Has Anyone Done Melbourne-Sydney Or Return On One Tankful?

[Subby]

Recently drove from Melbourne to Sydney, got very impressive mileage out of the IS250 and looked like it might make it all the way in on one tank - but I was too chicken to let the fuel guage sit on empty for too long.

Would it have helped if I'd stuck to a slightly slower speed all the way? Or done anything else?

[Atlantis]

Haven't done it personally, but I reckon if didn't hit any bad traffic and maintained a nice constant speed, you should *just* be able to do it.

Nearly every town in NSW has been bypassed (only Holbrook left I think), so that helps immensely. Victoria is a pretty good run until you hit the outskirts of the city.

Bring a jerry can next time just in case heheh.

[ilv1004s]

melb to sydney is possible

return i highly doubt it

[BJReplay]

Yes, a few times now. Fill up outskirts of Melbourne (i.e. Shell Donnybrook) with V-Power or equivalent and aim to fill a near-empty tank if you usually don't use 98 octane (I don't) so you've got that little bit more energy in the tank. It takes smooth driving (but not slow - I'll typically drive at the posted limit within tolerances); not accelerating hard helps a lot. I've made it fairly comfortably to Liverpool in Sydney suburbs with 15km showing on the DTE display in a 2001 V6 Commodore a couple of times. Turned the air-con off about 80k out of Sydney because it was looking dicey for a while. Most recently I made it to Allambie heights (so across the harbour and spit bridge) with 3km range on the DTE in the RX450h. That was very interesting; smooth traffic through to the harbour tunnel, but bad traffic from there; suddenly the DTE dropped from 30km to 15km, and I had 11km to my brother-in-law's house, and another 2km to a servo after dropping the family off. Brother in law's house up a hill, so chewed through the juice and the battery getting there, but coasted back down and charged the battery on the way to the servo; DTE was showing 5km when I pulled up at the pump. Pumped 63 litres (capacity 65, had filled it to the brim in Donnybrook), so 7.44l/100km achieved over 848 kms between fills. Any significant headwind or bad traffic on the highway (i.e. stop start for road works) would have made it impossible.

[charlie330]

I was amazed that I returned 7.1 /100 without even trying in a 2005 Lexus 330. Lots of 110 KPH and even up around the Blue Mountains. I repeated it on the way back but filled it at Seymour as the consequences are too great for a one way trip without refuelling.I have even pulled a poptop camper to Wangaratta and back and still got 10.3/100.A two way trip would be impossible I think as on a standard 70 litres one would have to average 3.5/100.Hybrids can't sustain that.Kumho tyres 18" are obtainable for $160 at Tempe Tyres in Sydney,fitted and balanced, or freighted anywhere in Australia.Cheaper by $60 a tyre anywhere.

[Sapphire Cam]

I don't discount it at all. I remember driving from Deniliquin to Wagga on my roundabouts road trip from Melbourne to Canberra, and for that stretch I actually got 5.9L/100km. Amazing. (Once I hit the Hume and some hilly terrain on the way to Canberra it went up a bit). But Ive never got as close since - a few low 6s on some return trips Melbourne > Geelong (flat freeway). But provided you're averaging under 7.0L/100km you should comfortably do Melbourne > Sydney, given as its freeway for about 880 of the 890kms now!!

[ilv1004s]

on the manual is250 u can get 5.1-5.3

[Subby]

Judging from the responses, I'm going to give it a go on the next trip - in Jan 2013 - shall keep you posted.

Thanks everyone

Subby

[chrea]

I recently drove from Canberra to Batemans Bay then down the coast road into Melbourne on one tank in my LS430. Over 1000km on a tank. I was very impressed that the red light for empty hadn't even come on.

[Jeffsa]

Drove from Adelaide to Melb, sorry guys wrong city lol, did it in just over 3/4 tank. averaging 5.7/100km. Forgot the actual distance travelled but I reckon on the Hume def possible.....take a jerry can though :D

[Subby]

After reading some of the replies, I checked out the fuel usage display on my IS250 - it seems to be stuck at 8.7L/100km - doesn't change even when doing city driving. Does this need to be reset every now and then or is it some sort of rolling average?

[Sapphire Cam]

Sounds if you are looking at the AVG figure, and not the TANK AVG figure. The AVG figure is not zeroed unless the battery is disconnected, so that's why I can appear 'stuck' on a figure for a long time, where as after your tank receives more than a few litres of fuel, it resets.

[Subby]

Thanks, will check out - silly me !!!

[quockies]

Not a Melbourne to Sydney but to Adelaide a couple of days ago and was really impressed with the fuel economy (there were a few parts of the highway getting upgraded so going from 110 to 80 to 40 to 80 etc). Managed to a 720km trip in 3/4 of a tank (Still had about 15L in the tank so about another 120Km's). IS said my tank was avg 6.8L/100km...

I've pushed the fuel gauge past E (Distance to empty was - 0km) for another 20km until I gave in (didnt want to get stuck on a highway with no fuel). Filled a full tank and poured 62L so I still had 3L left... I think Lexus is too conservative on the 'Distance to Empty'

The only thing I hated about driving by myself for 8 hours, it was too quiet... =)

[Subby]

Quick update, folks - did Melb-Sydney on one tank, and the return as well - topped up on Cooper St before getting on the freeway in Melbourne and filled up in Milperra on the return.

Did not use the cruise control at all on both legs....average consumption was showing around 7.2L/100km.