My Calculations On Low Cost High Mileage Cars

There's not a whole lotta difference between putting it in neutral and just taking your foot off the gas when going downhill.

Well, maybe there is, but my meter just goes up to 99 mpg, and both ways hit that pretty quickly. :)
 
Anhar Miah said:
Some aerodynamic drag could be introduced if both car doors was opened wide (@ 90 degree angle)

Did some "Back of fag packet calculations" :
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I don't think this kind of discussion is appropriate here. School kids peruse these forums afterall. I don't know how this got by the mods. I'm shocked.
 
matt s. said:
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.
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it's called hypermiling. only trained professionals such as barry green should even think of attempting those type of maneuvers. :thumbsup:
 
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.
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Sad Max said:
The power steering and brakes in my car do not appear to be affected by placing the transmission in 'neutral...'
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Sorry, but I didn't say it correctly, what I intended to say was:

The only thing worse to do is to put the car in neutral, turn off the engine, and coast downhill. Many people do it, but there's a loss of power steering and power brakes.

I was thinking it, but somehow I just didn't write it...

:Drogar-Smoke(DBG): <- Could it be because I'm somking that "funny stuff"? :)


Bob Diaz
 
oof...

...yeah, that turning-off-the-engine part puts a whole new complexion on it...

...and quit smoking the funny stuff.

Unless you're going to share.
 
as gas prices rise it becomes more and more evident that the flintstones had it right all along. now if only my feet weren't so soft and asphalt so abrasive...
 
There's driving sensibly to increase mileage, and then there's stupid idiocy (like turning your engine off and thus giving up your power steering and power brakes, all in a quest for a few % increased MPG). I do the rational stuff, never go near the stupid stuff.
 
There can't really be that many people, who actually kill the engine routinely while driving...

...can there...?
 
Among the hardcore hypermilers, the technique is discussed. I think it's insane, but they do discuss it.

A hybrid does it for you, of course, but a hybrid is designed to maintain power steering/power brakes so that's a non-issue.
 
The only problem I have with hybrids is the money. They cost quite a bit more than their normal counter-parts which leaves me wondering if, in our disposable society, it is even worth it.
 
Sad Max said:
What happens to the batteries, at the end of their service life?
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Thank you. When I posted above you I had forgotten about the batteries. They don't last incredibly long (for example, a good Chevrolet will reach 300,000 miles no problem. Some have been known to get to 1 million, but hybrids typically top out at 100,000...hardly anything by todays standards. In fact, I just hit that in my SUV after only 5 years.) and when they do go out it is terribly hard to dispose of them.

I just don't know if they are worth the investment.
 
It's so funny watching americans discussing about mpgs and hybrids. Come to germany and pay 8.8 $ a gallon, then we'll talk ;)
 
MarcusX said:
It's so funny watching americans discussing about mpgs and hybrids. Come to germany and pay 8.8 $ a gallon, then we'll talk ;)
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If I'm visiting Germany, I won't be paying for gas, at all. I'll be using the well-developed public transit and commuter rail network, since you actually happen to have them, there...
 
ConspiracyPenguin said:
The only problem I have with hybrids is the money. They cost quite a bit more than their normal counter-parts which leaves me wondering if, in our disposable society, it is even worth it.
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A little math will answer that one pretty quickly.

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/amorylovins/43/rethinking-the-cost-of-hybrid-cars.html

That chart shows a Prius costing about $2,000 more than an Accord, and almost $6,000 more than a Civic. But factor in the cost of gas (at $4/gallon) and resale value after three years, and you'll end up with $5,000 more in your pocket if you bought the Prius over the Accord. And almost $2,000 more in your pocket than if you'd bought the Civic. If you're a typical American who trades in your car every three years, it's a no-brainer, the hybrid is far less expensive. And as gas costs continue to rise, the hybrid will become even less expensive (due to lower fuel costs and higher resale values).
 
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