Stupid question ?

KeithP

The best way to save fuel is to arrange your journeys so that you are always travellng downhill.

cyclonebri1

KeithP wrote: »

The best way to save fuel is to arrange your journeys so that you are always travellng downhill.

Agreed,

Well we are all going down anyway:rolleyes:

patty65

many years ago, at least 45, I had a friend who always switched off his engine when stopped, even at traffic lights, I don't know how much petrol he saved but it cost him a fortune in starter motors.

Patrick

cyclonebri1

DaveMacD wrote: »

But there's the rub. If your car does 30mpg, and coasting or not coasting alters consumption by only a few %, you'd have to do a downhill only journey of miles to see any effect. I'd suggest to the OP that it would matter more when stopping and starting, rather than heading downhill.

When you're taught to drive, you're taught to keep the car in gear until you are almost stopped. There are good reasons to do so, apart from the original question, but I think everyone will put into neutral at some point

But those few % matter, you can do it for free by leaving the car in gear, compared to audi and the likes that offer regenerative braking and auto shut off etc at great cost

Every percent matters, and I agree, I allways shut down the car at level crossing, traffic jams etc

The last bit, we have a mile long hill near us, (derbyshire peaks), I can't recall but it is something like 1 in 8 for the whole length and it was reworked to be totally straight after a history of fatalities on the snakey bits. I defy anyone to knock the car out of gear at the top of that one

shown73

I wonder how many on here remember the Rovers with built in freewheel. These were real Rovers, of course. I think coasting is technically illegal now, isn't it? Something about not being in full control of the vehicle....

KeithP

shown73 wrote: »

I wonder how many on here remember the Rovers with built in freewheel.

Yes, I remember them.

And here is one for sale... to refresh the memory of others.

ThrowingStonesAtYou

patty65 wrote: »

many years ago, at least 45, I had a friend who always switched off his engine when stopped, even at traffic lights, I don't know how much petrol he saved but it cost him a fortune in starter motors.

Patrick

I tend to do this when I'm in a queue that is stationary for more than a minute or so. I believe it's law to switch your engine off in certain circumstances in switzerland too. Can't imagine you would ruin all your starter motors unless you were doing this a ridiculous number of times.

shown73

KeithP wrote: »

Yes, I remember them.

And here is one for sale... to refresh the memory of others.

Amazing! Thanks for that. Quite tempting really, but I just have no means of keeping it going, or even a place to keep it. Didn't realise that they were still being made by that time, I was actually thinking of the "cyclops" ones. How I would have loved one!

pjttlk

ThrowingStonesAtYou wrote: »

I tend to do this when I'm in a queue that is stationary for more than a minute or so. I believe it's law to switch your engine off in certain circumstances in switzerland too. Can't imagine you would ruin all your starter motors unless you were doing this a ridiculous number of times.

Haven't seen this in the five years we've lived here, but you do see a 'switch off' sign at some level crossings.