[AlanHo]

ASA rules on 'misleading' fuel figures

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that car manufacturers must add a disclaimer in brochures and adverts about fuel economy figures, a ruling that will have implications for the motoring industry as a whole.

All car manufacturers and trade associations will hear from the ASA imminently. The ruling does not apply to advertisements that have already been published.

The ruling comes after a customer complained to the ASA after purchasing an Audi A3 1.6 TDI. On Audi's company website the car was advertised as returning an average combined fuel consumption figure of 68.9mpg. The owner complained that he had not achieved this figure and that the advert was misleading.  His best result had been 55.7 mpg.

Volkswagen argued that all manufacturers use official laboratory-derived MPG figures, which are widely known to be not achievable in real-world driving conditions.

The ASA countered saying that it was 'unlikely to be clear to the average consumer that the figure quoted was based on a standardised test and was not necessarily representative of what they would achieve when driving the car themselves.' As such, the ASA upheld the claim and has instructed Audi to make it clear that numbers quoted in adverts are official EU figures and might not be achievable in real-world driving conditions.

Disclaimers will start appearing on car adverts across all advertising platforms. Each manufacturer will be able to choose its own wording for the disclaimer in its adverts.

[Dazzler]

Gee, common sense has prevailed    Must have been a very small committee 

[Phil №❶]

If you went to a shop and ordered a chocolate bar and were given an apple, you would complain. This is the same thing. Talking and adding disclaimers is the wrong approach. It still allows for BS figures to be quoted and then allows the manufacturer to legally tell you it's impossible for you to achieve. If anything, it could make it worse.

I've said it before, the cars should be picked at random from new car stocks, with no warning and tested according to how it performs. A worldwide agreed standardised test should be performed, in a lab with temp & humidity standardised as well. This would still produce an unachievable figure, due to lack of wind resistance and that is what the disclaimer should only mention, nothing else. After all, the manufacturer expects the new owner of any vehicle to live with the results, so why not make them public.

[Dazzler]

I see where you are coming from Phil but would need to be an average of several randomly chosen vehicles to be fair IMHO 

[Phil №❶]

I see, a bit like Olympic scoring, do 3 tests & only keep the best. 

[Dazzler]

I see, a bit like Olympic scoring, do 3 tests & only keep the best. 

No, use the average result 

BTW .. I like the look of your "ever wondered how" threads but will have to save them until have more time (about to start that tiling of the back room) 

[Phil №❶]

And you have "shopping" to do.

Thanks Dazz, some of our members don't know much about what's inside their cars, so I thought the vids might help. Must say I'm fascinated by CNC lathes and what they can do.

[Dazzler]

And you have "shopping" to do.

Thanks Dazz, some of our members don't know much about what's inside their cars, so I thought the vids might help. Must say I'm fascinated by CNC lathes and what they can do.

Only got to a get a card .. Trish doesn't need anything, as she or I buy whatever she wants when she wants it (pretty much)

So I just give her money (she likes that) 

I like watching my mates Laser Cutting machine doing its stuff..

[Phil №❶]

What about a nice plant. I buy those and plant them, then I remind her that "I bought that for your birthday" and get repeat credits form he,r during the year. 

[Dazzler]

What about a nice plant. I buy those and plant them, then I remind her that "I bought that for your birthday" and get repeat credits form he,r during the year. 

That's a good idea .. I could replace some of the ones I've mowed over/ whipper snipped in the last 12 months 

  The main thing is, as long as it is a level playing field.

[constipated]

Here's a crazy idea, rather than a disclaimer, why don't they work on a standardised test that actually reflects everyday driving more accurately. Quite common sense if you ask me.

[FatBoy]

In Australia they do have a standardised test. It is so you can compare apples to apples. In Australia they aren't fuel consumption claims, they are what the car achieved in a standard, laboratory test.

Here is some info on how the figures are calculated in Australia.

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/buying-tips/qa-official-fuel-consumption-figures-20101216-18yws.html

[Phil №❶]

That may be so Fatboy, but there's no mention of the tinkering that the manufacturers do to those test vehicles. The TEST is standardised, but the vehicles are not typical. A recent post detailed what is done, somewhere. 

[FatBoy]

That may be so Fatboy, but there's no mention of the tinkering that the manufacturers do to those test vehicles. The TEST is standardised, but the vehicles are not typical. A recent post detailed what is done, somewhere. 

The last paragraph in that article mentions that, Phil.  I agree that it should be a selection of cars selected at random from unknown car dealers, and the results averaged out.

[Phil №❶]

So it does.