Start/stop on fuel efficiency?

thescouselander

Mercdriver wrote: »

I think this is indicative of more automatics on the road. I have to admit that I rarely put the handbrake on at the lights, even now that I have the electric handbrake with the Mazda. Having said that, on damp nights at the lights I will put the handbrake on to ease the glare for the car behind

Same here, I just use the foot brake in my automatic if just stopping for a short time - that's the correct way to drive it according to the manual.

Mercdriver

The only problem being that as soon as you lift off the brake pedal with the handbrake applied, the car restarts on my Mazda...didn't have stop start on the Merc, had a hold function activated by double pressing the brake pedal...

Gloomendoom

thescouselander wrote: »

Same here, I just use the foot brake in my automatic if just stopping for a short time - that's the correct way to drive it according to the manual.

Generally speaking, the only time I use the parking brake on mine is when parking.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Mercdriver wrote: »

The only problem being that as soon as you lift off the brake pedal with the handbrake applied, the car restarts on my Mazda...didn't have stop start on the Merc, had a hold function activated by double pressing the brake pedal...

I rate it as a fault on the Merc, that you can't switch to using the handbrake to kill the brake lights at night without tripping the stop/start. Not sure what the newer electronic handbrake versions do. Love the hold feature, so easy to use, find the effort of using the electronic handbrake far too much effort on the Q3!

oscarward

IanMSpencer wrote: »

That's indicative of Jag engineering I'm afraid. Given that these days most of the manufacturers are using the same components they should be able to achieve the same quality of performance, the difference is down to poor implementation, e.g. quality of gear change.

.

I've got a 3.0d Xf with stop start, I hated it when I first got the car but 18 months in I'm getting to like it more. What I didn't realise is that the pressure on the brake pedal dictates when the stop start comes in, given engine/cabin temps are normal etc.


So coming up to a queue of traffic where I can see the hold will be less than a few seconds I can hold the car on the brake without S/S kicking in. and by the same token when holding for more than 5 secs I look for traffic moving ahead and lessen pressure on the pedal and the engine starts whilst still being held on the brake then it's ready to move off.


What I don't like is the lurch when the engine starts as the car is in drive so when S/S is operational there is no straining at the leash then the engine supplies power again and takes up the slack in the drive train. The other thing I don't like is sometimes when reverse parking S/S will kick in which stops the hydraulic power steering which is a pain. Which is why I think they have gone to electric PS on the new models.