Welcome to ASFN Fan Forums! We're glad to have you here. Please feel free to browse the forum. We'd like to invite you to join our community; doing so will enable you to view additional forums and post with our other members.
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
Since I'm not currently carpooling I have been driving my girlfriend's Mustang. The first tank of gas I got something like 19.6 MPG which seems pretty low to me. So after I filled up I did an experiment I started setting cruise control at 65 every day on my commute so I never went over 65. Because I'm not carpooling I can leave earlier so there's less traffic and it's actually possible to do 65 without being forced off the road by other drivers.
So today I gassed up 170.6 miles on 7.38 gallons which is 23.1 mpg. So just over 3 MPG increase. If I'm figuring percentages right that's about a 15% increase which equates to .6375 cents less per gallon?
I may try 62 MPH next it's quite easy to do on my afternoon commute since I'm in enough traffic you usually can't go 65 anyways, but in the mornings it could be interesting at that speed.
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
Good stuff. Are you good about keeping your tires properly inflated?
yeah we'd actually just got her car back her parents had been borrowing it. We got an oil change and had to get her rear shocks replaced so the shop checked the tires etc too when they did all that.
I guess it's actually about 17.5 % I was rounding off in my head 20 to 23 but 19.6 to 23.1 is 3.5 MPG. At these prices every little bit helps and I actually am noticing I have relaxed a bit.
It's interesting because I tow a boat I'm used to the driving below the speed limit phenomenon where you'll be going 55-60 in the slow lane and have Mercedes and BMW's riding your tail flashing their brights because they're using off ramps to pass cars and got stuck merging in behind you. But it's a bit new to be in a car not towing a boat, going the actual speed limit and having those same drivers come flying up on you.
I readily admit I have always driven above the speed limit so this is new for me but at that sort of savings I think I'll try and stick with it.
Slowing down definitely saves on gas. So does driving behind big trucks on the highway. I had to do both of those things on my way back from Cali so I didn't run out of gas before I got to Blythe. It was pretty freaking close, lol.
__________________
Sometimes you just gotta remember ...
My car has a MPG meter on it that gauges the MPG you get as you drive. It tells me that while driving slower is definitely good, the cruise control function is not an opimal gas saver. Drive slower but use your pedal. Try to keep a steady foot and avoid deep acceleration whenever possible (a steady acceleration over a quick acceleration). And of course coasting when going downhill and using no acceleration when possible is good.
The downfall of the cruise control appears to be the repeated rapid accelerations needed to maintain speed.
Slowing down definitely saves on gas. So does driving behind big trucks on the highway. I had to do both of those things on my way back from Cali so I didn't run out of gas before I got to Blythe. It was pretty freaking close, lol.
I guess there is a new driving strategy called "hypermiling". Interesting link......
My car has a MPG meter on it that gauges the MPG you get as you drive. It tells me that while driving slower is definitely good, the cruise control function is not an opimal gas saver. Drive slower but use your pedal. Try to keep a steady foot and avoid deep acceleration whenever possible (a steady acceleration over a quick acceleration). And of course coasting when going downhill and using no acceleration when possible is good.
The downfall of the cruise control appears to be the repeated rapid accelerations needed to maintain speed.
yeah cruise control is great until hills are involved because as you said you get the huge accelerations to maintain speed. You can see it with the RPM gauge it's much better to take off CC when you're on hills. my daily commute has no hills so that's not a concern.
Also in my case using CC is also a defense against ME, my tendency to get frustrated and just gun it to pass a slow driver etc. I find it's much easier for me to relax if I'm in CC it's almost as if my brain decides we can't do anything about it this is as fast as we're going.
My next tank of gas that started this morning I'm going to try 62MPH, anything slower than that I think someone will shoot me.
I actually started doing this whenever my drive permits, just hoping to compensate for the lost mileage using the AC. Haven't been doing it consistently or long enough to track MPG, though. For me there are two problems with this -- lead foot and always running late. Using CC is to get me used to a slightly slower and steady speed to see if I can relax and retrain my driving style, but the part about getting started ten or fifteen minutes earlier... phew. That's been a lifelong problem.
__________________ Hoping for Audacity
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
Personally I have a lead foot and I have no problems with it. I'd rather drive at my cruising speed of 82 on the freeway, than get an extra 3MPG. Even with these gas prices, that equals a little more than a gallon (11 gallon tank) of gas or $4-$5. My time is worth money too.
Last edited by dreamcastrocks; June 5th, 2008 at 07:59 AM.
My car does not shift into overdrive until roughly 62-64 miles per hour and I also have the mileage computer. If I drive 55 my mileage suffers, once I get it to shift into OD it changes from roughly the high 10's per gallon (nearly 11) to 13+ miles per gallon. I think that probably is going to vary from car to car... But I do know for a fact that at 55 I am cruising at about 2600 to 2700 rpm's and at 63 I am about 1800 rpm's.
Last edited by CardFan67; June 5th, 2008 at 08:51 AM.
I saw a CNN special on that. Seems extreme, but the guy got 30+ MPG out of a Yukon.
I've incorporated some of that driving philosophy but I won't do the extreme stuff like tailgate or drafting behind another vehicle. And I won't drive like a granny in the fast lanes. Getting 50 MPG's now.
I've incorporated some of that driving philosophy but I won't do the extreme stuff like tailgate or drafting behind another vehicle. And I won't drive like a granny in the fast lanes. Getting 50 MPG's now.
It was pretty freaking close, lol.
Moon Lander Champion!
All Hell is breakin loose!!!!!
Linear Mode
