Coasting for better mileage?

I do it because I'm a cheap-o. I coast to lights, trying to time them so that I do not have to stop. I generally stick to the speed limit, and if I get caught by a light and I know I'll be there for more than 20 seconds, I'll shut it off. When I do that, I watch the lights around me. When the light for the traffic running across my face turns red, I turn it back on so that I don't hold anyone up.

 

That's how to do it.

 

I don't do it but I don't care much about mpg.

 

This argument is overused and quite retarded. I get above EPA (in the Summer) with every vehicle I've owned, from my V8 Chevy, to my Tacomas, to my 4 cyl Pickup. What's wrong with someone enjoying the challenge of getting good gas mileage when it is convenient to do so?

x2^

So I drive the speed limit and some jerk is weaving in and out of traffic doing 20+ over and I'm the annoyance...? haha okay.

 

This too! I enjoy it. Hypermiling is not only a gas saver, it has become a game to me.

 

Yep, sure I'm a cheapskate but it's the challenge, and learning what works. I don't drive around high stress like many around me, weaving lane to lane only to meet back up with them at the next red light.

Maybe like driving a 2wd all my life in regions that most wouldn't dream of anything but 4x4.

 

Yeah, I laugh at people that weave through traffic to get ahead, only to end up right next to me again- or better yet, when I pass them! And people that always have to go faster- no sense racing to a red light!

 

I don't take it out of gear unless I'm stopping..as in, a few feet before parking in my driveway.

Just bought an UltraGauge and I've picked up 1 to 1.5mpg with it. That will pay for itself in 3 months. No complaints here..plus I drive a lot for work and sometimes play so it helps, especially with a mortgage to pay too.

 

Hympermiling (or just being mpg conscious) is a matter of ounces and inches adding up. There is no one single thing that will help. If you coast a little and still step on it, don't read the lights, don't do what you can to not stop or use your brakes, don't cut weight and keep good fluids in your vehicle, etc etc etc the list can go on forever honestly. The more ounces and inches you add up the more savings you'll get but no one thing will ever just be "it" as far as saving gas goes.

 

True but I think one could say "it" would be your driving habits in my book. You can jackrabbit start and rev the crap out of an econobox and it will give piss poor mileage, or take it easy with a truck and get some benefit.

 

Ah, yet when I got my pickup and was modding it anyway I was 100% conscious of gas mileage and got all new plugs and wires, all synthetic fluids, opened up the intake and exhaust a wee bit with all new intake, nice header and most efficient exhaust and the greatest benefit I saw was not only making my tires nearly 4 inches taller than stock but also reducing unsprung weight significantly by perching the lightest possible weight wheels and tires. Now I have a lower effective gear ratio on the highway and have less rotational mass to push around town. Yes, my driving habits can make or break all of those mods and then some, which is why I got a vacuum gauge, but without lowering weight, lowering the Pickup instead of lifting it, and replacing all the old stuff with new and better, etc I would never have seen the gains I did.

My Pickup's EPA average is 18mpg, yet in the Summer in mixed driving weighted more toward highway and going 75, not 65, but 75, I can consistently get 24mpg on my way to my folks place. That's something like a 20-25% improvement over EPA, which most people never even reach, all without putting in my best effort to even slow down below the speed limit. So mods help, I don't care what anyone says haha, they can look at my gas log that I've kept for every tank since I got the truck including the tanks before I modded it where I was getting 15-17 in town mph if I drove nice.

 

It is illegal to coast in neutral in Canada??? That is strange.

That is of course only in a manual transmission. In an automatic transmission, in Drive, the DFCO operates a little differently.

 

Wow, you should donate your magical truck to science.

 

When people race to the red light, I think it gives them more time to text or talk on their cell phone, before the light turns green.
when people are waiting at red lights, their heads are always down.

 

The worst is when I'm checking my rear view mirror and someone is texting behind me. It's as if people drive without any care of what happens to me when they are driving. I'm pretty awesome and sucks that people forget that.

 

Haha doubt all you want. You should check out worthywads gas mileage. His claims are much better than my own.

Check out EcoModder and CleanMPG websites and see what some people are getting. My gas mileage is far lower than theirs because they take it more seriously. I'm not donating my truck to anyone. Haha I like it and I'm keeping it.

 

Yes, of course.

I can feel it kicking in when I'm just leaving the driveway and going downhill when the engine is cold and still on high idle.

First there's the normal engine braking when I let off the pedal, then about 2 seconds later the DFCO kicks in and there's more engine braking from the injectors shutting off.

I consider DFCO to be one of the most clever gas saving inventions, because gas mileage becomes infinite whenever you coast.

 

I enjoy hearing stories like yours. Sometimes people don't understand how much fun it is to play the conservation game.

 

There are always skeptics. Haha oh well. I'm still saving dough and having fun doin it.

Btw, my last tank was 14mpg because I was romping around in the snow in 4wd for a few days and making very short trips because screw the cold haha

Best if both worlds, 4x4 when I want to have fun and decent mpg when I want that challenge as well

 

Good point. I don't mess with the phone while I'm driving, so I didn't think of that.