Thread: D4 Long Range tanks and fuel usage?

Originally Posted by Tombie

Downhill from the servo hey

Downhill with a tailwind and slipstreaming!! That was Geelong bypass to Melbourne outskirts. Was still showing 7.4/100 when I hit the CBD!

Originally Posted by Stuart02

Downhill with a tailwind and slipstreaming!! That was Geelong bypass to Melbourne outskirts. Was still showing 7.4/100 when I hit the CBD!

And I should add, AT tyres, roofrack, and 242000 on the clock...

Originally Posted by dirvine

All my previous cars have had a LR fitted. One of the reasons I did not fit one to the D4 was exactly what StewG states. Also this is reinforced with comments made by Redback on the penalty the fuel extra weight makes on fuel consumption. You will see I have a few mods which do effect fuel consumption, and yet on a country trips similar to driving to Shepperton, I get high 8/100 to low 9/100 depending on wind conditions. IMHO there are only a few times where I could see I (and I repeat I) would really appreciate the extra fuel carrying capacity. YMMV depending on where you go. Have done all the long remote trips in previous vehicles I no longer have the urge to do them again in this vehicle. When towing my off road van, I carry 60 ltrs on it, and have never been short of fuel.... mind you only have done 800kms between fills. But just evaluate where you want to go and do you really need that extra weight and the penalties it incurs on your vehicle. Maybe the cost does not justify the penalties imposed.

Swings and Round-a-bouts!
What you say is correct .. however .. some of us are actually living/driving in remote areas and access to fuel filling points can be be few and far between as well as quite costly .. eg. $2.00+/L.
Also, because you have a LR tank fitted ... doesn't mean you HAVE to fill it.
I for one, don't like the idea of carrying extra fuel in jerry cans ... especially on the roof!

Originally Posted by rapserv

Swings and Round-a-bouts!
What you say is correct .. however .. some of us are actually living/driving in remote areas and access to fuel filling points can be be few and far between as well as quite costly .. eg. $2.00+/L.
Also, because you have a LR tank fitted ... doesn't mean you HAVE to fill it.
I for one, don't like the idea of carrying extra fuel in jerry cans ... especially on the roof!

I regularly did a trip that I couldn’t return without additional fuel on board.

Either had a 180km detour additional to the trip or ran out 80km shy of the nearest refuel point.

Additional tank fixed that.

And fuel was over $2.00/l back then.

I have the Long Range Tank with a pump so you need to do the transfer manually. I normally start a transfer at half.

I gave up long ago caring about how much fuel it uses. Just love driving it. If fuel consumption was important I would buy a small car...

Same… I do back of the envelope calcs only.

Holds X litres, gets Y km/l
Add a safety factor depending on the terrain / load.

And go!


I’m switched on enough to see if it suddenly starts chewing significantly more, and then seek out the reason.

Other than that I don’t give a rats backside that on Tuesday, during the full moon I got 11.8/100km

Originally Posted by Tombie

on Tuesday, during the full moon I got 11.8/100km

The full moon alters fuel economy?

Originally Posted by rapserv

Swings and Round-a-bouts!
What you say is correct .. however .. some of us are actually living/driving in remote areas and access to fuel filling points can be be few and far between as well as quite costly .. eg. $2.00+/L.
Also, because you have a LR tank fitted ... doesn't mean you HAVE to fill it.
I for one, don't like the idea of carrying extra fuel in jerry cans ... especially on the roof!

But the penalty of LR tank is not just its weight empty or full, but also the weight of the RWC. This extra weight then needs to be taken into account when weighing GVM and GCM when towing. Even if you pay $2 per litre as opposed to $1.40, then count the extra fuel used lugging the weight around )(empty or full) the savings are not great and the pay back time is considerable. Yes I have used one and needed one when I did the Canning and Balfours, and you may well justify it. As I said not for me. I often think (and I am not saying anyone here does do it) that because others have this or that modification, I must have it as well without weighing up the reality of do I really need it?