Wanna save some coin at the pump? Check out "Hypermiling"

XRpredator

AssClown SuperPowers
Damn Yankees
Aug 2, 2000
13,510
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I stumbled onto this after reading a local listserv where a guy claims that just by changing his driving habits he gained 5 mpg. Doing some kind of mathemagical calculations, he decided that he either extended his effective range by 84.5 miles (from 591.50 to 676.00), reduced the effective amount he paid per gallon to $2.88, or saved himself $6.95 he would otherwise have paid to go that extra 84.5 miles. Not bad for one tank of gas.

some tips and tricks:

www.hypermiling.com
 

adam728

Member
Aug 16, 2004
1,011
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Driving habits make a huge difference. My girlfriend is the kind that mashes the gas every where and waits until 12 feet from a stop sign or light to just about lock em up to stop. Drives me nuts!

2001 Jeep Wrangler - Me, 16-17 mpg Her, 11-12 mpg
2005 Malibu LS - Me, 30-33 mpg Her, 24 mpg

Not to mention the fact that I think she can destroy brakes in 300 miles.
 

squeaky

Roosta's Princess
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Mar 28, 2003
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Hmm interesting - I get about 25 miles per gallon in my 2001 Chevy Malibu. I use the cruise control on the way to work, but at 75 mph.

I heard somewhere that if you keep your RPM's at 2000 or under you save gas. Does anyone know if that's true?
 

Papakeith

COTT Champ Emeritus
Damn Yankees
Aug 31, 2000
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Sam, try driving in the 65-70 mph range for one tank full. I'll bet you see a difference in mileage. I know that in my truck if I keep it at or under 65 my gas mileage is much better. Better by up to 5 mpg! Also, If I keep my acceleration to under 2500 rpm and keep my speed to 65 or less I'll get the best mileage my truck can get.

I also play a game in heavy traffic. See how long you can go without hitting your brakes (without slamming into someone in front of you. It saves your brakes, and keeps the mass of the vehicle moving.
 

Vic

***** freak.
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May 5, 2000
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squeaky said:
I heard somewhere that if you keep your RPM's at 2000 or under you save gas. Does anyone know if that's true?

You'll save the most at 0 RPM. :>)

The smaller the throttle opening, the less gas consumed.

The less you (or your cruise control) push on either pedal, the less fuel you'll consume.
 

02yz426f

Member
Nov 15, 2006
319
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My 90's truck is a 4 speed. It shifts into 4th gear at 40 mph. So all the way from 40 to 70 mph, my rpm keeps climbing higher, while my gas mileage gets lower and lower.

The new corvette can get 25 highway mpg because the 6th gear is so low that it can take the car to 180+ mph. This is from a 7.0 L engine. I have trouble getting 25 mpg out of a 2.9 L v6. Its all about the gearing boys and girls, along with throttle control.
 

adam728

Member
Aug 16, 2004
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There are so many factors that come into play it's hard to say that "keeping the engine at "X" rpm is best". It depends on the torque curve of the engine, aero dynamics, speed, gearing, etc.

My 01 TJ is a 3 speed auto. I get pretty much exactly the same mileage at 50 mph as I do at 75 mph, and that's a huge rpm difference (about 2400 rpm vs 3000 rpm).

In my old Toyota I could lug down the road at very low rpm in 5th gear (maybe 1800 rpm, hard to remember), but mileage was horrible. It did much better in 3rd running 3K+. This was because of the 34" Super Swampers with stock gearing. To hold speed in 5th it took a whole lot of throttle.

squeaky -
My 05 Malibu and your 01 share nothing but the name, it's a whole different car. So it doesn't surprise me much at the mileage differences. For reference, I've gotten as high as 35 mpg staying down around 55 mph on back roads, but that was only 1/2 tank, so I don't know how repeatible it would be. I commute 100 miles each way every day for work (Tucson to Tempe, or Tucson to Nogales Mexico), I usually set the cruise 82-85 mph and pull in 30-31 mpg.
 

FruDaddy

Member
Aug 21, 2005
2,854
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I read somewhere a few years ago that a opening the throttle wide at lower engine speeds is a trick that the manufacturers use to get better mileage for ratings. I don't recall the source.
 

adam728

Member
Aug 16, 2004
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02yz426f said:
does that malibu have a v6? Thats really good gas mileage.

Yes, it's a 3.5 liter.

I suppose while talking about ways to get the best mileage we should throw maintanance in there. A dirty air filter or low tire can easily suck a few mpg off your average.
 

motometal

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 3, 2001
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Papakeith said:
Sam, try driving in the 65-70 mph range for one tank full. I'll bet you see a difference in mileage. I know that in my truck if I keep it at or under 65 my gas mileage is much better. Better by up to 5 mpg! Also, If I keep my acceleration to under 2500 rpm and keep my speed to 65 or less I'll get the best mileage my truck can get.

