Are Scoobs REALLY thirsty?
20 January 2002, 07:17 PM
#32
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I'm getting 58mpg. See http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/thread.asp?ThreadID=60004
Seriously though, I wracked my brains when making the decision and came to the following conclusions.
Subaru do not have a manufacturing base in Europe hence they can only import so many cars a year. This means they are spreading their cars through markets such as the US and Australia where fuel costs are less important as it's so cheap (relative to income as well as real cost). Also there's no point appealing to the fleet market as they couldn't meet the demand because of said import restrictions. Hence they creat a niche market by ditching the need for economy and appeal to the small number of petrolheads like us. I would imagine most manufacturers could make a 2 litre car with ***** out performance and crap economy using an old engine design and a complete disregard for a balance with consumption. Thank god for the import regs!!
I await a severe flaming from people more in the know but it's the only reason I can see why even the new scoob turbo has the same boxer engine design which seems to have been powerful but thirsty whenever its cropped up over the years (was the Alfa engine fond of Arab Juice too?)
I reckon the next version of the impreza will ditch the engine because of pressure from enviroment/emmisions regs.
For the record I did an accurate calculation to justify selling it and I was getting 25mpg with loads of motorway miles and full decat (strangles hence poor economy). Sorry to be dull and lacking in humour but I'm missing my scoob and have become an anorak to help compensate for becoming a boring old fart.
Seriously though, I wracked my brains when making the decision and came to the following conclusions.
Subaru do not have a manufacturing base in Europe hence they can only import so many cars a year. This means they are spreading their cars through markets such as the US and Australia where fuel costs are less important as it's so cheap (relative to income as well as real cost). Also there's no point appealing to the fleet market as they couldn't meet the demand because of said import restrictions. Hence they creat a niche market by ditching the need for economy and appeal to the small number of petrolheads like us. I would imagine most manufacturers could make a 2 litre car with ***** out performance and crap economy using an old engine design and a complete disregard for a balance with consumption. Thank god for the import regs!!
I await a severe flaming from people more in the know but it's the only reason I can see why even the new scoob turbo has the same boxer engine design which seems to have been powerful but thirsty whenever its cropped up over the years (was the Alfa engine fond of Arab Juice too?)
I reckon the next version of the impreza will ditch the engine because of pressure from enviroment/emmisions regs.
For the record I did an accurate calculation to justify selling it and I was getting 25mpg with loads of motorway miles and full decat (strangles hence poor economy). Sorry to be dull and lacking in humour but I'm missing my scoob and have become an anorak to help compensate for becoming a boring old fart.
20 January 2002, 09:36 PM
#33
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Probably on the right lines. Engine has a low compression ratio and high emissions, so it ain't that efficent.
The new V6 X-type is more economical, and 4WD as well.
Log time a go I had Alfasuds and I seem to remember that they we mean on juice, so maybe it's not the layout.
Hope Scoob are not heading off down the straight 4 route. I'd sure miss that engine note
The new V6 X-type is more economical, and 4WD as well.
Log time a go I had Alfasuds and I seem to remember that they we mean on juice, so maybe it's not the layout.
Hope Scoob are not heading off down the straight 4 route. I'd sure miss that engine note
22 January 2002, 01:44 PM
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HarryBoy, people keep perpetuating this myth that the Octavia uses the Audi A4 platform. In fact it just uses the Golf platform (and was the first VAG car to do so - they seem to test out new platforms on Skodas, as they have done with the Labia, sorry, Fabia). So it's not really surprising that the Octavia uses the Golf's 4Motion 4wd system.
As for it being pretend 4wd - well, it's the same system as on a Skyline GTR or a Porsche Carrera 4...
I've always thought Scoobs have poor fuel economy because they run rich. Certainly they always seem to have soot round the exhaust (how do they pass emissions tests then?) There must be some basic inefficiencies in the engine as well, though.
As for it being pretend 4wd - well, it's the same system as on a Skyline GTR or a Porsche Carrera 4...
I've always thought Scoobs have poor fuel economy because they run rich. Certainly they always seem to have soot round the exhaust (how do they pass emissions tests then?) There must be some basic inefficiencies in the engine as well, though.
23 January 2002, 09:12 AM
#36
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Hi Simon,
Didn't wish to imply that the Octavia uses anything but the A3/Golf platform - together with the Beetle, TT, Seat Toledo, Leon....
Didn't wish to imply that the Octavia uses anything but the A3/Golf platform - together with the Beetle, TT, Seat Toledo, Leon....
23 January 2002, 09:18 AM
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BTW - I thought the A3 was the first one in the Piech empire to use this platform, which was then donated to the Octavia and Golf. And yes, I'm aware that the Octavia was launched in Europe nearly 2 years before we got it in the UK. You're right about the Fabia though - chassis now being used by new Polo and Ibiza.
My understanding of VW Group philosophy is that whichever division develops the platform has 24 months clear "advantage" over the other divisions. Hence, the next Passat will adopt the new A4 platform after Audi's exclusive use - and so on.
My understanding of VW Group philosophy is that whichever division develops the platform has 24 months clear "advantage" over the other divisions. Hence, the next Passat will adopt the new A4 platform after Audi's exclusive use - and so on.
23 January 2002, 09:55 AM
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Hammer it everywhere and manage 20.5mpg almost all the time.
Drove to South of France last year and managed 29mpg.
Crap compared to other cars but bearing in mind the little amount of M-way driving I do I'm still better off keeping the Scoob.
Problem is if you buy a Scoob it's more than just a mode of transport otherwise why buy one? The amount of extra £££ spent on fuel is peanuts compared to that spent on toys :-)
Further to the earlier comment re German manuf. I looked at BMW coup[es recently and there is very little diff between 320, 325, 330. This newer range of engines is more powerful and less thirsty than old 320, 323, 328. Quite impressive I thought.
Drove to South of France last year and managed 29mpg.
Crap compared to other cars but bearing in mind the little amount of M-way driving I do I'm still better off keeping the Scoob.
Problem is if you buy a Scoob it's more than just a mode of transport otherwise why buy one? The amount of extra £££ spent on fuel is peanuts compared to that spent on toys :-)
Further to the earlier comment re German manuf. I looked at BMW coup[es recently and there is very little diff between 320, 325, 330. This newer range of engines is more powerful and less thirsty than old 320, 323, 328. Quite impressive I thought.
23 January 2002, 12:20 PM
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Harry - I re-read my post after putting it up and realised you didn't imply that the Octavia had the A4 platform - so apologies if it looked like I was besmirching you. I also realised the A3 may have beaten the Octavia to the Golf platform - I remember seeing my first UK A3 in summer 1997, and seeing an Octavia on the road in France in summer 1997, so can't recall which was first. Not a lot in it, I guess, certainly not 2 years like for the new A4 floorpan.
Since you're clearly interested in this too - any idea what the wheelbase of the current A6 is compared to the Passat and new Skoda Superb? I read in Autocar that the Superb has a Chinese-market only platform which is a lwb version of the Passat's... but surely that'd simply be the A6's?
Anyway, enough of this O/T lark.
Since you're clearly interested in this too - any idea what the wheelbase of the current A6 is compared to the Passat and new Skoda Superb? I read in Autocar that the Superb has a Chinese-market only platform which is a lwb version of the Passat's... but surely that'd simply be the A6's?
Anyway, enough of this O/T lark.
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