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Old 03-06-2014, 02:45 AM   #12 (permalink)
niky
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Most heavier cars have more frontal area... and in the case of trucks, worse aero.

If it has the same body, a heavier car should gain momentum more slowly from rolling downhill than a lighter one, but should be able to hit a higher terminal speed (if the terminal speed is drag-limited) and will keep that momentum longer when the road levels out.

I suppose this is the same as EOC... many modders claim that heavier cars are easier to EOC than lighter cars. In my case, I've found small, light cars terrible for neutral coasting... the Yaris sedan I'm driving now (1.1tons) is much easier to coast than the Mirage was (and the Mirage had lower rolling resistance tires and better aero) and the Mirage was easier than the Suzuki Alto or Hyundai Eon... though the Alto has brick-like aero...

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RE: Cars, I typically leave them in gear on downhill grade in mountainous areas here, simply because the roads are relatively steep and are covered in switchbacks and traffic. No sense in building up an 80 mph coast if you've got to burn up the brakes slowing down for a sharp 180 degree turn at the bottom of that particular run. On the highway, where the slopes are gentle, gear out. Definitely gear out.
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