Totally bonkers 'Miles to empty' on 2020+ Spyder - can it be fixed?

[mecsw500]

Out here in the mountain west of the US you tend to learn to fill up with gas where and when it is available when outside of major urban centers.

You are never quite sure on your particular route where the next gas station might be. I'm sure it's the same in Oz, especially when heading West to Perth.

Remember too, not all gas is equal with the same additive packages, even if the basic gas itself comes from the same bulk supplier at the refinery. I try to use Costco, or Chevron when I'm away from Costco. Costco is cheaper but very consistent with their additive packages, Chevron is pricey but once again their additive packages seem very good. Sunnoco is pretty awful from my experience. Maverick seems to be consistent at least and their stores are good.

Of course, needs are as needs must when out in the boonies.

 

[Peter Aawen]

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You are never quite sure on your particular route where the next gas station might be. I'm sure it's the same in Oz, especially when heading West to Perth.

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I dunno, once you leave Nullarbor heading West on a Spyder, unless you're towing a trailer full of fuel, you really have little choice as to where you top up for the next bit until you get to Norseman, except maybe to choose between stopping at Border Village or Eucla, which are about 12 km apart - you just stop & gas up at EVERY possible opportunity!

Why?! Simply there's pretty much NOTHING ELSE BUT the fuel stops, and they're getting close to 100 km apart - well, except on the Western side, where they stretch out to about 190 km apart. If you're unlucky enough to pick a week with a head wind to cross the Nullarbor, and there's a pretty good chance of that happening any time from November to April, or from May to October, so I can tell you from experience that you can really start to feel some 'range anxiety' on a Spyder out there! Check this out:

Fuel Stops Across The Nullarbor | Interactive Map Of Fuel Stops

Wondering about fuel stops across the Nullarbor? Unsure about distances between fuel? We've compiled an interactive map for you!

topwiretraveller.com

In the guts of the Nullarbor, there's even a 'long straight', which is about 147 km/91 miles long, just a dead straight road without a bend! If you're in a tallish Semi, you can actually see the curvature of the Earth! There's even a few sections of road out there that are also marked up as airstrips, especially between Eucla & Norseman, just in case they need to get the Air Ambulance in!

 

[mecsw500]

Yes, I saw on the maps that fuel stops were quite away apart. It's like that out here in the mountain West of the US, I-70 through Central Utah has a 100+ mile stretch without gas, and that's a crazy uphill mountain climb heading West, so fuel consumption can drop a fair bit from that even before a strong headwind.

I also heard that the fuel stops on the road West to Perth can sometimes lose communications for accepting plastic. There seemed to be little choice for food or motels as well.

The US is about the same size in the lower 48 as Australia but with 350 million people. However, if you ignore the few cities within 100 miles of the Pacific ocean, the western half of the US geographically, contains only 15% of the population. I know that's still a lot by comparison with Australia, but if you exclude the frontal range in Colorado and the Wasatch Front in Utah, there's a whole lot of nothing out here, lots of prairie, tall mountain ranges, and salt flat valleys with little to no water. The entire state of Wyoming is just 250,000 people.

So, I know it's not like the Nullarbor, but ours is basin (valleys) and range (North to South mountains), rinse and repeat from Colorado to the sea side. On I-80 there's not much between Cheyenne, Wyoming and Salt Lake City, Utah, and then to Reno, Nevada, before the Central Valley of California. Like Adelaide, it's a good days drive to the next metropolis, North or South, East or West. I like the isolation though, being able to get out in the middle of nowhere so easily.

 

[jdgretz]

I have certainly noticed this with my 2024, and especially on this trip. What I do know, is that when the fuel gauge shows 1/2 full/empty, I have around 100 miles of range. The two bars turning red happens with about 50 miles of usable fuel remaining.

Just looking at today's fuel receipts
154 miles, 4.454 gallons
168 miles, 4.918 gallons
146 miles, 4.301 gallons

Don't know what that information is worth.

jdg

 

[jjc54]

I have certainly noticed this with my 2024, and especially on this trip. What I do know, is that when the fuel gauge shows 1/2 full/empty, I have around 100 miles of range. The two bars turning red happens with about 50 miles of usable fuel remaining.

Just looking at today's fuel receipts
154 miles, 4.454 gallons
168 miles, 4.918 gallons
146 miles, 4.301 gallons

Don't know what that information is worth.

jdg

The high is 34.58 mpg and low is 33.25 MPG which tells me you are getting your fill levels pretty consistent. The overall is 34.01 MPG. If this is a mixture of city and cruising, I would be ok but if mostly cruising I personally would be disappointed.

 

[jdgretz]

Then you would be greatly disappointed. Over 80% of this driving is on the Interstate at 3500-3700 RPM with cruise control on. I'm on a cross country road trip that over the last 5000+ miles is averaging 33MPG according to the on board computer.

Jdg

 

[Peter Aawen]

The high is 34.58 mpg and low is 33.25 MPG which tells me you are getting your fill levels pretty consistent. The overall is 34.01 MPG. If this is a mixture of city and cruising, I would be ok but if mostly cruising I personally would be disappointed.

Then you would be greatly disappointed. Over 80% of this driving is on the Interstate at 3500-3700 RPM with cruise control on. I'm on a cross country road trip that over the last 5000+ miles is averaging 33MPG according to the on board computer.

Jdg

We've noticed here in Oz that these 1330 ACE Engines REALLY take quite a while to bed in properly and start returning too much better fuel economy!

Pretty much since they first hit the streets back in 2015, the fuel economy on most has rarely ever done too much better to start out with, and in the experience of many over here, they really only start to improve significantly on that once they get closer to 8-10,000 miles on them, and then (at least to those who notice! ) it often comes as a bit of a surprise to realise that an improvement in their Spyder's performance and fuel economy has snuck up on them!

Just Sayin' - and wondering that since you took up ownership at something like 28 miles, how many miles do you have now on your 2024, @jdgretz?