Fuel Saving Tips

cyclonebri1

thescouselander wrote: »

I reckon the supposed impact of using the air con has been totally exaggerated. It will only take 1 or 2 horse power to drive the ac pump which is a fraction of the power needed to move the car. Also the pump cuts in and out so its not running all the time.

I never notice any difference in mpg when using the air con - my advice, if you need to use it then switch it on.

You need to concentrate harder then. It's a given

Delivery_Driver

Say the aircon only uses 5 bhp to run, doesn't seem much if your car is 150bhp.The thing is, your car is only making 150bhp at peak power with full throttle which is a tiny amount of the time if ever for some people.Cruising down the motorway you might only be using 50bhp, so that 5bhp suddenly becomes a significant chunk of the power used and will affect fuel economy.

motorguy

thescouselander wrote: »

I reckon the supposed impact of using the air con has been totally exaggerated. It will only take 1 or 2 horse power to drive the ac pump which is a fraction of the power needed to move the car. Also the pump cuts in and out so its not running all the time.

I never notice any difference in mpg when using the air con - my advice, if you need to use it then switch it on.

+1

I sold a guy a TDI Passat on Friday that had averaged 55mpg for me over the last fill (from brim to empty) and the aircon button is 'on' all the time as it had climate control and i just let it sort itself out.

The first thing he did was switch the air con off!!

!!!!!!?? I would guarantee it will make negligable difference to that car - other than make his driving experience more uncomfortable.

motorguy

Delivery_Driver wrote: »

Say the aircon only uses 5 bhp to run, doesn't seem much if your car is 150bhp.The thing is, your car is only making 150bhp at peak power with full throttle which is a tiny amount of the time if ever for some people.Cruising down the motorway you might only be using 50bhp, so that 5bhp suddenly becomes a significant chunk of the power used and will affect fuel economy.

Not to the tune of 10% which is what you're implying.

motorguy

Another one - chose low rolling resistance tyres when replacing your current ones.

Delivery_Driver

pgilc1 wrote: »

Not to the tune of 10% which is what you're implying.

No, I am implying its a larger % than you'd think when averaged out over time.

cyclonebri1

Delivery_Driver wrote: »

Say the aircon only uses 5 bhp to run, doesn't seem much if your car is 150bhp.The thing is, your car is only making 150bhp at peak power with full throttle which is a tiny amount of the time if ever for some people.Cruising down the motorway you might only be using 50bhp, so that 5bhp suddenly becomes a significant chunk of the power used and will affect fuel economy.

Well at least someone understands the issue.

Also consider the 75 or so kg that the air con weighs, don't believe me?, check the manf figures for equal spec cars with or or without air con. That equates roughly to carrying an extra passenger or a full fuel tank. Not MSE

motorguy

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Well at least someone understands the issue.

Also consider the 75 or so kg that the air con weighs, don't believe me?, check the manf figures for equal spec cars with or or without air con. That equates roughly to carrying an extra passenger or a full fuel tank. Not MSE

Where do you draw the line?

Remove the seats? Remove the electric windows? Remove the power steering pump? The wheel trims? The cd player?

No air conditioning during the summer = hot and sticky car interior

No air conditioning during the winter = steamed up car

You pays your money and makes your choice.

In terms of 'how to save money on car ownership' not having the aircon on is probably 0.01% of the total savings possible if people were to actually think their car purchase through in the first place.

cyclonebri1

pgilc1 wrote: »

Where do you draw the line?

Remove the seats? Remove the electric windows? Remove the power steering pump? The wheel trims? The cd player?

No air conditioning during the summer = hot and sticky car interior

No air conditioning during the winter = steamed up car

You pays your money and makes your choice.

In terms of 'how to save money on car ownership' not having the aircon on is probably 0.01% of the total savings possible if people were to actually think their car purchase through in the first place.

But there lies the issue.

For me if (as I do) I was buying a nearly new car and I had the option of having the aircon removed totally, then I would.

I have never had an issue with steamed up windows in winter, apart from on start up and no aircon can help with that, and in summer???


Jueeeesss this is the UK, we don't get summer for longer than a day.

You need to remember that you pay for aircon in the spec of the car. You pay for everytime you use it, you pay a weight/fuel consumption premium regardless.

And how many times do you need it?????????????

10JH

Nice collection here - http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/home/1083620/top_10easy_ways_to_make_driving_greener.html