I'll admit that I'm quite new to this, having had my FWD FEH for exactly 8 days, but I noticed something yesterday that I find interesting. I'd been consistently averaging (according the the NAV system computer) ~36 mpg in mixed driving, but yesterday, the car seemed less responsive all day - I couldn't seem to find a groove when driving, and by the end of the day had dropped to under 34. Then I realized that instead of the deck shoes or sandals (I know, how Southern Californian) that I normally wear, I had put on a pair of thick soled crossover training shoes. I wore my normal shoes today, and by the time I got back home tonight, the mpg was back to reading 36.3. I haven't really changed my driving style any thus far (well, maybe I'm not accelerating away from a light quite so quickly as I had been), but just the change in footwear seemed to make a fairly significant difference. Has anybody else experienced this, or am I just tripping?

 

I've driven with no shoes, just socks in the past - it does make a difference.

 

Oh yeah. I noticed that every Friday my gas mileage went all to heck (comparatively). Monday thru Thursday I'd wear heels or slip on shoes, which I'd then take off as soon as I got in the truck and drive barefoot. Friday I'd wear a big pair of clogs (casual day at work, jeans, etc.). Once I realized that, I started taking off the clogs to drive, too, and my mileage has shown the benefit...

 

I assume you are not really suggesting it is the shoes, but more about how gently you can use the go pedal. There is something to that.

If you have the Navigation screen, use the energy flow screen to watch what is going on. Then you can learn to do the same no matter what shoe you have. In 2005-2007's there is a sweet spot when you can "neutral coast" with the car in Drive. This takes about a 2mm pedal press, but is very hard to just feel... you need to watch for it on the screen. The screen should have no arrows flowing anywhere. Still, it may not be a perfect "neutral" coast, but will be very, very close. In 2005-2007's zero arrows mean less than 500 watts is coming or going. That's less than two-third horsepower, and often is zero.

 

Oh I thought it was you hypermilers who have cut holes in the bottoms of your cars to push them off like Fred Flintstone... I figured work boots would give more purchase and improve mileage

sorry just going for a cheap laugh

 

For years, rally drivers and road racers in Europe have used lightweight shoes with thin, soft soles. They state that the thin soles help them to keep better conrol of the engine RPMs when they are working at or near the redline for the powerplant.

Here is a link to a supply house that has them: http://www.onyxrallying.co.uk/parts/boots.htm