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How to drive to maximise MPG

chickmug
chickmug Posts: 3,279 Forumite
Any tips on this when to change gear and optimum speed or anything else?
A retired senior partner, in own agency, with 40 years experience in property sales & new build. In latter part of career specialising in commercial - mostly business sales.
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Comments

  • calleyw
    calleyw Posts: 9,896 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    edited 14 May 2009 at 7:55PM
    I think just smooth careful driving and not tanking it from one place to another like some do. Reckon they get a lead weight on there foot keeping it down.

    Not carrying excess weight in the car (don't think I better get in then LOL!!!!!!!) no roof racks and keeping the tyres at the correct pressure all help.

    Yours


    Calley
    Hope for everything and expect nothing!!!

    Good enough is almost always good enough -Prof Barry Schwartz

    If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try -Seth Godin
  • daveyjp
    daveyjp Posts: 13,441 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    What gear depends on the type of car - it is not the case that a higher gear equals higher mpg. For example top gear in 30 will not reduce your fuel use - it could increase it.
  • tomstickland
    tomstickland Posts: 19,538 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    It's pretty simple to understand the basics.
    It takes quite a lot of energy to get something moving, but once it is moving it only requires enough energy to overcome losses due to rolling resistance and air drag.

    So you could obtain amazing mpg if you accelerated once and then did a very long journey on a flat road at, say, 45mph the whole way. Followed by a single coast to a standstill.

    Braking is throwing away energy that came from the fuel as heat.

    In practical terms it means planning ahead so that you don't keep braking hard, anticiapte stops early, smooth everything out etc.

    What should be basic good driving, but seems far too difficult for the moras of inattentive morons I seem to follow on the roads.
    Happy chappy
  • harveybobbles
    harveybobbles Posts: 8,973 Forumite
    I know a few people who drive using the "pulse" method.

    Get upto speed (say 60mph) then ease off to 50. Gradually get back upto 60 and down to 50 etc...
  • Bongedone
    Bongedone Posts: 2,457 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I know a few people who drive using the "pulse" method.

    Get upto speed (say 60mph) then ease off to 50. Gradually get back upto 60 and down to 50 etc...

    That would be so annoying if your where the driver behind. It would ruin their chance of keeping a constant speed or using cruise control.
  • harveybobbles
    harveybobbles Posts: 8,973 Forumite
    Not if you have a car with adaptive cruise control :)
  • anewman
    anewman Posts: 9,200 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Anyone using cruise control would be in the outside lane doing 80 mph anyway. But the "pulse" method is no doubt pointless as the energy used by the engine to get from 50 - 60 probably negates any benefits of the energy saved slowing down to 50 in the first place.
  • Bowdyjan18
    Bowdyjan18 Posts: 316 Forumite
    chickmug wrote: »
    Any tips on this when to change gear and optimum speed or anything else?

    Have you sat a driving test ?
  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    Bowdyjan18 wrote: »
    Have you sat a driving test ?

    :confused: And your point is?

    Or is fuel economy part of the test now?
  • Bowdyjan18
    Bowdyjan18 Posts: 316 Forumite
    LandyAndy wrote: »
    :confused: And your point is?

    Or is fuel economy part of the test now?


    Point is i thought it was self explanatory and common sense :D
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