Driving smart can go long way.

[arvinsamra]

hello everyone,

I have a Chevy Cavalier 2000 auto with no mods with what so every.
I regularly get 32-34( rated 21 city, 29 highway) miles per gallon on 25% city, 75% highway (approximately), which is not bad for cavalier.

This week I decided to drive little more sensible and effect was significant. I had 570 km on 36 liters of gas (37.23 mpg). I was driving on small highway where speed limit is 80km but I was driving around 95km most of the time. I don't believe that slowing down the traffic behind you is a fair game. Going with the flow is safe and considerate to other people on road.

I don't do pulse and glide or any other thing. It is simple cruise when every possible.
List of this I did differently.

1. Letting off the gas or breaking the cruise when approaching small towns so I don't have to use brakes to slow down to 60 km zone.

2. Breaking the cruise on uphills. ( My route takes me through numerous small uphills where car will downshift if i don't break cruse). My speed will drop to about 80 km when i reach the top without down shifting.

3. If anticipating red light and break the cruise well before the red light so either it will turn green or I only have to brake when i am going maybe 30 to 40 km instead of 80 to 90 km.

I accelerated slight slower than traffic but nothing too painful for other traffic.

The point I want to make is that one biggest thing we can do to improve fuel mileage is to drive sensible.

[euromodder]

Welcome to ecomodder.

Driving smart(er) is what we call adjusting the nut behind the wheel around here

It sure goes a very long way.


More tips to drive smart(er) / more economical are at :
100+ Hypermiling / ecodriving tips & tactics for better mpg - EcoModder.com

Originally Posted by arvinsamra

I was driving on small highway where speed limit is 80km but I was driving around 95km most of the time.

I don't believe that slowing down the traffic behind you is a fair game.

Neither is it fair game for drivers to expect anyone else to drive beyond the posted speed limit.
If they want to drive faster than allowed, they should pass.

Find the most economical speed for your vehicle - for mine, 85 kph is a good deal better than 95.

List of this I did differently.

Seems like you made a good start.

You've already picked up some 10% or more compared to your usual driving.

[Fat Charlie]

Welcome, arvinsamra. You've got hypermiling nailed- the real results don't come from fancy techniques, they come from just not being deliberately wasteful- which brings us to the posted speed limit. Your fellow travelers want to do 60 in a 50. Unless you have long, uninterrupted stretches of this small highway they're not going to get where they're going any faster by adding 10 mph, but you're really going to notice the amount of extra gas you're burning to accomodate them.

There are ways to go more slowly without obstructing traffic. Think about being stuck behind someone, and think about what you wish he'd to to make it easier for you to pass- then do those things yourself.

[roosterk0031]

I frankly don't care about speeders, I'm not going to let them push me faster than the PSL. I won't go much under unless there are plenty of places for passing and traffic is light.

All of my gains are from adjusting the nut, only mods to all my cars are higher PSI, and the stratus self deleted PS & AC.

[arvinsamra]

I am keeping track of how much I am saving on each fill-up and it is kind of encouraging. I know driving 80 km/h is better than 90 km/h. I think it will take me some time. :-). I am actually enjoying it.

[Mustang Dave]

One man's dedication, discipline, and attention to detail are another man's tediosity.