Gas-saving tips put to the test - GreenHybrid

Eskrimast1 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-01-2005, 12:04 PM

Quote:

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Common gas-saving tips were put to the test recently by Edmunds.com, CNN.com's automotive content partner.

While most, it turned out, actually did save gas, some of the fuel-saving advice you commonly hear didn't make much difference at all.

Drivers took two different vehicles on the same 56-mile route eight times under various conditions. The vehicles, both Ford Motor Co. products, were a 2005 Ford Mustang GT and a Land Rover LR3 SE. Both have V-8 engines. The Mustang's EPA-estimated mileage is 15 in the city and 25 on the highway while the Land Rover's is 14 in the city and 18 on the highway. In ordinary driving, most vehicles usually get about 15 percent lower gas mileage than EPA estimates indicate.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/09/01/Auto...test/index.htm

Schwa · #2 (**permalink**) 09-01-2005, 12:31 PM

Hard acceleration turns out to be the biggest factor. Not really suprising, but many will not want to hear it.

Hot_Georgia_2004 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-01-2005, 01:38 PM

Hard accelleration.....
I'd submit that 90% of drivers don't know hard accelleration or chasing a red light, even as they are doing it!

I consider Edmunds largely a crackpot site and their forums clogged with trolls.
I don't suppose any of those test drivers actually did any hypermiling techniques, other than the incomplete ones posted by the EPA?

Bjaardker · #4 (**permalink**) 09-01-2005, 03:53 PM

Using cruise control saves gas????? Ummm I guess. But NOT using your cruise control & keeping an eye on your RPMs is a LOT better suggestion.

There's no reason you can't slow down a little going up the hill when you're just going to make up that time on the down side.

What a hard concept.

Then the windows VS. AC thing. Get this:

Quote:

The Mustang got 4.1 percent better mileage -- 30.7 mpg vs. 29.5 mpg -- with the windows down.

Verdict: No difference

4.1% is a would be a huge difference if you combined it with the other techniques many of us here use.

Bottom line. Nothing is ever going to change here in the US until people change their driving ways.

xcel · #5 (**permalink**) 09-01-2005, 04:47 PM

Hi All:

___One of these days, one of these reporters are going to accidentally get a hypermiler involved in one of these so called “Tests”. When they find out that the individual nailed down 60 + % above EPA highway while running around the city, some eyes are going to be opened pretty wide. Until then, more of the same old junk unfortunately

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

Eskrimast1 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-01-2005, 05:14 PM

As I was reading the article, I was thinking the same thing. That would equate to what . . . 40MPG out of the Mustang, 29MPG out of the Land Rover? That would be hilarious.

tanstaafl14 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-07-2005, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bjaardker

Using cruise control saves gas????? Ummm I guess. But NOT using your cruise control & keeping an eye on your RPMs is a LOT better suggestion.

There's no reason you can't slow down a little going up the hill when you're just going to make up that time on the down side.

What a hard concept.

True, but irrelevant if your car doesn't have a tachometer -- which many don't.

The HCH's cruise control is very sensitive to even the shallowest hills. So IMHO the CC should be saved for flat roads and/or long distances (keeping a foot on the gas pedal tires out the leg, which leads to excess driver fatigue).

dfgf · #8 (**permalink**) 09-12-2005, 05:36 AM

Here's a link to a longer version of the article:

http://money.cnn.edmunds.com/ownersh...2/article.html

coyote · #9 (**permalink**) 09-12-2005, 07:33 AM

They forgot an important one in their tests: driving the speed limit. The difference in MPG while driving 65 miles per hour, versus driving 80 MPH, is probably as significant as the "leadfoot" situation.

This seems so blatantly obvious, but always seems to remain unspoken in the "how to save gas" articles I have read. Given that they broached the touchy subject of "leadfoot" versus "featherfoot", I'm surprised they didn't do a test related to traveling at the posted speed limit.