D1 300tdi Owners - Avg MPG's?

[Colin hughes]

Currently driving a 2003 D2 4.6 but have the opportunity to purchase an NAS LHD 97 D1 300tdi with correct automatic transmission. I'm wondering what kind of real world MPG's people are getting with their 300 TDI's? My commute alone is 100 miles per day round trip so I'm thinking this would pay for itself fairly quickly. Thanks.

 

[mgreenspan]

Currently driving a 2003 D2 4.6 but have the opportunity to purchase an NAS LHD 97 D1 300tdi with correct automatic transmission. I'm wondering what kind of real world MPG's people are getting with their 300 TDI's? My commute alone is 100 miles per day round trip so I'm thinking this would pay for itself fairly quickly. Thanks.

If the truck were equally priced to a V8 Disco then yes it would pay for itself because there would be no price difference. I don't think I've seen a TDI Disco for less than $15k. That will take a lot of years of driving to "pay for itself".

You do 2000 miles per month (100 miles per day x 5 days x 4 weeks).
Gallons per month with 300 tdi doing 28mpg = 71.42
Gallons per month with V8 doing 18mpg = 111.11
Cost per month 300 tdi = $296.17 (national average diesel @$4.147)
Cost per month V8 = $435.33 (national average unleaded @$3.918)

Your initial purchase price for a TDI Disco we'll call $15000. V8 Disco we'll call $5000. You therefore have to make up $10000 for the purchase price difference. You're monthly difference in fuel costs is $139.16. Therefore you have to drive the TDI Disco for 72 months (71.86) in order to break even. Six years of commutting in a TDI Disco is not as good as six years of commutting in any other car. You're 97 TDI Disco will be over 20 years old when you've broken even. You should always get a different vehicle like a Honda or TDI VW or anything else instead of a diesel Land Rover unless you want a diesel Land Rover.

Conclusion: Do not use fuel economy compared to a V8 Land Rover to justify commutting in a TDI Land Rover. Drive a Land Rover because you want to drive a Land Rover. Buy a different car for efficiency.

 

[jymmiejamz]

I get between 23-28 in my Defender with a 300tdi, and I drive it pretty hard.

 

[jrose609]

If the Tdi Disco is stock, I'd say 25 mpg is a good point to start. Especially if mostly freeway.

Once you start adding on kit, then mpg's go out the window. My truck fairly well-built with bumpers, winch, lift, roof rack, bigger tires, etc. I am around 18-20 in town. Top is 22 on the freeway at 65 mpg.

You will love the simplicity. The tractor-like driving experience off road.

 

[listerdiesel]

The 4-speed auto box torque converter locks up at a reasonable speed, so 25 - 32 mpg over here is about right, but US gallons are smaller than UK, so you'd be looking at less per gallon.

If you are driving in town all day that will drop as the box isn't locking up. Manuals do better, but not popular in the US.

Peter

 

[Jake1996D1]

Where in the hell can I get a rover v8 that gets 18 MPG on average? haha

Needlees to say putting $70 of gas int he truck that lasts 2 weeks (I work from home) - I cant imagine how bad it would hurt the wallet to commute in a V8 Rover.

 

[mgreenspan]

Alright 15mpg is still $522.40 per month. That would take you 45 months to even it out. I remember getting close to 18 average back when my 98 was in stock form but it ran like a dream I suppose after the dealer put a clean engine in it to replace the one that got F-ed when they messed up the oil pump on the original engine. I also thought that 28mpg was generous for a 300 auto. You can play with the numbers however you want but you're going to be driving for many years before it has paid for itself was my point.

 

[listerdiesel]

Where in the hell can I get a rover v8 that gets 18 MPG on average? haha

Needlees to say putting $70 of gas int he truck that lasts 2 weeks (I work from home) - I cant imagine how bad it would hurt the wallet to commute in a V8 Rover.

We get 14-15mpg out of our D2 on LPG, which works out in price terms to 28mpg equivalent in petrol.

That's how most folks run the V8's in the UK with petrol at ?1.42 a litre, or in US currency, $US 8.59 per US gallon.

Manual gearboxes help a bit as well.