I also play a game in heavy traffic. See how long you can go without hitting your brakes (without slamming into someone in front of you. It saves your brakes, and keeps the mass of the vehicle moving.

people must be way more considerate there...no wonder Rooster bailed out of Iowa :rotfl:

Seriously though, in larger cities and/or heavy traffic here (when we have it), if you tried that (coasting that much, inevitably leaving big gaps in front of you) as soon as there was 1.000001 car lengths of space to be had someone would cut in....forcing you to hit the brakes anyway.
 

Jamir

I come and go
Aug 7, 2001
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I actually started doing this stuff a few months ago and went from getting 350 miles out of a tank of gas to getting 400+. It put me from 30mpg to about 34. Cool
 

Treejumper

2 wheeled idiot
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Sep 9, 2000
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Papakeith said:
Sam, try driving in the 65-70 mph range for one tank full. I'll bet you see a difference in mileage. I know that in my truck if I keep it at or under 65 my gas mileage is much better. Better by up to 5 mpg! Also, If I keep my acceleration to under 2500 rpm and keep my speed to 65 or less I'll get the best mileage my truck can get.

I also play a game in heavy traffic. See how long you can go without hitting your brakes (without slamming into someone in front of you. It saves your brakes, and keeps the mass of the vehicle moving.

{PK on the way back from Casey} Are you in a hurry to get home?

{Treejumper} Yes, we're an hour away from home at this pace.

{PK} Yeah, but anything over 65mph my gas mileage drops dramaticly.

{Treejumper} I'd rather be home a half hour sooner than save $10 bucks. :)

Funny how times have changed. I barely do faster than 65mph on the interstate now. Jumped from 10mpg to 14mpg in the Ram.
 

Papakeith

COTT Champ Emeritus
Damn Yankees
Aug 31, 2000
6,695
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see?!!! I told you :) Besides, we were doing 75 on the way home from casey, and you were pulling away from me. Danged kids

moto, they do pull in front of me, all the time. Usually they just as quickly try another lane. If I leave enough of a gap I can make it through without coming to a full stop.

Hey did anyone else catch the mythbusters drafting episode last night? big savings by running in the slipstream of the 18 wheelers.
 

mtk

Member
Jun 9, 2004
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Papakeith said:
Hey did anyone else catch the mythbusters drafting episode last night? big savings by running in the slipstream of the 18 wheelers.


And an excellent way to get yourself killed.
 

sixds

Member
Mar 25, 2007
779
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its amazing how many people are constantly either on the gas, or on the breaks. My dad has always taught me to let off the gas and coast for a while before hitting the breaks.
 

Papakeith

COTT Champ Emeritus
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Aug 31, 2000
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Actually, when they had their nose under the tail end of the trailer the economy decreased. Surprisingly, they they were able to show minor benefits at distances of 100 ft. 100 ft isn't so close :)
 

Moto Squid

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Jul 22, 2002
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sixds said:
its amazing how many people are constantly either on the gas, or on the breaks. My dad has always taught me to let off the gas and coast for a while before hitting the breaks.

It comes from racing moto, always accelerating or always braking ;)

In my old fullsive chev truck with a 5.0 Id get better mileage the faster I went on the highway. Best I ever got was 20 on a 4 hour trip doing 75-80 most of the time. Now, my current truck (same as my old one except newer) gets 15, if that.
 

adam728

Member
Aug 16, 2004
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You must be one of those people that absolutely must get where you are going without taking 1/2 a second extra to get there. I'll drive how I want, you drive how you want.
 
May 10, 2007
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well i guess its cheating but my family drives hybrids

civic -50mpg
camry -43 ish
(not sure what the third is but its a lexus suv hybrid) gets 30 ish

Oh and i forgot... (if you didnt know which most of you probably did) the reason you are getting better gas mileage when driving faster is because you are in the car; engine's powerband when the engine is most efficient.
 

trakkerman

Member
Nov 12, 2001
258
0
adam728 said:
You must be one of those people that absolutely must get where you are going without taking 1/2 a second extra to get there. I'll drive how I want, you drive how you want.

Right! Don't park in the passing lane and don't get miffed when I pull in front of you (because of the huge open space) and cause you to brake sooner.

I guess you could say I'm one of those people who shows consideration for others, and expect the same in return.
 

sixds

Member
Mar 25, 2007
779
0
Right! Don't park in the passing lane and don't get miffed when I pull in front of you (because of the huge open space) and cause you to brake sooner.

I guess you could say I'm one of those people who shows consideration for others, and expect the same in return.

you also must be a road rageaholic.
 

motometal

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 3, 2001
2,682
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why would you say that? I agree with him...if you want to putt, then fine but not in the left lane and not during rush hour. To most folks, after a long day at work they would rather get home to their family earlier, than save .37 cents on fuel and sorry, but i'd have to side with getting home earlier (to each his own). Time is money. We are only allowed a finite number of seconds/minutes/hours here on earth, and i'd prefer to spend as minimal of an amount of that time as possible, droning to and from work etc.
 
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