Can your passengers tell?

[OldToot]

I get the impression most of you are taking hypermiling more seriously than me - I use a very light right foot on both the pedals it presses, and knock the car into neutral (or coast in gear as appropriate) a fair bit, but then I live in a hilly city. I also make occasional use of burn and coast, which was something I adopted in the tankers strike of 2000, or whenever it was. I also draught lorries ocasionally, but I tend to be the first to put my lights on and the last to turn them off, and I don't see the point carrying all the weight of the air conditioning system and being hot. I'#ve done well over 350k miles in 6 different cars, none of which have been new, and never had a clutch replaced and have only had two new sets of brake pads (and I was a young man once too) so I must be farily gentle.

I don't think my passengers generally notice when I try and eke out the fuel, although I did have to get somewhere quickly the other week and my wife said "I'd forgotten you can drive like this" - which I took as a compliment My question is, do you think your passengers notice that you are much more efficient?

We hired a car last month to go from Sheffield to Wales - a nice long run. We got given a 1.8 petrol Astra, which was disappointing. I normally specify I want a diesel, but this time I forgot. I was pleased that I managed a trip average of 40.1mpg compared to 32mpg when I got it though. That included some big hills (although of course net change in height was 0) and getting stuck in traffic on the big hill at the end of the M67 which really did for overall economy. I also could not persuade my wife to turn off her heated seat for the entire two days! Anyway, I looked on Parkers and it lsts the silly spec Astra (leather seats in an Astra, I asks you!) as 39mpg, so I was well pleased with myself - until I looked deeper and saw that extra-urban is, apparently, 50.4 mpg. I was on about 45mpg on the outward leg, which in all honestly was pretty much all extra urban apart from 5 miles in Sheffield and a bit of looking for a good parking space in Llandudno, but that is a long way off 50.4. Am I not very good at this, or could climate control and a heated seat (I know, I know!) make that much difference?

[frv]

My family sometimes notice but I don't use all the techniques ( mainly less FAS ) when OH is in the car as she doesn't like it .
You got more than combined figure out of the Astra but I would have expected you to be in the low 50's. Hills can be a real killer for FE unless you use DWL (drive with load) and lots of coasting in 'N'.
It could be that the FCD reads low in that car. I've just done a record 63.4mpg but the on board read low at 61 (it's always low!).
Also, it wasn't your car and it may have been ready for a service.
Did you check tyre pressures? Could have been low...

[OldToot]

My family sometimes notice but I don't use all the techniques ( mainly less FAS ) when OH is in the car as she doesn't like it .
You got more than combined figure out of the Astra but I would have expected you to be in the low 50's. Hills can be a real killer for FE unless you use DWL (drive with load) and lots of coasting in 'N'.
It could be that the FCD reads low in that car. I've just done a record 63.4mpg but the on board read low at 61 (it's always low!).
Also, it wasn't your car and it may have been ready for a service.
Did you check tyre pressures? Could have been low...

I never do FAS as I never quite trust my cars to start again. It could be different with a Honda I was wondering if you r car-pool notice or comment?

Some way down the M56 in the hired Astra I was told that, although my efforts to save the world were admirable, it would be preferable if we didn't spend the entirety of our 2 day break watching the back of an Asda lorry- the fuel consumption had been steadily falling up until that point - I've rmembered since that I did a few more miles in Sheffield than I remembered at first as I had to take it back to the hire company to report some extra damage I'd missed - fortunately they believed me

It was a 32,00 mile old hire car, which is old for a hire car. I don't remember getting one with more than about 10k on before, so there is a chance it could have been a bit worn; I know manufacturers like their cars to sound 'sporty' but I'd be amazed if Vauxhall let them off the line with an exhaust not as raspy as the one we had, for example. And of course I didn't check anything on it, I just drove it.

That big hill at the end of the M67 was the real killer though. Half an hour of stop-start on a big hill, followed by lots more stop-start until we got to Snake Pass where we got stuck at the end of small queue behind someone who braked for every corner and barely got above 30mph.

Still should have done better.

[frv]

No problem bump starting or key starting the Honda. I don't do my usual FAS when car poolers are in maybe just switch off on the approach to traffic lights and roll the last bit and I switch the engine off a lot in queues but they don't say anything and I don't say anything about the other guy sometimes hitting 100mph on the M1

[Karl]

HAHA - I get the death stare if I attempt any FAS with the wife in the car. Shes always moaning about how slow I drive too. That's why the Fiat Ulysse returns 30MPG in her hands and nealy 50 when I've been driving.

[OldToot]

We've only just got the Leon, and so far we've used it on alternate days. Your comment about your wife getting fewer mpg is familiar. I always used to check the average on the Multipla if I hadn't been the last one to drive it

I have secretly been wondering where on earth my other half has been going in the Leon though, or how fast she has been going, as we seem to be using about £20 of petrol every two or three days.

Today I noticed that the fuel filter is leaking ...

We park it with two wheel on a grass verge at home so it has obviously just been soaking away. Add to that the kid, being used to the Multipla, likes to climb into the front and get out through a front door, so I've not often been near the back of the car. Today though she was tired and so I got her out the back and could smell petrol. I looked under the car; the filter is sort of under the back seat .... drip ................... drip ...................drip. I think it must have got worse over the last day or two. I'm genuniley concerend it might not go in the morning. It's just fortunate I've only been putting £20 a throw in it!

Anyway, my friendly local mechanic has slotted me in tomorrow morning, and says it will only take 20 minutes. Should improve the economy quite significantly.

[Me.Paul]

Hi guys, Forgive my ignorance in this area, I am still learning. But what are these abbreviations; FAS & FCD please as I,ve got the rest and have been racking my grey cells and come up with absolutely nothing (I know, that would be AN). Please put me out of my misery....Cheers..Paul

[frv]

Hi Paul. It'll probably be worth starting an abbreviation thread
C
FCD - Fuel Consumption Display (on-board computer)
FAS - Forced Assisted Stop (turn engine off manually while still moving)
DWL - Drive With Load (keep pedal planted in one position while going up and down hills)
DWB - Drive Without Brakes (try not to stop and use engine braking)
DFCO - Direct Fuel Cut-Off (no fuel used if lift off accerator and revs over about 1500) - engine braking.

[greenman]

Abbreviation thread not a bad idea. I get confused and I use a lot of the techniques!

[frv]

"Your wish is my command"

http://www.hypermiler.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=696