HELP! 850R Daily Commuter?

[Rogo1806]

Hi All,

As some of you know, I bought foammanmark's V70R last year, did some work to it then he wanted it back! Well, I had to sell as I got a new job. So I bought myself an Audi A4 Avant 1.9 TDI. In short, I don't like it, its my third diesel, and the older diesel engines are just not so great to drive imo.

Shortly after buying my Audi, I found an 850R which I bought and is getting some attention slowly by myself and my dad.

I am thinking tho, as I miss the Volvo drive so much.. that I will sell the Audi, put a good £700-1000 into the 850R and use it as my daily. My commute is 50miles a day.. Anyone use theirs for such a journey. Its an Auto too :)

I don't like having two cars as one gets neglected, and the running costs yearly are higher.

What do you guys think of this proposal? It means I'll enjoy driving again, look forward to my journeys but compromise on economy, which at this stage of my life I am not too concerned with.

HELP!

Rohit

[The Flying Moose]

I did try commuting in a T5 for quite some time, in the end I gave up (90 mile round trip) as it was costing almost £100 a week in fuel.

If you can swallow the fuel cost I say go for it, however these cars are getting old now too.

I found the best solution was as you are now, I run a V70 TDi as my daily hack and the T5-R for fun.

[500tie]

I know mine isn't an R but the fuel economy isn't much better and I do 66 miles a day. It costs me £65 a week in petrol tesco 99.

[Biff]

One of the reasons I had to sell mine was a change in job & a 60 mile round trip. Oh & another baby on the way. On a cruise I was getting about 24mpg but my problem was not playing with the cars that tried it on.
I know exactly how you felt, I would do anything to have her back but some days it was costing me £20 to get to work. Nearly £30 the day I met an rs4. Lol

[martin_r_smith]

I think I solved this problem. T5 power (and some) and tdi economy, it really is the best of both worlds!

[Rogo1806]

I seeeeee.. But if you were able to control your right foot and restrain from beating the opposition, what sort of mpg would you get or how much would it cost you a week. I'm trying to justify a decision I pretty much already made I think :s

[Nealevo]

I used to use my as a daily, over 18k per annum for 2 years running, I had mine LPG converted, it paid for itself after 10 months and it's nice to know you can do the equivalent of 65+mpg with a T5 and to be fair I don't drive with the trucks.
They make great cars on motorway and even before it was converted I used to get 32/34mpg average over my 700mole a week commute.

[martin_r_smith]

My mpg never goes below 35 really. My average is a shade over 40 and I don't particularly drive slowly!

[Rogo1806]

I used to use my as a daily, over 18k per annum for 2 years running, I had mine LPG converted, it paid for itself after 10 months and it's nice to know you can do the equivalent of 65+mpg with a T5 and to be fair I don't drive with the trucks.
They make great cars on motorway and even before it was converted I used to get 32/34mpg average over my 700mole a week commute.


Is yours an Auto Neal? I really would like to see yours. Do you bring it to Gaydon often?

Appreciate all the comments. I don't know why I find driving a diesel + audi so horrible!!!!

[Ettienne]

My sonic's a daily driver and mostly in school traffic, just have to put up with the economy 18-20 around town and 35 at 70mph

[Saaamon]

I use to have an 850R as my daily few years back doing that kind of mileage. My T5 is used daily by my missus but doesn't go far. We still average 20k miles a year in it though. On a trip it averages 450miles per tank.

[Shinsplintz 101]

If your serious about using it for the daily the LPG conversion seems a sensible solution. Personally fuel consumption has never bothered me but I could see it being an issue if I had do a lot of regular mileage in the car & since your looking to invest I the car this would be my first stop to bringing it back to its best. Once the fuel savings have paid for the system then you have no excuse not to keep spending money on the car to keep it in tip top condition as your saving money with every mile! Neal runs plenty of power so that's not a worry should you also decide to upgrade in future. Good luck, morgan

[jamesy12345]

May I recommend, a manual conversion and a Tim Williams map....

http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=29350&d=1437468623

...and 36 psi in the tyres. Mind you the petrol prices will probably be heading upwards so maybe LPG not a bad idea.

DISCLAIMER: the MPG shown in this post may be entirely fictional. Your home is at risk if you do not keep up mortgage payments.

[MaxTS]

I used to drive my S70R to work which is also a 50 mile trip but I didn't feel comfortable about leaving it where the parking is and hated it getting dirty so I have bought a 740 for the commute as I could NEVER get any power down due to traffic. If anyone has been on the M27 from Portsmouth to Southampton in the morning will understand.

The R just comes out at the weekends :)

[Nealevo]

Is yours an Auto Neal? I really would like to see yours. Do you bring it to Gaydon often?

Appreciate all the comments. I don't know why I find driving a diesel + audi so horrible!!!!


It used to be auto, now it's a manual, It's parked up in Gaydon, hidden away waiting for the summer. Next time I'm home I will give you s shout and you can have a go.

[Doingitsideways]

Get a dirrrty diesel:

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n518/doingitsideways/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0675_zpsi8zy3et8.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/user/doingitsideways/media/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0675_zpsi8zy3et8.jpg.html)

I drive mine like I stole it, with this lot on board:

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n518/doingitsideways/DSC_0676_zps38wk1uy3.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/user/doingitsideways/media/DSC_0676_zps38wk1uy3.jpg.html)

Although, I did get this out of the T5 the other day.
Through roadworks at 50mph... Downhill :lol:

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n518/doingitsideways/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG-20150807-WA0001_zpsdrx2ojw2.jpg (http://s1137.photobucket.com/user/doingitsideways/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG-20150807-WA0001_zpsdrx2ojw2.jpg.html)

[Doingitsideways]

It used to be auto, now it's a manual, It's parked up in Gaydon, hidden away waiting for the summer. Next time I'm home I will give you s shout and you can have a go.

