Fuel Saving Tips

cyclonebri1

reeac wrote: »

At last, someone who agrees with me regarding air con. and fuel consumption! When we first got a car with a fuel computer we happened to be making regular weekend trips from our home in Berkshire to Suffolk [M4, M25, A12] and back and I checked fuel consumption for complete 135 mile trips with and without air con.. I was unable to detect any consistent effect as it was less than the effects of such variables as traffic density. I'm well aware that air con. uses energy and therefore fuel but it's a pretty small effect at least in a big car [it was an XJ6 4.0] - probably less than 3%.

That's the problem, it's immpossible under normal driving to do an A B test due to other variables, and you still can't negate the fact that you are hauling the air con kit around constantly, whether you switch it on or not.

On the other hand we had a policy at work where if anyone needed a car to fetch supplies/parts etc, they had to borrow an unused company car. 1 of the sales guys was paranoid about his fuel consumption and the effect that air con had on it. He also thought everyone was running the ac full blast when they borrowed it. He actually removed the ac relay.
What he didn't realise that because they knew about this everyone would rev the nuts off his car whenever it was used. :rotfl::rotfl:

thescouselander

Probably the best way to save fuel is to not use the car if it can be helped. Since I started cycling to work at least 3 days per week I am regularly saving 1 tank of fuel per month. That's real tangible savings as opposed to saving a few pence worth of fuel per tank by removing some essential piece of equipment.

almillar

LandyAndy - I get your point - I'm as vulnerable as lots of drivers of newer cars (RX8, Smart, 1-Series plus loads more) who weren't supplied with a spare wheel in the first place. But I don't think people end up with a shredded tyre very often! You would usually have plenty of warning that you're losing/have lost air, so you pump it up and drive (and repeat) until you get home (or get the tyre repaired), or use the gunk. If you drive on a shredded tyre you could wreck then wheel too.

cyclonebri1

thescouselander wrote: »

Probably the best way to save fuel is to not use the car if it can be helped. Since I started cycling to work at least 3 days per week I am regularly saving 1 tank of fuel per month. That's real tangible savings as opposed to saving a few pence worth of fuel per tank by removing some NON essential piece of equipment.

Sorry,

To be honest that's the single most important piece of advice anyone could take, ie, use the car less. Walk to the shop, walk the kids to school even if it means getting up 15 mins earlier.
Everyone gains :T:T:T

ghanagirl

Amazes me when this topic comes up people bring up the cost of air con then drive at 80-90 mph the motorway or dual carridgeway.
get your MPG for your car here.
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/
enter car info, select facts and figures then fuel eco when the page changes to get your mpg
then go here
http://www.mpgforspeed.com/

enter the mpg for your car.
what ever distance m/way d/way = highway
gas price $4.42 (60.82p a litre x 4.55 to make a uk gallon £2.77 x ex rate)
As you have made the $/mpg to a uk equivalant the price cost in the graph is now equal to a £'s instead of the $'s .

The real question is why when brent crude has fallen to $108 a barre,l petrol is £1.34.5p a litre but in march 2008 the last time it was $108 the price was £106.8p.
http://www.theaa.com/onlinenews/allaboutcars/fuel/2008/march2008.pdf

cyclonebri1

almillar wrote: »

LandyAndy - I get your point - I'm as vulnerable as lots of drivers of newer cars (RX8, Smart, 1-Series plus loads more) who weren't supplied with a spare wheel in the first place. But I don't think people end up with a shredded tyre very often! You would usually have plenty of warning that you're losing/have lost air, so you pump it up and drive (and repeat) until you get home (or get the tyre repaired), or use the gunk. If you drive on a shredded tyre you could wreck then wheel too.

I used to carry a can of that stuff when I had road legal track cars, never had the occaission to use it but I seem to recall that it was not possible to have a puncture repaired in a tyre that had had the stuff used in it.
Anyone confirm/refute??

Eric_Pisch

NBLondon wrote: »

[/LIST]
Serious question: In mid-summer...

Windows Open; Aircon Off
Windows Closed; Aircon On

Which uses less fuel?

I suppose Windows Closed; Aircon Off; Drive Naked is an option :rotfl:

at under 50 windows down

mythbusters tested this

marlot

ghanagirl wrote: »

The real question is why when brent crude has fallen to $108 a barre,l petrol is £1.34.5p a litre but in march 2008 the last time it was $108 the price was £106.8p.
http://www.theaa.com/onlinenews/allaboutcars/fuel/2008/march2008.pdf

Perhaps the fact that the pound has dropped against the dollar, mainly due to the quantitative easing and the fact that we're keeping interest rates so low. The combination lowers our exchange rate, so leading to inflation on all imported goods.

mbugle

Some of these tips are really great, definitely save me some pennies next time I go to the pump! I always find that slow and steady wins the (petrol) race! 60 on the motorway, although slow, seems to be the best way to get maximum fuel efficiency!

NBLondon

Eric_Pisch wrote: »

at under 50 windows down

mythbusters tested this

Thanks to those who answered the question.

My instinctive thought had been windows open when bumbling around town and wind them up and add aircon when at speed. The cut-off point being when the draught and wind noise makes it difficult to hear the radio. In my old Mondeo, I was never sure whether it did make a difference. My new Focus has instantaneous mpg on the trip computer so I could try and use that but I find it fluctuates so much with traffic conditions/ accelerator pressure that I doubt it would be very reliable.