Driving Economically

[Guest Guest]

I disagree. I'm getting over 150 miles extra to a 60 liter tank now I've got a diesel car. Yes, it's more expensive, but over the course of a month I'm getting an extra 500 miles I otherwise would not have.

 

And like i said

you have to do alot of miles for a diesel to work out cheaper

 

I believe the figure is somewhere above 20k miles pa, which you are obviously doing.

 

 

For the revs thing just have a look at a power graph for your car. As a very general rule just for the sake of arguement the torque peaks at around the 2.5k with +/- 0.5k around it being near enough the same power output. Therefore the most ecconomical (both petrol and not damaging your engine/car) is around 2-2.5k rpm. (Like i said, just for the sake of arguement, but it will apply to most on here. Big american V8s etc can rev alot lower...)

 

 

I have a 14 year old toyota mr2 which when it left the factory did 36mpg by the book, i get around 30mpg which is not bad going in real life driving in a 14year old car. I never let my revs go below 2k, and very rarely drive over 100yards at less than 2.5k. Normally somewhere just below the 3k mark, but my car is a high reving engine.

 

 

Oh and btw i wasnt knocking anyone, thats how we were taught to drive - "get into 5th". But my sister was also taught not slow down for railway crossings otherwise she would fail her test so ive pretty much disregarded everything my teacher told me. I mean WTF?!?!?

Edited June 4, 2008 by Guest

[GrumbleDook]

I did notice my fuel gauge moving fast cruising around 140mph on the M6 Toll last week

Bit of an idiot then really!

 

A lot politer than what I would have put ...

 

As someone who has been first on the scene of a major incident, as well as assisting the local constabulary and MOD Police on incidents where speed has been a major contributing factor to both the incidents happening in the first place and the extent of the carnage it caused ...

 

Please do not speed.

[Sirbendy]

I've twice been a passenger in a vehicle going like the whatsits..one MR2 (couple of years old, M6 toll (again), well over the ton..was wobbling like a jelly..not reassuring), and one Pug605SVE (A5 bypass when first opened, and hell did that thing move..real french cruiser )

 

In the toyota I had my eyes shut, and in the 605, neither of us even noticed we were "ton+"..it felt like 60. This was in our younger years though..personally, I've always preferred 50-60, and get told I drive like an old fart.

 

Even at 45-50, you can have immense fun with roundabouts and cornering. On quiet roads and trading estates of course..heh. I think I must have poor grip tyres..it's quite easy to go sideways on some surfaces, and roundabouts can quite easily produce tortured rubber squealing..

 

Maybe it's because I have 155/80/13 wheels..quite narrow. Always seems to surprise garages, that..they're the same as when I bought it..5.5j rims, apparently usually found with wider rubber, and those tyres.

 

All good fun though.

[Guest Guest]

Even at 45-50, you can have immense fun with roundabouts and cornering.

 

Yep. I have absolutely no interest in going fast in a straight line. To me straight line speed is very chav for want of a better word - "ear mate, how much as u got out your car?" Yep, takes great skill to plant your right foot and hope for the best.

 

I actually saw myself do over a ton yesterday in my mr2, first time ive done it and it was only due to the fact i was absolutely fuming about something. Slowed down when i spotted it, as like i said it doesnt interest me risking my licence to go fast.

 

Now fast round the corners, thats where its at! Its far more exciting to try and average 60/70/80mph (depending on conditions) through the country roads. Theres alot more pleasure in getting your "brake, turn in, accelerate" just right, and is quite satisfying coming out of the corner at a higher speed than you did previously.

 

Got some coilovers on my car now which are great for sticking to the road but it actually very hard to make the back end come out unless im being silly, well unless its wet in which case its quite hard not to let it creep out when going fast!

 

Oh and BTW i think his MR2 must have been fecked as 100mph in my car feels like 60-70 in a normal car. It certainly doesnt feel "wobbly"!!

Edited June 4, 2008 by Guest

[FreeWill]

You actually consume a lot more fuel, and you are much less environmentally friendly, if you are in a high gear (fourth or fifth) at a low road speed (30 mph or less). That’s because the throttle opening has to be wider to address the imbalance between the inappropriate gear and your speed. More fuel is admitted into the manifold and the engine, and the result is that you tend to increase your road speed. But, if you select a more responsive gear (third) for the same road speed (30 mph or less) and you use a “light right foot”, the throttle opening will be narrower and less fuel consumed.

 

Source: IAM Fact Sheet 16/001: USE OF GEARS AND ADVANCED DRIVING

 

There is obviously no firm "You must change from x gear to x+1 at y speed", as all types of engine are different. In some cars with small engines fourth in 30mph is fine, but if you're in a larger engine car it could be stuttering.

Edited June 4, 2008 by FreeWill
missing / in quote tag.

[GrumbleDook]

I have hit 140 twice before, both times as part of police escorts ... it took considerable flashing to get the lead car to slow down. Under escort I was happy to do 100 but anything higher than that is not worth the risk. The lead car always has clear information about the road ahead and things are put in place to stop people getting in the way (advance lead car helps) but too often you get the eejits following after you in your wake, trying to jump traffic.

[john]

That sounds a good job, I always thought escourting vehicles and stuff would be boring but doing it police style and hitting those speeds would be great as you are A being allowed to do it and B with police support and of course if you were the rear vehicle or a middle one you would know the road ahead was clear so it would be, to a point, safe to do those speeds, fine still not as safe as half them but safer than you trying to do it on your own.

[reggiep]

Ohh how are you finding it? I'm thinking of going along the same route. The bike is fab for just me but long journeys and passengers need something else. Haven't found any long term reviews and am abit worried about the stereotype about french car build quality.

 

the bike is a great comfort on fuel though. At the moment about £15-£18 fillup and getting anywhere between 144-175 miles Plus tons of spg's

 

Well I can only comment on owning a C3 for 6 months, or rather 2 C3s as my wife bought one at the same time.

The build quality inside is very good with the outside looking fine. The panels on a citroen don't seem as sturdy as my old astra but I think this helps with the economy as it is a much lighter car. Plus my astra was knocking on a bit so was probably carved out of one piece of oak.

It's fantastic on fuel with me getting over 650 miles on about £50 which seems much better than my old car.

I was worried about the citroen reputation but I'm glad I bought it now.

[plexer]

I just bought an 06 fabia estate 1.4tdi becuase we wanted to save on fuel and everyone saying how reliable skodas are.

 

Fuel economy is good about 400 miles on £40 of expensive diesel at the moment.

 

But it's currently in the garage having a new turbo fitted.

 

I may have looked at the C3 had I seen that website before.

 

Oh well nevermind.

 

Ben