ConspiracyPenguin
Nosey Penguin
Wow, I knew it made a difference, but didn't realize it was that drastic. I try to use the outside air as much as possible but on the highway I end up getting depressed and start thinking I should cut my hair :grin:.
My Calculations On Low Cost High Mileage Cars
- Thread starter BobDiaz
- Start date
Wow, I knew it made a difference, but didn't realize it was that drastic. I try to use the outside air as much as possible but on the highway I end up getting depressed and start thinking I should cut my hair :grin:.
wabbit
Evil has Ears
I was in the market for a new car back in 2004 when the waiting list for a Prius was over 8 months so sadly I bought a "regular" car. You could bride your way up the list for something like $35,000 fully stocked but at the time the math just wasn't worth it. I knew gas prices were going to be rising sharply over the next 10 years but I didn't see it going this fast.
Ok so here is what I would like to see on your list is this vehicles: http://www.teslamotors.com/
Granted with a sticker price of $100,000 gas would probably have to hit like $20 a gallon to see a savings in less then 100,000 miles but it would be fun to see how it stacks up.
There is the unknown variable of maintence cost but from what I heard of the EV1, fully electric vehichles have significantly cheaper maintence costs as there are less parts subject to wear (no exhaust system, no internal combustion, etc).
Cheers
Ok so here is what I would like to see on your list is this vehicles: http://www.teslamotors.com/
Granted with a sticker price of $100,000 gas would probably have to hit like $20 a gallon to see a savings in less then 100,000 miles but it would be fun to see how it stacks up.
There is the unknown variable of maintence cost but from what I heard of the EV1, fully electric vehichles have significantly cheaper maintence costs as there are less parts subject to wear (no exhaust system, no internal combustion, etc).Cheers
ullanta
Veteran
Have you related this to speed? It's often said that at some point, increased wind resistance of open windows trumps the power drain of air conditioning... have you done this kind of analysis?
Evan S
Veteran
I live in vegas. I think you have too Barry.
I would much rather have the A/C on than die in in 100+ degree weather
For reference I drive a hyundai accent. I'm not sure of my gas mileage, I spend about 30 dollars on gas every 1.5 to 2 weeks. so about 60 dollars a month. (so I'm doing okay)
I would much rather have the A/C on than die in in 100+ degree weather
For reference I drive a hyundai accent. I'm not sure of my gas mileage, I spend about 30 dollars on gas every 1.5 to 2 weeks. so about 60 dollars a month. (so I'm doing okay)
Mythbusters tested it. I believe their conclusion was that it was better to have the windows down.
.
I cringe when I see seven seat behemoths rambling down the highway. Those things have carbon footprints the size of Godzilla.
Barry_Green
Moderator
In an Element? The element *is* wind resistance... it's like driving a brick.
So, no... in another car it would make more sense, but in an element there's pretty much nothing you could do that would increase wind resistance.
Barry_Green
Moderator
Yep, do that too. When you get a ScanGauge, it's amazing to watch your MPG plummet as you're sitting there waiting for a red light. It'll teach you real quick where the big waste is.
GenJerDan
Veteran
And it all depends on what sort of cost you're looking at. Just your cost? Or total lifecycle cost (meaning up through disposal). How long will the vehicle last, etc. (Will the SUV last 20 years, and the eco only 10? That sort of thing.)
Me...my 2002 6 cyl Sebring convertible gets 25-ish mpg, mixed. Hovers around 35 if I do nothing but long stretches of highway. Drops down to 22 if I spend most of the time around town with those annoyign stop lights.
ConspiracyPenguin
Nosey Penguin
Where I live we have a lot of hills, so when going down I push it into neutral because I heard it helps. Not sure if it does, I always forget to click the "MPG" button on the steering wheel. I should start...
ullanta
Veteran
In an Element? The element *is* wind resistance... it's like driving a brick.
So, no... in another car it would make more sense, but in an element there's pretty much nothing you could do that would increase wind resistance.
Is that emprical, or just a feeling?
I know the feeling (especially with lateral wind!), but my Element is designed such that having windows open at any speed causes enough wind INSIDE that even heavy objects seem to blow all over the place (at least, the stuff that isn't bungied down).
Anyway, I'm a little confused by mileage "plummeting" when stopped at a light. Exactly what kind of hysterysis does this thing have? Instantaneously, one gets exactly 0 MPG while stopped. On even moderate trips, the trip average MPG should decline pretty slowly at a stop. What's the window the thing uses where it would plummet like that?
I'm not being doubtful... I'm actually tempted to get one of these things, but want to know a bit more about how it works.
The web site led me to believe that there are some things that some engines do that the device doesn't quite understand (cylinder and fuel feed shutdowns in certain situations, etc). Does anyone know exactly what it's able to sense (e.g., fuel flow vs. throttle position vs. fuel level vs. ...?)?
BobDiaz
The Professor
Putting the car into neutral may or may not help, but even if it did, you loose the degree of control when you do. Yes, if someone cuts you off, you can hit the brake, but what if the only way to avoid something is to speed up? Not a very likely event, but it can happen.
The only thing worse to do is to put the car in neutral and coast downhill. Many people do it, but there's a loss of power steering and power brakes.
A hybrid does take advantage of going downhill. Any press of the "brake" is really turning the motor into a generator and drawing energy from the wheels. I've talked to mechanics who work on the Prius, they said that replacing brake pads on a Prius is a rare thing.
Bob Diaz
Anhar_Miah
Veteran
Some aerodynamic drag could be introduced if both car doors was opened wide (@ 90 degree angle)
Did some "Back of fag packet calculations" :
Drags Calculations:
As you can see, it does have a impact.
ConspiracyPenguin
Nosey Penguin
Hm...I guess. The thing is, I am talking pretty big hills, and although I do worry about the safety, I am still able to use the wheel and the brake and I doubt I would need to speed up going down hill to avoid something. Especially up here where there are lots of turns and doing so would probably send me off the edge and into the valley below. And if I did need to all it takes is a quick smack of the shifter to put me back into drive, the worse case scenario there would be that I would hit the gas before the tranny had time to switch over. Good points, though.
The power steering and brakes in my car do not appear to be affected by placing the transmission in 'neutral...'
matt s.
Veteran
I dropped the transmission out of my '83 civic when i was a teen from coasting down a large long hill and then dumb mindedly put it in reverse rather than drive.
I saw a small spot on tv about a guy who was turning his engine off on the highway and coasting to boost mpg. the technique has a name but i thought it was about the dumbest most dangerous thing you could do. you would definitely lose all power option doing so as far as power steering / braking etc.
I saw a small spot on tv about a guy who was turning his engine off on the highway and coasting to boost mpg. the technique has a name but i thought it was about the dumbest most dangerous thing you could do. you would definitely lose all power option doing so as far as power steering / braking etc.
ConspiracyPenguin
Nosey Penguin
My power steering and brakes seem to work fine when in neutral and my shifter has a lock so it is impossible to bump it out of neutral to anything other than drive without holding the button. I would never turn the car off, though!