My Redex challenge has been quite eye-opening so far and it’s got me asking lots of questions of not only my driving style but also how other things affect my fuel efficiency.
Last time I posted, I’d just finished my benchmarking exercise with my Peugeot 508SW and for the full tank prior to the 5 in 1, I was in the 53.2mpg range. This was without any additional products to help clean the system, it was my benchmark and I’m glad I did this.
I then filled up with exactly 50 litres and the Redex 5 in 1 advanced cleaning system.
I filled up the tank with exactly 50 litres as advised and reset the odometer ready to monitor the mpg of the next tank with fuel additives.
I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit sceptical at first of adding anything to my fuel tank. I’m not going to lie, the feeling of adding anything into the car that’s going to end up being burnt in the engine was difficult. With stories of friends putting the wrong fuel into their motors and needing to get help, it was daunting to add that first bottle.
Luckily, I’d done my research first and seen some of the videos on Redex website. A good friend has also trialled the product previously and given me great feedback. Here’s one of the videos:
This month has been a weird driving one. I’ve spent a whole week travelling across Europe for work so the car has been parked up Liverpool airport. I’ve also had my first full month at my new job so there have been daily commutes of 12-24miles each way, in a mix of motorway and city traffic.
I’m at the end of the 50 litre tank now and my total mpg for that period is a little dissapointing.
I was at 53.2 for the miles in the benchmarking which for 50 litres relates to 702.69 miles. That’s pretty awesome for such a large family motor.
Unfortunately for this 50-litre tank with the 5 in 1 added, I ended up at 50.3!
I’m obviously not happy about it and shared a few posts in the Redex forums to see if anyone else had experienced the same issues after their first use and we had some really good discussions. It then got me thinking.
Had my driving style changed?
Here are a few things we came up with:
- I’ve been driving with my windows open as it’s been boiling hot, this can increase aerodynamic drag (wind resistance), making your vehicle use more energy to push through the air. This effect is quite small at low speeds but increases at highway speeds.
- I’ve used Air-Con a lot more! When I say I have, it’s been a family decision. Recently I’ve found out that by using it, you can reduce efficiency by 25% or more! Wow. Using it at slow speeds is also a big no-no. I used it when stood still as the heat was over 33 degrees C.
- I need to check my tires. Sure they’re fine but I need to check to make sure.
- England was winning! Firstly how can I blame the England team for my fuel economy issues, however? I’ve been unwittingly driving like an extra from Fast and the Furious to get out of the city and get home in time for the game.
So these are things that I could be doing and I promise you I’m not looking for excuses. There’s, however, a big question mark over a question I have and I’ve had mixed answers.
If I’m gradually cleaning out an engine that’s done 80,000 miles for the first time in 6 years, surely all the deposits will be coming through with the petrol! Surely they’re not going to be efficiently burned.
What I’ve learnt is that Redex isn’t just for fuel saving, that’s more like a byproduct of a cleaner engine. Restoring performance, ensuring the engine is burning efficiently and actually making it sound a lot better too! These all contribute to a more efficient engine. Efficiencies mean savings, but perhaps not straight away.
So I’ve just topped up with 50litres of Diesel and used one of the very conveniently named Boot Pack which has 4 in. It seems so tiny for so much fuel it really didn’t feel like I was pouring the magic elixir into the tank but hey fingers crossed.
Thanks to Holts Auto for providing me with the Redex to test. As you’ve probably read from above, this is a completely honest review of my experiences. If you’d like to pick some up, there’s an offer at Wilko happening at this moment in time.
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