That may be a conservative estimate but after 3 years the diesel would start to claw that back. The difference would diminish if we were talking used vehicles but whatever, it's an interesting one. All rough figures but it gives some perspective. One other thing I have found is that contrary to popular belief, I have spent no more on maintenence of my current Prado D4D (diesel) than a previous LC100 petrol.

Hi Steve,
A mate bought a 2004 Sahara TD Cruiser for 60 grand about 12 months before I bought my 2003 GXL Petrol Cruiser which I paid 22.5 grand for.

As you can see I have been conservative with my figures concerning purchase price.

My consumption figures are acurate though.

Cheers, Bruce.

yep - that price diff buys a lot of fuel Bruce. I'm doing a similar excercise with the Prado (previously also had a LC100 two cars back but not as much diff with the Prado) it's a very nice feeling on those long trips to fuel up with diesel knowing how far it has/will take you but you pay upfront for it. No simple answer that covers everybody but it's a close one these days. Diesel used to be well below the cost of petrol but as soon as there's a market for it the barstards whack the price up.

just an afterthought, I got rid of my petrol LC100 because of the fuel I was getting through but really, it's all relative and if you get a bit upset every time you need to fill up, just think of what you've saved at purchase. You can end up chasing your tail with this stuff and in the end, there's probably little in it. I can't honestly say one is better than the other on consumption but I have a leaning towards the diesel for other reasons. The same suit doesn't fit everybody though.