[vvandam]

Hi Guys

I did a trip to Namibia in December 2010. I purchased a 1998 3.5 V6 5 Door Facelift Auto in November especially for this trip. It was awesome! We travelled 90% ground roads, avoided tar like the plague.

There were two 4x4 on this trip, a 1996 Nissan SANI 3l V6 with Turbo and my Pajero. Both did very well. When I got back and calculated total distances and fuel consumption I got a bit of a shock:

6,500kms for the trip at 5.5kms per liter.

Is this normal consumption? Can I improve on it?

Thanx to all for a great forum.

[kgduggan]

I have a 98 3.5 auto lwb and I did not buy it for fuel consumption,I'm fortunate to have a company car so only use the bus at weekends so on average round town use is 16 to 24 litres per 100 kms if I kick it, and on the open road 9 to 10.5 towing with the cruise on. But fuel usage is the least of my problems as I owned a Kawasaki 500 triple tow-stroke in the 70's and that was heavy 70 km's to 18 liter's of fuel,it was not air cooled but fueled cooled.

[ChrisB]

That might be on the high side, but you don't say if you were towing or loaded or had a roof rack on?
I'm impressed if I get 7 or more.

[tonton]

Speed, load and road conditions are determining factors.

At 100-120 km/h you could do better, but 5,5 is quite normal on bad roads combined with speed on highways and a heavy load.

Anton

[gerald randall]

The 3.5 V6 is not light on petrol. I have the same motor in a newer model. In town around 5.5 km/l. Open road, without towing, but loaded, around 7km/l. With trailer, on open road, not much heavier. Roof rack makes a big difference to fuel consumption. Gravel roads and 4x4 tracks do push up the consumption dramatically. When I bought the vehicle, I can remember that I was told that consumption is around around 20 l/100km in town and 16 l/100km on the open road. I thus expected it to be heavy. I have modified my exhaust and it improved about 0.5km/l. I also have large heavy tyres on the vehicle and that contributes to the consumption on the up side. I expect that you also used the aircon when you were in Namibia. That makes a difference. Bottom line is that these vehicles, like all 4x4's are heavy on petrol.

[4ePikanini]

Bottom line is that these vehicles, like all 4x4's are heavy on petrol.

I beg to differ. That applies to petrol only.

I had a 3000 V6 Gen 2 pajero that got 17l/100km at best. I now have a gen3 3.2 Di-D Pajero that I recently took on holiday. It averaged 11.9l/100km which included dirt roads, highway travelling, a trail and always loaded with luggage. My highway speed was mostly set by cruise control to 117km/h GPS (121 speedo). If I drove by feel I may have gotten it even lower.

Dad's V10 TDi Touareg does similar figures as well and regardless of what others say, it is a very capable 4x4.

[Jaco Vosloo]

Bottom line is that these vehicles, like all 4x4's are heavy on petrol.

I beg to differ. That applies to petrol only.

I had a that got 17l/100km at best. I now have a gen3 3.2 Di-D Pajero that I recently took on holiday. It averaged 11.9l/100km which included dirt roads, highway travelling, a trail and always loaded with luggage. My highway speed was mostly set by cruise control to 117km/h GPS (121 speedo). If I drove by feel I may have gotten it even lower.

Dad's V10 TDi Touareg does similar figures as well and regardless of what others say, it is a very capable 4x4.

11.9l/100km (8.4km/l) is still heavy if you are not towing a heavy trailer.
My 3000 V6 Gen 2 SWB does 13,3l/100km (7.5km/l) if it is loaded and 18.1l/100km (5.5km/l) when towing a heavy offroad trailer.
My D4D Fortuner does 9.5l/100km (10.5km/l) if it is loaded and 11.8l/100km (8.5km/l) when towing a heavy offroad trailer. (and the Fortuner doesnt even fall over when I'm travering 80km/h on a dirt road)

[4ePikanini]

your post supports my point that 4x4's do not need to be heavy on juice.

I'm pretty happy with 11.9l/100km for such a big vehicle as my jetta returned 10.5l/100km and the passat returned 12-13l/100km.

I am sure my economy will come down even more as it has come down from 16 already since I got it. I suspect the previous owner may have used the wrong oil gunking up the intake system through the crankcase ventilation. This is slowly being cleared out by good oil and the carbon deposits from 260'000km in the combustion chamber is slowly being burned away by snake oil

Back on topic though.......

I have driven a 3.8 Gen 3 and quickly noticed how driving style can affect fuel consumption. Careful driving can yield 12l/100km and gunning it returned figures well over 20l/100km.

[RoelfleRoux]

There is no getting away from it.
A big 4x4 "PETROL" SUV is heavy on "PETROL".

This debate is not open to the guys with their DiD's that are too scared to pay for petrol.

I had three DiD's in a row before getting my current 3.8V6. Fuel consumption comparisons between the two are NOT open to debate.

What 4ePikani says about the 3.8V6 MIVEC and driving style is absolutely correct. The same goes for the 3.5V6 in question here, the only difference is that the 1998 3.5V6 doesn't have a fuel consumption display to "learn" from.

[4ePajero]

Yes, unfortunately ALL large displacement petrol engines are heavy on fuel.
(I had a Chevy 4.3l V-6 - I know!)

Petrol engines can be "nursed" to give good fuel consumption under favourable conditions - figures close to those of TD engines.

TD engines are less "variable", in that the difference between favourable conditions and not so favourable are less than for petrol engines.