Quote:
Originally posted by buzz70@Oct 15th 2004 @ 9:31 AM
I'm not so sure #1 is completely correct.* While coasting in a normal manual tranny will net you better mpgs, in the hybrid, it may not be the best thing to do when faced with the situation.* Instead of coasting out of gear, you can back off the accelerator, keep the car in high gear, and press on the gas just a tad to keep from entering regen.* What this does is not only getting the car to coast, it also allows the engine to shut down 3 of the cylinders and only keep one running.* It can't do this if the car isn't in gear; therefore, the car's momentum helps keep the gas engine running, and 3 cylinders can be shut down.* I do this frequently.* It seems to net* higher mpgs in this manner.* I have 819 miles at 66.2 mpgs at the moment.
There's been discussion about #2.* Personally, I don't use the cruise at all, and haven't after about the first 3 months.* I find that I can do much better than the cruise, because I can anticipate uphills and downhills.* When the traffic allows, I can keep mpgs up on an uphill, slowing down a little, only to pick the speed back up on the downhill.* This is what others call "driving with the load".
I do practice the other items that lars has mentioned, except turning the car off before you come to a stop.* Turning off the car by hand before completely stopping allows the possibility that you lose brake pressure, and then it's really hard to press the brake pedal.
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In regard to coasting, buzz70 is correct if using 1 cylinder uses less fuel than using zero cylinders. Because coasting out of gear is using zero cylinders to push the car, while using the method he describes is using 1 cylinder to push the car.
On the cruise control issue, I have seen all the arguments for an against, and all I can say from my experience is that on FLAT ROADS which is mostly what I have here in my neck of the woods, the cruise does a better job of maintaining solid steady speed without fluctuations than does my foot, at least in a manual tranny HCH in Phoenix AZ. Your experience will vary, but on flat roads the cruise does a better job unless you have the steady foot of a surgeon....
And buzz70 is correct about the loss of brake pressure - if you choose to use the "turn the car off" method, be sure to pick and choose wisely (as I do) when and where you do it. Remember your emergency brake !! No amount of fewer teaspoons of gas used is worth your safety and the safety of the other drivers on the road....