I was staying out of this thread because it sounded
like a 1.9 discussion, but since you asked: The
original window sticker for my '87 2.1 manual trans
Westy says City 16, Highway 18. And the only record I
have for a full tank during which my odometer worked
the entire distance is 17.25 MPG.

Close enough for government work, I'd say, but I'd
love for it to be about 4-6 MPG better.

Stephen

--- Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

> Does anyone know the original EPA estimates for the
> Vanagon? Most
> everyone knows that the numbers were laughingly
> optimistic.
>
> In 2008 the EPA will be publishing numbers which are
> meant to better
> reflect real usage. I don't know how true this is.
>
> fueleconomy.gov has published Vanagon fuel economy
> estimates going back
> to 1985 which have been revised to be comparable to
> the 2008 mpg
> estimates, making them lower, probably more
> realistic -- and not much
> different that what I'm getting with my 84 automatic
> 1.9L (I get 15.5
> mpg on the highway).
>
> While they don't list the 1984 model, they do list
> the 1985, which is
> probably close enough:
>
> 1985 Vanagon 2WD, 1.9L, auto: 15 mpg city, 17 mpg
> highway.
> 1985 Vanagon 2WD, 1.9L, manual: 16 mpg city, 18 mpg
> highway.
> or (depending one which ratings you read)
> 1985 Vanagon 2WD, 1.9L, auto: 14 mpg city, 17 mpg
> highway.
> 1985 Vanagon 2WD, 1.9L, manual: 15 mpg city, 18 mpg
> highway.
>
> In response to my inquiry yesterday, others have
> reported mileage better
> than this -- maybe even higher than the original EPA
> numbers!
>
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical
> Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan
> Capistrano
> KG6RCR
>

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