hypermiling vs mpg's ?

[boggs1227]

just heard about this method of increasing mpg's today on yahoo news.....
" hypermiling " ...the idea of rethinking driveing habits to increase mpg's past what the manufacture rates a vehicle at .have any of you heard of such a method ? (this would be a good one for you to comment on al ) .

they say that re-thinking driveing habits like rarelly useing the breaks, not starting from a dead stop with the vehicle in motion ( in neutral ) then starting the engine then put it into drive and start driveing can double your gas mpg , draft following other drivers,coasting to a stop etc ....

just want to see what others think of this idea ( and really how safe it is to do ) to drive like this .you know automatics require fluid all the time internally to mantain proper operation ( unlike manual's ) ...so i can't see how coasting methods could be too good on a automatic....i could see how damage could occur.

 

[Hartman]

I understand changing your driving habits to reflect better mileage, but the length these so called "hypermilers" go is just ridiculous and unsafe.

 

[Tbars4]

...here are some videos on hypermiling..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217204

 

[aldive]

just heard about this method of increasing mpg's today on yahoo news.....
" hypermiling " ...the idea of rethinking driveing habits to increase mpg's past what the manufacture rates a vehicle at .have any of you heard of such a method ? (this would be a good one for you to comment on al ) .

Very interesting techniques. However, for real world driving many of the technician are a real pain in the rear.

I did test the techniques in an Explorer. Take a look at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196792&highlight=hypermileage.

The techniques do indeed work, however, too much of a pain for me.

 

[pugsy]

I also think this a very unsafe method of driving. Corning on 2 wheels without braking and "drafting", ie. tailgating are all unsafe ways to save MPG's. Now looking up the road to red lights and coasting and simple things like that could help.

 

[Maniak]

The only techniques I use are turn off the vehicle for long stops (i.e. long slow train crossing), coast to lights/stop signs and coast when getting off freeway etc. Don't accelerate hard (but not extremely slow). Smooth is the goal.. oh yea speed kills.. I drive 70mph in the 75 zone (freeway)..

Of course, sometimes I don't to them.. i.e. if its 110F and its a long train and the sun is beating down on me I'm gonna leave the vehicle running with the a/c on.

~Mark

 

[carlover]

Yeah very unsafe and pain in the butt techniques right there lol. And besides the person that tries to draft/tailgate me is gonna get a front grill full of my rear bumper

 

[Joe Dirt]

I wil accelerate smoothly, slowly, but not super slow- but mainly becasue I want to be easy on my truck. I run 65 on the highway (70 speed limit) and don't speed on surface roads. I don't idle my truck too much, and just be nice in general, I try to do some coasting for lights if not inconveniencing other drivers, and it works ok for me. I also turn off for trains or one lane construction zones, and if it ins't over 75, I generally don't use my A/C and open my moonroof, but that's becasue I like it open, becuase I probably use more gas having it open somehow.

I'd go for hypermileage, but I'd get hyperaggrivated doing it.

 

[boggs1227]

i agree..... i have incountered to many drivers that drive say 30 mph in a 55 mph speed zone .this to me just begs accident.to me if your not doing at least the speed limit or over your just setting up a chance of a accident because your not going with the speed of others...just like people on bicycle's going down the road either not in their own lane or just on the road with everyone else ( nothing like a 20mph vehicle trying to get it down the road with 65 mph cars all around).......OMG dont get me started on that subject :fire: .

 

[Flandry]

Aldive has a good thread on it here.

I've tried some of the techniques and they do work. But most are either unsafe or put enough wear and tear on the engine and tires that you can expect the expense of earlier than normal repair costs. Here are some ways I've found you can increase your mpg safely and without imposing extra wear without mods:

• Make sure your engine is properly tuned up and has good spark plug cables
• Seafoam the engine, clean the MAF sensor and make sure your air filter's clean
• Make sure you fix any oil leaks (running a quart low can drop about 1 mpg)
• Make sure your tires are properly inflated
• Accelerate firmly, but not aggressively to get to OD quickly
• Limit your engine speed to around 2000 rpms for highway driving
• Avoid rapid starts and stops in city driving

 

[Pensa]

I had a 77 Datsun truck and was making a trip I had made many times (interstate). I knew how much gas it took to make the trip and I decided to snuggle up behind a semi to see how much gas it would save. I nearly doubled the mileage, but it was very hard on my nerves and probably the driver of the truck too. I don't recommend it.

I don't make hard stops unless it's an emergency. I coast up to stops and am easy on the brakes. I won't tailgate, I know how I hate that being done to me.

I also make moderate starts.

 

[carlover]

i cant say i dont suck in behind a semi on the freeway. But i stay like 4-5 car lengths behind. Ive seen noticable gains doing this, and keep a safe enough distance to keep myself and the truck safe.

 

[Pensa]

i cant say i dont suck in behind a semi on the freeway. But i stay like 4-5 car lengths behind. Ive seen noticable gains doing this, and keep a safe enough distance to keep myself and the truck safe.

My little experiment was to suck within 4 to 5 feet behind the truck, I don't advise doing that and I only did it once just to see what a difference it would make.

 

[ktnj]

i cant say i dont suck in behind a semi on the freeway. But i stay like 4-5 car lengths behind. Ive seen noticable gains doing this, and keep a safe enough distance to keep myself and the truck safe.

Ever watch Mythbusters? They had one about this... actually used a small-scale wind tunnel to gauge the effect you mentioned in a controlled manner. Can't remember the exact results, but there are gains to be made even if you are not right up to the truck.

 

[carlover]

Ever watch Mythbusters? They had one about this... actually used a small-scale wind tunnel to gauge the effect you mentioned in a controlled manner. Can't remember the exact results, but there are gains to be made even if you are not right up to the truck.

Yep i saw it and there results are pretty good. I see a noticable increase for sure.

 

[atistang]

drafting is the dumbest thing you can do

its not nascar

 

[Shooter_68]

A friend of mine was drafting behind a truck when the truck, by accident or not, clipped a barrel with his trailer and the barrel bounced off the wall and hit my friends new infinity. It tore off the mirror and banged up the side of the car a good bit. I would say be careful drafting on the highway.

 

[Maniak]

If I happen to catch a Semi going about my speed I will draft behind them.. It does help.. I'm not talking 10 ft away.. I'm always 3 seconds back.. and even at 3 seconds back I can still tell I'm getting the drafting affect but I can see his mirrors, he can see me and I can stop/move out of the way of something coming up from under his truck.

~Mark

 

[carlover]

If I happen to catch a Semi going about my speed I will draft behind them.. It does help.. I'm not talking 10 ft away.. I'm always 3 seconds back.. and even at 3 seconds back I can still tell I'm getting the drafting affect but I can see his mirrors, he can see me and I can stop/move out of the way of something coming up from under his truck.

~Mark

Yeah thats about how i do it too. I make sure i can see his mirrors, but can still feel the effects, and see it when i fill up and calculate mileage lol.

 

[Joe Dirt]

All you need to do is watch your antenna to see the effect. Please guys, I run 35 trucks- don't draft them closer than a few seconds. Stuff happens, tire caps blow off, it's not worth the possibilities to travel a few carlengths behind and stress out the driver. They really do see you back there, and spend as much time looking back to see where you are as they do looking ahead, and that isn't safe.