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  • robin58
    robin58 Posts: 2,802 Forumite
    chobadangi wrote: »
    I recently reduced my speed on motorways from 90 to 80 and noticed a significant saving. i use cruise when i can. although it is logical that this will use more petrol by maintaining speed up hills and not gaining speed downhill, i believe there is an overall saving by sticking to the same speed. when i try to nurse the car - using the computer to try to maintain best mpg, i often end up going faster down the hill then not shaving off as much speed going back up so go faster overall and therefore use more fuel. The result has been a significant saving. it's a high mileage diesle voyager that can achieve up to 35 mpg on a run at 80 mph where i used to get 30 mpg before. journey times don't seem to be significantly affected either!

    I don't suppose you could put your car registration on here so the Police can NICK you the next time they see it.
    The more I live, the more I learn.
    The more I learn, the more I grow.
    The more I grow, the more I see.
    The more I see, the more I know.
    The more I know, the more I see,
    How little I know.!! ;)
  • i dont know if it actually works but when I change my tyres I always buy the next size up ie.
    195 x 50 x 15 standard change to 195 X 55 X 15
    this increases the circumference of the tyre, hence decreases no. of revolutions. thus uses less fuel and tyre lasts longer, plus better softer ride.
    The results of fitting new tyre = 64 mph instead of 62mph:T
    and 859 instead of 890 revolutions per mile = 30 revolutions per mile less.:T
    I use Pneus Online and click on tyre online tips, read them all, they are very informative, on one tip you can compare tyre sizes.
    beware increasing tyre size alters speedo reading:eek:
  • kento_2
    kento_2 Posts: 21 Forumite
    You cannot do anything to overcome the basic laws of physics.
    Thus the more you brake the more energy you waste so anticipating braking is the best way to save fuel.

    Acceleration is inefficient so go as gently as possible, but sometimes a bit more acceleration will get you through the next traffic lights without stopping. So again its all about anticipation.

    Acceleration in a cold engine is even more of a cost.

    Next speed creates wind drag so the faster you go the more energy you use.

    Many cars have a computer which can calculate live average mpg, so try doing a motorway trip at 2 different speeds using your cruise control (but not on a day with strong headwinds). Resetting the average mpg computer once you have attained cruising speed.

    I found that driving at 68 mph instead of 78 mph saved me 13% of fuel. So in 1 hour you can drive 68 miles on 8 litres (£10) instead spending 13% more (£11.30) but I will loose 9 mins in every hour of driving. So over 7 hrs driving you will loose 1 hr and save £8 - its up to you as to how you value your time, and if there are 2 people in a car both of you have lost an hour but still only saved £8. As sped gets lower the proportionate saving will be less as the wind drag gets to be a lower factor in the cars energy usage.

    Traffic lights and stoppages are a big fuel waster, hence longer motorway routes - provided you restrain your speed may be cheaper than through city routes. Consider switching off the engine at junctions where you know the lights have long cycle times.

    Finally cruise control really pays off because you stop inadvertently racing against other cars and your speed creeping up, but to be most efficient you do need to accelerate manually before engaging CC and drop your speed for big gradients.
  • kento_2
    kento_2 Posts: 21 Forumite
    I've often heard it said women do not judge distance and speed as well as men. If so they will be poorer at anticipating the need to slow down and end up braking more than men drivers.

    Also, from my experience far fewer women can follow complicated instructions and read car manuals, so far fewer women can use cruise control than men.

    Women also have poorer sense of direction and get lost more often and end up using extra fuel to drive additional mileage as a result.

    So do women use more fuel than men?

    If so, might not the best carbon efficient solution be to restrict or prohibit women drivers.
  • Indout96
    Indout96 Posts: 2,343
    Name Dropper First Post Photogenic First Anniversary
    Forumite
    I assume you are joking ??????
    Totally Debt Free & Mortgage Free Semi retired and happy
  • Indout96 wrote: »
    I assume you are joking ??????

    I believe the person is joking...let's hope so, otherwise someone somewhere will have their guts for garters ;)
  • I read somewhere that it's not worth switching your engine off at lights unless you're going to be sitting there for longer than a minute, but I also read on the petrol saving tips that a person saved money bu switching off straight away, so what IS best?
  • kevmcfad
    kevmcfad Posts: 42
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    I work as a driver trainer and amongst other things I help companies save money by reducing the fuel bill of their employees. Typically each employee can save around £400 each year by adapting their driving styles.

    We start off with at the petrol station with a full tank then go for an hour long assessment drive and end at the same petrol station. We then fill the tank back up and find out how many litres of fuel was used. After checking the tyre pressure and giving the driver coaching we then drive round the same route and again fill up at the same petrol station. This then proves how many litres were saved and depending on how many miles the driver does annually we can then work out their annual fuel saving. (companies want this kind of proof)

    This is a good way of measuring how much improvements can be made. Try the same technique but instead of just driving for an hour why not use up a whole tank of fuel, then drive much more concienciously with the 2nd tank and compare the difference with the 2 receipts.
  • kento_2
    kento_2 Posts: 21 Forumite
    kevmcfad wrote: »

    We start off with at the petrol station with a full tank then go for an hour long assessment drive and end at the same petrol station. We then fill the tank back up and find out how many litres of fuel was used.

    So how much fuel do you waste driving around economically for no purpose for an hour, then I presume you need to drive exactly the same route needlessly for another hour driving uneconomically to see how much more fuel you use.
    kevmcfad wrote: »
    After checking the tyre pressure

    In response to other posters yesterday how many women know what their tyre pressures should be let alone check them?

    P.S. Anyone who needs to ask if my last post was serious must themselves believe that there is some possibility it is a credible statement. So they are the ones in for the roasting!!!
  • teddyco
    teddyco Posts: 397
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    It's difficult to drive slow here in Kent. There are too many hotheaded drivers who tailgate and honk their horn to push other folks down the road, it's really annoying for those of us who really want to conserve our fuel and drive slow.
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