To anyone considering a Q7: GET A TDI!
05-23-2011, 04:27 PM
#1
Audiworld Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To anyone considering a Q7: GET A TDI!
My wife and I took delivery of a new 2011 Q7 TFSI S-Line (aka "Prestige") a month ago. Car is stunning to look at (inside and out) and wonderful to drive.
But it GUZZLES gas like it's got a "bad habit" - it's a gasoholic. Sure, I wasn't expecting Prius-like fuel consumption, but it's worse than our 9 year old ML500 (5L V8) that we sold to part-fund the new car.
I'm filling up the 20+ gallon tank ~1.5 times a week on average - that's well over $600 a month in gas, and of course well north of $6K a year. The TDI would've paid for itself within a couple of years, and I wouldn't have a frown on my face every time I filled it up.
We chose the TFSI based primarily on the stigma associated with Diesels (wife did NOT want a diesel for a variety of reasons previously cited on this board), but I now see no real-world benefits for the TFSI. The TDI is almost as quiet, doesn't emit black smoke and really is just about as fast when it matters (we're not doing a lot of 0-60 sprints, so the TFSI advantage is irrelevant, as is its top speed advantage).
I think we're averaging something like 12 MPG over a 1000 miles, with mostly suburban driving (school runs in hilly Atlanta). Lots of stopping and starting. Just ran up to the local ice cream place a couple of miles away for desert - overtook a car on the way there (don't normally do that), and that resulted in trip MPGs dropping from 14 to 9 point something.
I'm very, very disappointed with the gas consumption of this otherwise excellent vehicle. It doesn't get anywhere near the (flawed) advertised gas mileage.
Oh and... we took a 40 mile cruise to an amusement park on the weekend. Mostly highway, with cruise control set to between 65 and 75 mph. That resulted in a paltry 18 mpg. I was expecting something in the 20s.
This thing literally SUCKS (gas, that is).
That is all.
But it GUZZLES gas like it's got a "bad habit" - it's a gasoholic. Sure, I wasn't expecting Prius-like fuel consumption, but it's worse than our 9 year old ML500 (5L V8) that we sold to part-fund the new car.
I'm filling up the 20+ gallon tank ~1.5 times a week on average - that's well over $600 a month in gas, and of course well north of $6K a year. The TDI would've paid for itself within a couple of years, and I wouldn't have a frown on my face every time I filled it up.
We chose the TFSI based primarily on the stigma associated with Diesels (wife did NOT want a diesel for a variety of reasons previously cited on this board), but I now see no real-world benefits for the TFSI. The TDI is almost as quiet, doesn't emit black smoke and really is just about as fast when it matters (we're not doing a lot of 0-60 sprints, so the TFSI advantage is irrelevant, as is its top speed advantage).
I think we're averaging something like 12 MPG over a 1000 miles, with mostly suburban driving (school runs in hilly Atlanta). Lots of stopping and starting. Just ran up to the local ice cream place a couple of miles away for desert - overtook a car on the way there (don't normally do that), and that resulted in trip MPGs dropping from 14 to 9 point something.
I'm very, very disappointed with the gas consumption of this otherwise excellent vehicle. It doesn't get anywhere near the (flawed) advertised gas mileage.
Oh and... we took a 40 mile cruise to an amusement park on the weekend. Mostly highway, with cruise control set to between 65 and 75 mph. That resulted in a paltry 18 mpg. I was expecting something in the 20s.
This thing literally SUCKS (gas, that is).
That is all.
05-23-2011, 04:31 PM
#2
Audiworld Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh - and one more thing - I "feel" like the 8-speed transmission is actually contributing to the terrible fuel consumption, but suspect that this line of thinking is not logical!
In "D" (not "S") this thing is a SLUG to drive - feels like its always in too high a gear, and stutters/hesitates when it suddenly gets "told" to move. That irritates to the point where you almost subconsciously press the gas pedal harder to spurn it into action. I wasn't expecting high performance, but I really am not a fan of the 8-speed transmission - way too unresponsive. "S" mode significantly improves responsiveness, but logicially would sacrifice mileage. Damned if you, damned if you don't....
So, aside from the gas mileage and drivetrain, I love this thing
In "D" (not "S") this thing is a SLUG to drive - feels like its always in too high a gear, and stutters/hesitates when it suddenly gets "told" to move. That irritates to the point where you almost subconsciously press the gas pedal harder to spurn it into action. I wasn't expecting high performance, but I really am not a fan of the 8-speed transmission - way too unresponsive. "S" mode significantly improves responsiveness, but logicially would sacrifice mileage. Damned if you, damned if you don't....
