The Original i30 Owners Club

GENERAL STUFF => TEST DRIVES & TESTIMONIALS => Topic started by: marti30 on October 21, 2011, 17:12:00

Title: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: marti30 on October 21, 2011, 17:12:00
My i30 is a red, UK spec, 2009.5 model year, 5 door, 6 speed, 1.6 u2 crdi comfort. I bought it new at the very end of 2009 with 8.4 miles on the clock. In its first 20 months it covered 60,000 miles and is now showing 63,000 miles. Its provided me with reliable, practical, comfortable transport and I've enjoyed driving it.
I don't drive it every day but the days it is used it goes between 100 and nearly 500 miles. Most of my driving consists of long, gentle journeys with one needle just above 2,000rpm and the other just below 70mph. The average speed display has never been reset and currently shows 42mph.
The day I collected it from the dealer I drove 120 miles and then filled the 53 litre tank with 56 litres of supermarket diesel. Since then its used 4,602.73 litres to go 63,111.5 miles which I calculate to be 62.3mpg. The average fuel consumption display has never been reset and shows 64.3mpg. Usually when I fuel I brim it and reset the trip. My biggest fill so far is 60.5 litres @ 879.8 miles (the low fuel light came on @ 794 miles and the Distance To Empty went from 30 to dashes @ 851 miles).
A tried and trusted independent garage has given it minor services @ 20,000 (£103.02), 40,000 (£108.46) and 60,000 (£124.50) miles. The only replacements being oil and oil filter. The front tyres were changed @ 38,000 miles with Marshal KH35 88s (£47.00 each or £94.01 the pair). Just like the Hankook originals they are wearing unevenly with both inner shoulders going first. When they were fitted the alignment was checked and pronounced perfect. Next time I'll consider having the toe-in adjusted anyway on a trial and error basis. By the way; elsewhere on the forum there's debate about the merits of different tyre sizes (195/65/15 against 185/65/15). No one seems to have picked up on my question of the suitability 195/60/15 which I think would have much the same sidewall size as the standard 185/65/15 but the slightly larger footprint of the 195/65/15. In any case I'll stick to the original size, especially as I'm unlikely to buy 5 new tyres at the same time.
Title: Re: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: asathorny on October 21, 2011, 18:45:43
Very interesting Marti glad you've enjoyed your motor, I have nowhere near that mileage...  Almost two years old and just tickling eight thousand miles  :scared:...

Anyhow it was nice to read your missive, thanks

 :goodjob: :goodjob: :goodjob: :goodjob: :goodjob:
Title: Re: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: Dazzler on October 21, 2011, 21:50:19
Excellent post marti30  :goodjob: So much information in one paragraph  :happydance:

It really is amazing getting over 60MPG out of a car with better than average performance. We take it for granted on this forum but it really is incredible when compared with cars of say the 1970's and even compared with a lot of smaller slower cars still available now  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: Surferdude on October 21, 2011, 22:17:12
Sorry Marti. You're right.
The 195/60R15 would be a reasonable alternative but it is 19.5 mm lower in OD than the 195/65R15.
Normally 15mm is acceptable.
But it is only 6mm less than the 185/65R15.
If you were coming off 195/65R15 to 195/60R15 your speedo would register a 3% variance which is quite a lot.
Title: 69,000 miles in 2 years @ 62.4mpg
Post by: marti30 on January 07, 2012, 16:22:58
69,000 miles in 2 years @ 62.4mpg

As this is a brief update to my previous post the title says it all really.  The fuel consumption display currently shows 64.5mpg but by my calculations it's actually 62.4mpg (a slight improvement on the figure previously posted).
 
Title: Re: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: babis_xo on January 08, 2012, 20:59:34
 :goodjob:
Title: Re: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: 2i30s on January 08, 2012, 21:13:58
 :goodjob2: :goodjob:
Title: Re: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: Crunchtime on February 01, 2012, 00:28:45
Had an ESP life saver some time ago aswell, was coming home from work on a oneway road. Some numpty didnt realise this and it was an absolute nightmare to see him coming. Wouldnt've put my pinky finger between the two cars without losing it. Had to drive into the grass/mud/.. felt the ESP kick in (saw it on the dash aswell). True lifesaver, adored the car from then on. :D
Title: Re: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: Doggie 1 on February 01, 2012, 08:34:17
Interesting that your tyres wore out on the inside being a diesel - seems to be a common issue with them.
Title: Re: Early Days But So Far So Good
Post by: Dazzler on February 01, 2012, 11:18:36
Had an ESP life saver some time ago aswell, was coming home from work on a oneway road. Some numpty didnt realise this and it was an absolute nightmare to see him coming. Wouldnt've put my pinky finger between the two cars without losing it. Had to drive into the grass/mud/.. felt the ESP kick in (saw it on the dash aswell). True lifesaver, adored the car from then on. :D

Welcome to the club .. I learnt a new word from you "numpty" I like it... :happydance:
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