Can I have a go too? :)

[Nealevo]

Can I have a go too? :)

Anyone can have a go, it's only a car ;)

[Rogo1806]

Guys thanks for all the advice!! As soon as I get my Audi sold I'm going to use it as my daily. Then over the next year or so I may look into the Manual conversion and even the LPG. Neal will be great to see yours as it will probably be something to aspire too. Will definitely let you guys know how it's progressing!

[Sweep]

The only time my T5 see's those above numbers on the live trip is when I throttle off :biggrin:

[AcidicDavey]

In my car I haven't reset the trip thingy in a couple of months and 1900 miles, it currently says 26.6 mpg.
That's mainly local driving and 1 or 2 longer motorway trips. On the motorway I see 35mpg+ on the screen. The system seems pretty accurate when I've done the maths, maybe exaggerates a wee bit ;)

I see no harm in using one for commuting if you can afford it. My biggest problem would be with the parking side of it at the other end :P

[LiamT4]

My 2 previous cars were an S70R and a BMW e39 540i which both averaged about 22mpg on normal journeys. I've now spent the last 2 years in an s60 2.0t which manages around 32mpg and, for me, i'd rather spend more on fuel and something with a bit more go in it.

Its about 40 mile round trip to work for me, so not bad at all. The way i look at it is, there is very little or no depreciation to think about when buying an old car, so this offsets the extra fuel consumption ;)

[foammanmark]

You will be driving the car that you want to drive, taking satisfaction from the fact that you saved her and have no depreciation either!! Win, win, win I think this is.................with a few more trips to the Shell station.

[foammanmark]

I sold my p2 V70 D5 to run a p1 V70 T5, a C70 T5 and Laser. I was losing a lot of money in depreciation putting 2,000 miles a month on the D5, so I wasn't too worried about the extra fuel costs.

[foammanmark]

So it looks as though Rogo1806 is going for it with the R being his daily commuter, after a Whatsapp message just received. You know it makes sense.............

[Rogo1806]

Audis gone! Now just gotta get the volvo sorted!

[AcidicDavey]

Wahey, there's a good incentive to get the R sorted then :)

[craigoodwood]

i do 50 mile a day on A roads and am usually late for work and put £45 in per week, ive no trip computer though so ignorance is bliss ;)

[Rogo1806]

i do 50 mile a day on A roads and am usually late for work and put £45 in per week, ive no trip computer though so ignorance is bliss ;)

If I get the same as this Craig I'll be super happy. Can't wait to show you guys the results. Major work getting completed in couple weeks. Cambelt/tensioners/pcv/ trains oil change/exhaust. Interior getting some of my love and attention over the next week!

[Harvey]

Anyone can have a go, it's only a car ;)

Even Tiff had a go..:B_steerin

[LiamT4]

i do 50 mile a day on A roads and am usually late for work and put £45 in per week, ive no trip computer though so ignorance is bliss ;)

If your spending £45 a week (which gets you about 37.5 litres of super unleaded) and your doing around 300 miles on that (lets say 250 for commuting and another 50 for other things), using the conversion of 4.55 litres to the gallon, that works out at around 36mpg. Which is pretty good.

[foammanmark]

If I get the same as this Craig I'll be super happy. Can't wait to show you guys the results. Major work getting completed in couple weeks. Cambelt/tensioners/pcv/ trains oil change/exhaust. Interior getting some of my love and attention over the next week!

When can I try to buy it off you? PMSL.

[craigoodwood]

If your spending £45 a week (which gets you about 37.5 litres of super unleaded) and your doing around 300 miles on that (lets say 250 for commuting and another 50 for other things), using the conversion of 4.55 litres to the gallon, that works out at around 36mpg. Which is pretty good.

ha ha ha yeah i doubt that :hilarious

[no1tosh]

tbh i use mine everyday including a 70 mile round trip to zoes mum and dads once a week and its not that bad. there no worse than most modern petrol cars. the only bummer is that your putting miles on the clock lol

[foammanmark]

My R can spend 2-3 weeks and not move a wheel(which I try to avoid), and then she could do 800-1,200 miles over the next 2 weeks. All depends on what I need to carry for my job, with the diesel Alfa being my preference but it's not big enough for a lot of my work. I can get 27-28mpg taking it steady in my manual, going off what actually goes in as well rather than the obc, so not too bad with current fuel prices.

[LiamT4]

ha ha ha yeah i doubt that :hilarious

Well, the maths is correct. If you can see how many litres your using a week and how many miles you do on that amount, working out out the mpg is easy.

[kyboy]

I use my R for commuting and used a T5 before that, do about 35 miles a day and i don't hang about and put about £45 a week in it,can't beat it!!!

[Rogo1806]

When can I try to buy it off you? PMSL.

Ha ha.. Did a stage one interior clean today lol.. Needs a few more subsequent cleans lol. Gonna put V70 rear lights on tomorrow. We can do a straight swap loll

[craigoodwood]

Well, the maths is correct. If you can see how many litres your using a week and how many miles you do on that amount, working out out the mpg is easy.

i got up this morning and thought 'i hope he didnt think i was questioning his math' :lol:
to be honest my mileometer hasnt worked for bout 18 months now either :D

[foammanmark]

Ha ha.. Did a stage one interior clean today lol.. Needs a few more subsequent cleans lol. Gonna put V70 rear lights on tomorrow. We can do a straight swap loll

The interior of the R still has that smell to it like when I collected it. Don't know what you use but it works! When are we swapping cars then?:)

[bunka T5]

I have an 850 t5 and use it as my daily, for plumbing ! Sure it gets expensive but I don't drink, smoke or have any other hobbies really just my car and my PC so it works out fine.