Fuel Consumption Economics...???

[ShadeTreeMech]

Originally Posted by redyaris

The questions that need to be answered is what are the costs of wasteful cars and driving in terms of
cost/distance [at various speeds]
cost of accidents due to speed/average speed
cost of speeding tickets/driver
cost of maintenance/average speed
cost of insurance due to speeding tickets/diver...

My friend, we could post a thousand posts, and come to no better conclusion than this: cars are costly to drive, enviromentally unsound, and if God wanted us to go anywhere on wheels, he'd have outfitted us with roller skates on our feet. It is simply our desire, or need, to go x distance in x timeframe that creates the need for cars.

This forum is dedicated to making the best of a necessary evil.

[ShadeTreeMech]

(mind you, I have an unnatural lust for the sound of a rumbling v8 or a purring and growling v6, so I don't mind my vice being a love for the car.)

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I think you missed the point I was trying to make, which is that it's not rational to do either speed or fuel economy mods for economic reasons. You do it as a form of recreation, for the fun and for the challenge.

Like I mentioned before, that depends on the driver and change in mileage. For some people it may not be worthwhile economically, but for others it is. It depends on the situation. If I'm making $30/hour it's probably not worthwhile to spend more time driving in my Prius and only save a few bucks per hour unless I like driving way more than I like working. If I'm making minimum wage otoh, it's probably economically sound to slow down in my sedan that gets ~20mpg even if I like working more than I like driving. If you're unemployed, shoot, even a few bucks an hour makes a difference.

[redyaris]

Does anyone know the number and value of speeding tickets handed out per state or province or country?

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by redyaris

Does anyone know the number and value of speeding tickets handed out per state or province or country?

I don't think anybody knows that answer. It's big money and some city will hide the info so they don't have to share with the sate.

Just because you are trying to get good FE does not mean you are immune to speeding tickets. There are several example where driving for FE you could get a ticket.

A downhill glide.

The posted speed limits are not set up for good FE if driving an automatics. If the posted limit is 30 MPH or 35 MPH and you were trying for FE in an auto, to keep the lowest rpms, you would be around 42 mph. Even though you would still be the slowest one on the road they could still pull you over.

I've gotten a warning on my bicycle before 38 in a 30.

here's some good links.

National Motorists Association Website

How Much Does a Speeding Ticket Cost? State by State Analysis

[gone-ot]

...then, there's also these points:

1) consistency of improvements vs. happen-stance "highs"
2) consciencous awareness of "benefits vs. detriments" to mpg.
3) willingness to "backoff" and "coast" where you'd never had done so before
4) willingness to "slow down" and "catch" the lights rather than speed up and "race" them.

[redyaris]

Does any one know of a study of the cost of maitainance with repect to average speed?

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by redyaris

Does any one know of a study of the cost of maitainance with repect to average speed?

Not to average speed but the IRS figures .50 cents a mile.

[redyaris]

Although we may never get to a perfect understanding of the economics of ecomodding and fuel efficiancy we can improve on our present understanding. That is why I am asking these basic questions. What I am hopeing for is that we can say with better than 80% certintey that drive at average speed X the variouse costs are A, B, C, D,... and so on. As I have said before I suspect that the savings in fuel costs may be amung the lowest cost savings from Eco-driving and modding. So If you have some good information on the costs of driving faster or slower Please post it here.

[busypaws]

Instead of looking at the grand-unified-theory of hypermilling/ecomodding how about looking at each individual mod and trying to estimate it's economics. I'll start with EOC into lights vs. wear/tear on starter.

Average vehicle drives 350 days a year to/from work and weekends. So 700 starter motor events. Because sometimes you stop at the bank/grocery store lets say 1000.
I've had starter motors go out at 15 years up to never so say 20,000 is the average life of starter motor.
So my commute I have 4-6 lights that are long cycle so on average commute I may EOC and restart 3 more times. 6 times a day 250 commuting days a year = 1500 extra starts a year. So my starter is used 1000 normal starts + 1500 extra starts expected life = 8 years. So in a 20 year life expectancy of a car I have to replace starter motor twice at 200 dollars a pop = 400.

Now I would not EOC into a light unless I know I'm going to be there more then 10 seconds. Sometimes 15secs sometime 1 min. Lets say average not idling is 30 seconds.
So 6 times a day at 30 seconds a day at 250 commuting days a year = 750 minutes a year. My GPH at idle is 0.2 so I save in a year 2.5 gallons or $7.50.

Not nearly enough to buy/rebuild a starter every 8 years just based on gasoline costs.

But I still do it. It is not rational. We are not rational people. There has to be some other factors that can't be measured or quantified at play to get me to make this completely irrational decision.

Sure you could argue that one or more of the above assumptions is off. But you would have to really work the numbers to get to a point where EOC'ing into a traffic light is ever going to save enough gas to buy a starter motor. It would be more then doubling GPH or doubling wait times or 50 dollars for rebuild starter motors. (Invite all the engineers to check my math on there own time)