Mitchapalooza
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I'm gonna be driving 7 hours on the highway like next week or so. I have an 02 cavalier (lol I know shut up), but what speed would you recommend for gas efficency? Or is it not even that big of a deal?
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Whatever speed your can maintain in your highest gear and lowest RPM. It's different in every car.
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Learn how to hypermile, then apply all of the most realistic driving skills to your own, then you'll be pretty happy.
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It causes a major difference. It used to be around 55 but cars are more efficient now and way more variable. You can find out the sweet spot for your specific car. But when you go over that speed it causes an exponential loss in efficiency.
Mitchapalooza
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Shit. Haha. Ill just google around for an 02 cav speed efficiency thanks
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My shop teacher in high school used to say press the accelerator like there is a water balloon underneath it.
I don't know how that helps.
I don't know how that helps.
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Using friction points is a key part of hypermiling. But with an automatic and modern TCMs, even that of a 2002 cavalier, the TCM will put the car in a gear that is most pleasant for the driver, more than the best gear for mileage(more like an overall best mix by design, then being able to predict what the driver wants at that time). So it will vary for every car. As Tj said, highest gear, lowest sustainable RPM is more than likely going to be the lowest friction point(as long as the TCM isn't over-riding gear changes to give you higher revs in terms of power when you don't want it).
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55 is the number I've heard most often
Every time I set out to drive slower on the highway to save gas I end up getting bored and impatient.
Every time I set out to drive slower on the highway to save gas I end up getting bored and impatient.
Mitchapalooza
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Lol that's gonna be me. I'm gonna end up going 80 the whole way
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Find points to draft for a bit. Don't get into that mentality that you need to be ahead of the pack, this is why race drivers that lead races have to take that extra pit stop for fuel, because they don't draft as much as they should, and burn up more gas. Thus losing the race.
It's possibly the best tip for hypermiling in the book. But to do it safely, requires that you know how to keep a safe distance, all while taking some risk to be close enough to fly under the wind vortex created by the vehicles ahead of you. I think of it this way, when I was a teenager, I wanted to be in front of everyone, but now I'm thankful that there are enough idiots on the road that feel like they are playing Gran Turismo on the expressway that I can use their wind signature to help my gas mileage.
If you don't know what drafting is(not drifting), I bet a google search comes up with a lot of visual aids.
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Cruise Control FTW :smoke:
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1 MPH with all accessories turned off.
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I go 85 unless I can't on the highway. I'm sure that's probably scientifically and legally proven to be a bad idea (except in Italy or Germany). Italy driving was fun.
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On my 99 DeVille, I found that 75 was the best spot for mileage..I would get 28 MPG if I kept it at 75..At 70 I would drop to 26..At 80 I would drop to 23
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I drove from Baltimore to Boulder at 58 due to my load and stopped for food/bathroom/gas in about 31 hours no sleeping. I was happy in my own head, though I saw a massive hood ornament shadow raven of death, and the skid marks turned into a time portal of squiggly potential deaths........but the raven protected me....
I have been called crazy.....:shrug:
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Its referring to acceleration, which also causes an exponential loss in efficiency.
Basically, accelerating uses a lot more energy than maintaining a constant speed. Accelerating faster uses more energy at an exponential rate. The water balloon thing is just saying you save gas by accelerating slower. Its the same reason why you have worse gas mileage in the city than on the highway.
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55 is a very old number. Like from the 80's. Most cars are way more efficient now, both aerodynamically and mechanically.
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70 is the new 55
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Do what Ras says but I'm not sure what he said. **** it go like hell and cut that trip to 4 hours.
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Ride your bike.