The Cost of Speed

[roosterk0031]

My oldest has the Stratus at college, she described front brake pad were gone so I bought a new set and left work early to go replace in parking lot and then go home.

Trip up from work is 4 lane 70 mph, about 60 miles, running about E40 in the Cobalt 29.3 mpg going up. Windy but mostly cross wind in a twitchy cobalt xfe(suspect 0 toe in). Replace pads, never seen rotor's so thin, car's a month from going to the salvage yard.

Way home all 90 miles w/55 mph and towns and stop signs. 40.3, little neutral coasting where worth it.

40 home seems normal especially with E40, the 29 up surprized me, didn't expect it that bad.

Don't know if much elevation change, but I'm in Iowa so couldn't be more than 100'

[mcrews]

I want to think that my experience the the 02 Q45s was similar dropped about 25% mpg by driving over 70 on freeway

[ksa8907]

Faster speeds kill mpg two ways, higher drag and higher engine speeds.

[TexasCotton]

Question
after you reach 57-59mph speed on interstates is anything over 61mph not good..........?

[doviatt]

Technically, anything over ~35 is where drag kills (exponentially).

[KrautBurner]

yeah, little cars are not happy at high speeds

but a torqy v8 with the right gears will love highway speeds

when my GTO was stock (400hp)
she would get about 26mpg going 60
and about 31-32 mpg at 70-75

[P-hack]

Originally Posted by KrautBurner

yeah, little cars are not happy at high speeds

but a torqy v8 with the right gears will love highway speeds

Lol, nope. The small cars designed for the hiway will be the most efficient, period. You have wishful thinking.