So, aside from the gas mileage and drivetrain, I love this thing
05-23-2011, 04:48 PM
#3
AudiWorld Expert
how many miles are you getting from full tank to empty?
i have the 4.2 get roughly 225-230 mixed driving a well over 250 highway for a full tank of shell 93.
big engine less work? i dont know, but havent had any issues or complaints with the mpg although i knew exactly what i was getting into... i think C&D and edmunds estimated properly with an average of $4k a year in fuel costs for daily driver (15k miles a year)...
i have the 4.2 get roughly 225-230 mixed driving a well over 250 highway for a full tank of shell 93.
big engine less work? i dont know, but havent had any issues or complaints with the mpg although i knew exactly what i was getting into... i think C&D and edmunds estimated properly with an average of $4k a year in fuel costs for daily driver (15k miles a year)...
05-23-2011, 05:42 PM
#4
AudiWorld Senior Member
Your city daily driving figures aren't going to be any better in a TDi. At least not anything noticeable.
I average 18 mpg in city driving in the 2150 miles I've driven. About what I expected.
I average 18 mpg in city driving in the 2150 miles I've driven. About what I expected.
05-23-2011, 07:11 PM
#5
Ultimate Keyboard Warrior
I just filled up my tank a few days ago after driving 300 miles. Took 15.8 gallons, MPG readout said 19.1. That was all local driving, mostly to work/back. My Q7 gets better MPG than the Mazda CX-9 it replaced.
05-24-2011, 12:55 AM
#6
The TDI is great IF you do a lot of highway cruising - it'll save you a packet on gas, yes.
The TDI however is still a fuel-hog for urban driving. Loads of stop-go gives the Big Q' a ferocious thirst, diesel or not - not surprising considering it weighs about as much as a small moon.
To be honest if fuel costs are a consideration, you probably should consider another car.
The TDI however is still a fuel-hog for urban driving. Loads of stop-go gives the Big Q' a ferocious thirst, diesel or not - not surprising considering it weighs about as much as a small moon.
To be honest if fuel costs are a consideration, you probably should consider another car.
05-24-2011, 02:32 AM
#7
Audiworld Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TDI thoughts
The TDI is great IF you do a lot of highway cruising - it'll save you a packet on gas, yes.
The TDI however is still a fuel-hog for urban driving. Loads of stop-go gives the Big Q' a ferocious thirst, diesel or not - not surprising considering it weighs about as much as a small moon.
To be honest if fuel costs are a consideration, you probably should consider another car.
The TDI however is still a fuel-hog for urban driving. Loads of stop-go gives the Big Q' a ferocious thirst, diesel or not - not surprising considering it weighs about as much as a small moon.
To be honest if fuel costs are a consideration, you probably should consider another car.
Have about 8K miles on the TDI now and use it for my daily commuter of 60 miles round trip. have been averaging 600-630 per tank and have been VERY impressed with the mileage. If I drive locally I see this dip to 525-575....This is very good IMHO for such a heavy vehicle...Compared to my yukon that was getting 300 per tank I am more than thrilled.
Agree about the consumption in around town driving...Stop and go traffic, running errands, start and stopping will suck the fuel...Diesel included.
just awesome though to pull into the office and see that got 30mpg AVERAGE on my commute....Never could do this with gas.
Trending Topics
05-24-2011, 03:57 AM
#8
Audiworld Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Have over 1500 miles now on our '11 TFSI, and we aren't having the same amount of mpg trouble as the OP seems to have. Went from Full to warning light this past week with mixed highway and city and got North of 20 per.
Although we are nowhere near as metro as the ATL, city driving here in Tennessee results in about 17 per. I figure that as the engine becomes more "broken in" those numbers would actually get even better, so I am happy with what we've seen so far.
This is actually better than what we were experiencing with our '08 M35 Sport we traded in for the Q7
Although we are nowhere near as metro as the ATL, city driving here in Tennessee results in about 17 per. I figure that as the engine becomes more "broken in" those numbers would actually get even better, so I am happy with what we've seen so far.
This is actually better than what we were experiencing with our '08 M35 Sport we traded in for the Q7
05-24-2011, 06:06 AM
#9
