Freelander TD4 fuel consumption

[nigelseed]

I've got a Y reg Freelander TD4 with 80,000 miles on the clock. I'm only getting about 25/27 mpg on long trips across France - cruising at about 90mph indicated (probably about 85mph true - ie the French speed limit). I'd read in various reviews that I should expect to get 37 mpg "at motorway speeds" (presumably 70mph in the UK?) So am I just losing 10 mpg by going 15 mph faster, is it because the car is old with high mileage or am I just expecting too much and the 37mpg is marketing hype and unachievable? I would like to hear your views and experiences.

BTW - off the fuel consumption topic, but we use it extensively in the French Alps I just have to say that it is absolutely the best 4x4 in the snow and ice - it makes my X5 look stupid and in snowstorms when every other 4x4 is slithering around the place the old Freelander just keeps plugging along like it was on dry tarmac

[Llanigraham]

Nigel
No, about right.
I have read somewhere that for every 5 mph over 55mph the fuel consumption increases by something like 10%. So your figures are about right.

I do roughly 100 miles a day to and from work and rarely get above 50 (cross country Welsh A roads) and am averaging just over 40 mpg, in a Td4 with 40k on the clock.

Generally diesels seem to improve their fuel consumption up to about 30k, when they have "bedded in" and then seem to remain constant for a long time. My old L series Freelander diesel was giving an avarage of 38mpg at nearly 100k.

[swapshop1]

My TD4 auto has good economy between 2000 and 2600 rpm after 75 mph the economy drops from 35 mpg.

[brooklynodog]

I get 36-37 mpg from my 03 td4, but rarely drive on Mways, mostly lanes and dual carriageways. Hence rarely above 70mph

[maffy]

Hi all,
I know I keep banging on about this, but ever since I got my Td4 ECU re-mapped I have been getting an average of 40mpg, this is at all speeds, motorwys, country lanes, hilly areas etc, it has made a huge difference, you no longer have to work the accelorator as hard, it satys in gear longer and is a more comfortable, smoother drive.
cheers for now.

[L81ker]

Hi Dude, where and what did you get? proper mapping on a rolling road, or a chip or what?
also how much did it cost?
---wondering about doing the same---
Cheers
Clive

[maffy]

Hi there,
I had mine re-mapped by a friend who lives exactly opposite me, he is a mechanic who has all the gadjets and programmes, firstly he read my ECU and made a copy of the prograsm, he then e-mailed it to a friend of his who re-wrote it building the spec up (within the parameters) this new program was then e-mailed back to my friend who simply plugged into my ECU and re-wrote the whole system, The difference is amazing, more torque, +30BHP, much smoother (mines an auto) and the fuel econ is amazing, Instead of having to work the engine and gearbox from stop to get up the speed, it noe glides effortlessly and quickly.
I paid just £150-00 as he was doing it as a favour for me, he has indicated that anyone else locally (I live in chester) could have it done at the same price.
distance would seem to be a problem, as he has to download the ecu and then send it off.
cheers for now.

[robbie77]

Hi Maffy,
I picked up my 2005 td4 yesterday and am looking to improve all areas of the driveability as i do two 300 mile motorway trips a week.. It seems that you have glowing reports of your remapping so i am hoping that your friend would be interested in working his magic on my car :-) I live in Hull but work In Portsmouth during the week. If he could manage something one weekend, the distance is no problem. I have the inlaws in Blackpool so we could drop the kids there and heaad for Chester.
On a different note, the gearstick in the td4 seems to be doing quite a lot of shaking under acceleration. Is this normal? I have just had a mondeo diesel and this didnt happen and its too long since my last LR to remember if this happened in that.
Cheers for any help
Robbie

[maffy]

Hi Robbie,
had a word with my friend, no problem, if you would like to PM me with your contact numbers we can get it all set up, you can even have a drive of mine to satisfy yourself of the difference.
Look forward to hearing from you
cheers for now.

[topcat36]

Maffy,
I'm only in Stockport which is only down the road, would u ask ur mate if he wud be interested and a rough price - my wife has an 04 TD4 40k on clock, altho recently had new bottom end engine!!!!!

[maffy]

Hi topcat,
send me an e-mail with your Mobile, have spoken with my chum, not a problem, can you let me know auto/manual etc etc.
my e-mail mi.hall@virgin.net
cheers for now.

[topcat36]

Cheers maffy,
Email will be on route very shortly.........TC

[robbie77]

Hi all,
Just a few words to tell you my experience of having a td4 re-mapped. Like you, i read this thread as it was something that i wanted to get done before i even bought my car! I decided to bite the bullet and let Maffy's neighbour have a crack at it. Chester is 130 miles from Hull so i arranged to visit over 2 weekends. The 1st visit is to have your ECU read, this takes only about half an hour. The program is then sent away to get re-written for your specific car, not a generic one for all td4's. This takes about a week, so i visited last saturday to have it written to my ECU. This also takes around half an hour.
The results i really can't over egg! The mechanic was trying to press the imaginary brake pedal in the passenger side on the test drive!!! (My missus will have one fitted one day just to annoy me!)
The acceleration is everything i wanted and more. It pulls off from standstill like a car and a quick one at that. It is better in all gears than it was and is a lot smoother all round. Roundabouts are no longer hard work if you have to drop a cog, it will pull even if you have lost the momentum.
I haven't noticed any significant difference in fuel economy yet, but i haven't tested it properly, i will let you know when i have worked it out.
Before i had this done, i was prepared to pay £464 for a chip from Twisted Performance. I have no regrets about getting it re-mapped instead and it was an absolute bargain at £150 and well worth the 520 miles on the motorway over 2 weekends. The guy will even email me a copy of the new and old programs so that if the car needs any warranty work, it can be put back to the origional before it goes in and then i can put the new program back on it when it comes back to me!
If anyone is unsure about having it done, i would whole heartedly say go for it, you won't regret it.
If anyone lives in the Hull or Portsmouth areas, i am happy for you to have a shot in mine to see the results for yourself.
Matthew, thank you very much for the drive in yours and putting me in touch with Ray, and please thank him again for me and tell him i am amazed and over the moon with what he has done.

[brooklynodog]

I am happy for you, and would love to do this myself, but I am too far away! However, what I dont understand is, if this is possible at such a reasonable cost, why dont the manufacturers of cars produce them better tuned?

[robbie77]

I'm not sure exactly, but my guess would be that the Discovery and RR owners wouldn't be overly happy if a FL performed like their cars but at a lot lower price.
Don't forget that the td4 engine is the same one that is/was in the 3 series beemer and that had 150 BHP from the factory!
Obviously you can make an engine perform like crazy but at a cost to the longivity. But all engines have a bit "spare" if you get what i mean.
I know that it is a long way for you but we are very glad that we threw the 3 kids and the dog in the car for a 260 mile round trip, 2 weekends in a row :-) It's on the way to Blackpool for you if you can justify it that way lol