Peter

 

[Colin hughes]

Thanks for the input, this is one of the reasons I thought I'd ask to see if the diesel made sense based on other people's real world mileage. The reason for the diesel is because, yes, I want to continue driving a Land Rover. In the past I've bought a 2002 Jetta TDI and a 1999 BMW 323i and although they saved on fuel, I still had an extra vehicle to maintain, an extra vehicle to insure, they were both crap in the winter snow and I missed driving my Rover. If LPG were more common here in Canada, that would be a preferable route with my D2. I do have concerns about going to a 15 year old vehicle which will likely cost about $12K on the road and need to be sure the rust bug isn't fully intrenched in the usual hiding areas. Lots to think about and the calculator needs a bit more of a workout.

 

[Tugela]

Locally I've seen dealership ads for Ford Focus hatchbacks leasing for $67 per month. That's less than the cost of filling my Disco's gas tank once. Leases usually have mileage limits so if you are commuting 500 miles per week it is probably not going to meet your needs, but a new hatchback that gets 35-40 mpg and costs around $13k+ (on the low end) sounds appealing as a daily driver.

 

[JohnB]

Never makes sense for your wallet to buy a car just based on better mileage. When your current car needs major repair like so many Land Rovers will need then it makes sense to buy a newer car that gets better mileage.

 

[Colin hughes]

I agree John and I don't really want another type of vehicle, I want to drive a Land Rover. I just did a quick calculation on the last couple fillups and it appears I'm getting about 14.6 litres per 100 kms (16mpg) with the 2003 4.6 V8. Basing the 300 tdi on about 9-10 litres per 100 kms, I'd likely save about $10 a day on fuel. Say $2400 a year in savings but I'd be going back six years in vehicle years and the D2's seem to be less prone to rusting, unlike the D1's. Right now I'm driving the Disco three days a week and my wife's Mercedes the other two. It averages about 8.5 lts per 100 kms on the trip to work. We also have a Canadian Tire gas saver Mastercard, which we put all our bills onto, and if gives a 10 cents a litre discount up to $700 in gas per month. Every little bit helps.

 

[mulisha00]

You must really love rovers in all I can say. My 98 d1 gas hog has been sitting on E for three weeks since I got my 00 Jetta TDI. Eventually you have to be realistic and your love for the rover weakens as you watch your wallet empty on fuel.

I drove my stock 97 d1 as my daily on my 400 mile weekly commute. I was a damn idiot for paying that much in fuel cost a month. I'd find another Jetta TDI and burn the road up. Sucks in the snow? Get snow tires.

 

[redhawkrovers]

My 95 d1 get's 22-23 in town it has RTE 3.5 lift and 245 tires have not run on the hiway.
My buddy's D2 with a 300 Tdi and 5speed gets 25 on hiway on 245 tires

 

[teledan]

Drive a Land Rover because you want to drive a Land Rover. Buy a different car for efficiency.

I like this.

 

[piper109]

I have a 99 SD d1 that I converted myself with a 96 300tdi drive train.
I get about 22 mpg around the appalachian mountains and also on the highway (80 plus with a/c)
I have never done better than 22 but maybe if I lightened up a bit I might ...but not much.
IP is very slightly tweaked, no smoke. Injectors are new.

All these claims of 25 mpg plus astonish me.

 

[p m]

Drove a MB Viano van with a 3.0CDI and 5-speed automatic for a week, with 6-8 people inside, in the mountains - average 28.7mpg. Curb weight is about the same as for D1 - 4300-4700 lbs, for various options. And I was not easy at all on the thin pedal.

So... while 25+ mpg claims seem on the high side for a D1, but even that can be beat. I wish I could have that Viano state-side...

 

[TarkaK9]

I've been also thinking, finger x'd, at sometime this year doing a tdi. I don't mean to possibly hijack a thread but can anyone recommend a decent resource to get the 300 tdi engines etc? (send a PM in interest of thread staying on topic)

My goal is a trail and rec rig and not a DD; I've been told that its best to use a D1 for ease and cost but can it be done, or is it worth to do it, to a D2? My thought is to find a vehicle which has a blown engine and swap it out. Plan B (is to abort the plan entirely)... nah, but to dump the dosh into a reg Disco. If all else fails, I'd just sell the tdi once bored with it.