Club 80-90 Forums

Thanks for the data Andrew... it basically resolves to the orange smoothed curve below, though the actual points make the 'S' shaped one)

The two black lines above the 2WD curves are Syncros of various types (16s)



Together, one conclusion is that an EJ22 would need to be a good one to give a genuine 100 mph top speed ina 2WD Caravelle, (130 BHP). They were variously rated from 125 to 135 BHP IIRC


Weight mainly affects urban economy..

Neil wrote:VW quote a DoKa unladen weight as being 1595kgs incl driver and the gross vehicle weight as being 2500kgs. My van weighs in at 1680 in its present form without awning and roof tent so I think you may have a problem with your weigh bridge or you need to give your DoKa a good wash!

Well it varies a bit but 1750 ~ 1850 seems to be what opur local scrappy's weighbridge says.. theres a few tents and chairs and things in the locker but that's not a 100 kgs, and 60 litres of fuel is about 50 Kg.

Will check next time I'm nearby and empty

Well this is an interesting thread on MPG and engine choices.

syncrosimon's posts are particularly considered and well-balanced I think.

When I do come to replace the Wasserboxer engine (still soldiering on but showing signs of serious fatigue) I'm still most likely to go down the Subaru route. The Subaru engines have the same quirky appeal and character as the WBX and promise to be both more powerful and more efficient.

I used to have a 2WD 1.9DG which once achieved 32mpg on an Italian tour (on petrol) and 26mpg on LPG in France (super-low pence per mile). The Syncro though has only ever reached 23 on petrol and has never topped 19mpg on LPG. The all-time low has been under 13mpg!!

If a Subaru can get to the dizzy heights of 30mpg in the Syncro I'd be tempted to get rid of the LPG and claim back some storage space under the R&R bed!

As far as Diesels go, they have their advantages but nothing like the appeal of the flat fours and, to be brutally honest, their fuel economy in a van is pretty unimpressive really.

I should add that I'm not anti-Diesel. I have a SEAT Ibiza 1.9TDI (130bhp) as an everyday car and the engine is very impressive. The big torque/small car combo is a great thing and it can scare off the odd MINI Cooper S and do 60mpg on the same journey. As an efficient tool it's hard to beat. I wouldn't want that engine in the Syncro though... that would just be wrong...

Incidentally I've found that high speeds make a huge difference to mpg, even in an aerodynamic little thing like the Ibiza; it's possible to do 70mph and 70mpg at the same time on the flat on a still day, but once you go faster the consumption rises sharply. At 90mph (on th'autobahn officer) the instant readout on the computer is 43-45mpg!

Just one more thing then I'll stop rambling... my third vehicle is an Alfa Spider 3.0 V6 24V, so I do have a thing about characterful engines.. The Alfa V6 is a thing of wonder and puts all other engines into perspective. I don't calculate the mpg figures for the Spider, that would just spoil it! I am content that my overall cost/enjoyment ratio is acceptable. Long live the TDi Ibiza!!

If a Subaru can get to the dizzy heights of 30mpg in the Syncro I'd be tempted to get rid of the LPG and claim back some storage space under the R&R bed!

IMHO 30 Mmms per gauls would be abs max for a 2.2 using road tyres, no high top and driving about < 60 with a 3.87 diff IMHO, Oh! and on a hot day at 35,000 ft