Do you hypermile

[RaceDiagnostics]

I do at least 40 miles a day, 7 days a week, normally in a golf and now hypermile all the time, if i'm in one of the V8s I don't bother.

Anyway, I coast wherever possible, use the gearbox to slow down (and brake when really necessary), draft behind lorries, never take the rpm over 2k and keep the speed below 60mph, 50 is better but just too slow on motorways.

The best I've done on my normal Dunfermline to Edinburgh return (mix of dual carriageway and town driving avoiding the motorway) is 88.8mpg when the traffic was very quiet, normal day is 65 to 70mpg and a really bad day with lots of hold ups is low 60s.

Do you have any other good techniques?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Bin anything not needed, extra weight hits the millage.
Don't use heavy electrical loads, air con will reduce the millage.
Steady acceleration and plan your route.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

I do carry round a spare wheel/jack although one didn't come with the car, the cost to mpg is outweighed by the hassle of getting a puncture without one.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I do carry round a spare wheel/jack although one didn't come with the car, the cost to mpg is outweighed but the hassle of getting a puncture without one.

Yes, wise move. Our Big boss at work Merc does not come with a spare wheel. You call a 24 hour call centre they have some one out in 90 mins.

 

[Dave3066]

I wouldn't call myself a hypermiler, but having done a fuel efficient driving day with the Energy Saving Trust I tend to drive as efficiently as I can. My current new car (2 litre diesel Passat) is still "running in" so I'm only getting an average of 55mpg over a tank. On a single journey I can just about manage 63mpg. Bit easier with modern fuel systems as they shut down when you take your foot off the accelerator (coasting is not ideal as some would argue you're not completely in control).

The best I got out of my classic car is 34mpg and that involved lots of coasting.

88.8mpg is very good. Have you seen http://www.fuelly.com/dashboard/? Lots of tips for hypermiling on there

Dave

 

[dobbslc]

I tend to get lowish mpg as I keep needing to accelerate swiftly to overtake people dawlding along the road.....

46.1 mpg (trip meter set and left alone) in a Ford Courier van heavily loaded in London traffic. Not bad I suppose.

 

[Lufbramatt]

I used to try to in my daily, but then I get bored and end up putting my foot down.

If i'm I'm the BMW (1800kg, 3.0 auto) there's really no point

 

[Swift&Bold]

I was doing a 120 mile daily commute. I drove as efficiently as the conditions would allow but I never "Hyper-miled", that's just a step too obsessive for me.

N.B: Coasting still uses fuel to keep the engine at idle, you're better off just keeping off the accelerator in a modern, ECU controlled car, it shuts off the fuel as it doesn't need it to idle whilst in motion.

 

[brightspark]

if I do callouts up to 75 miles I hoof It all the way I get home half an hour earlier can book an extra hour to the job and get an extra 30quid . probably costs me an extra 6 quid in fuel in doing so . which is tax deductible

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I seldom use the brakes on the 'open road' but will in preference to the g/box, on the basis that, satisfying as manual changing is, brake components are cheaper and easier to replace than a clutch and/or DMF.

 

[dobbslc]

I find all the modern diesels have very little engine braking now!
I think it's a bit dangerous as on a motorway you sometimes need to loose a bit of speed but don't want to brake and cause the cars behind to brake when they serve brake lights up ahead. A bit of engine braking g would sort it out though.

NB my new Ford Courier takes up to 2 seconds to give any engine braking at 70mph at lower speeds it comes in a bit quicker.

 

[rtbcomp]

I fitted a vacuum gauge to my SIII Landrover, I got over 29 mpg Sheffield to Carlisle using the gauge Not driving too slow so as to be a nuisance, but it took me an hour longer! Normally got 18 mpg.

 

[Rocketman]

I have managed 55mpg from a full tank on a 106 gti before. That is miracle territory.

Anyway life is too short and I don't waste my time on such things anymore.

BTW those trip computers on cars telling you how you are doing are not that accurate. The far more accurate way is to use the odometer and without pulling a load of crap through the engine use the low fuel light as the set point.

As already mentioned coasting in modern cars can actually use more fuel than it saves.

 

[Pete.]

My wideband controller has a function where it can measure the fuel/air mixture then send a modified lambda signal to the ECU to fool it into thinking it's running richer than it is. The ECU then leans out the mixture based on what it thinks the lambda sensor is telling it. I was never tempted to use the function myself but people who do high mileages have and claimed good savings.

 

[Gareth J]

As mentioned, the on board computer is only good for a relative comparison between your own trips. Mine is about 15mpg out.

Once upon a time I used to alternate days between maximising obc mpg and minimising it on a 20mi commute. Never got anything fantastically high - was hilly/villages but got some good low scores.

Now I drive as steady as practicable when in traffic conditions were overtaking would be fruitless. And often just let the cruise control drag me round corners on A roads. But any chance to make progress is hard to ignore. My app that tots up fuel bought and miles covered says an average 43mpg. In 1.5tonnes of estate, that's fine.

I feel that our roads are too busy to safely get into hypermiling. There are enough bimbly old dears not confident enough to make sensible road decisions without those with the mental capacity to hypermile, choosing to prioritise mpg over safety adding to the mix.

A measured (not obc) 89mpg is very impressive though.

 

[Gritineye]

I've tried those tricks but never keep it up for long, but one of the OPs methods worries me.

I see a line of truckers slipstreaming on motorways, or car drivers following close behind trucks or coaches and wonder how much they're shortening their lives.

Either by lung damage from concentrated diesel particles or just not knowing what's going on in front of the truck.

No amount of fuel saving makes up for being dead!

 

[Kayos]

No

I drive how I want, sometimes steady sometimes hard, when I get under 1/4 tank I refill it

Life's too short

 

[Rig Pig]

I start off with good intentions but I soon get fed up and boot it

 

[grim_d]

88mpg! That must be so mind numbingly boring. Good effort, you are a better man than I.

I average 29mpg. Im completely happy at anything over 20mpg.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Tend not to slipstream (tailgate) wagons unless I'm in one too and that way they can see me and know I'm there. I see people tucked right in behind Artics to the point where there's no way the driver can see them, now that scares me