Hello from France !
 

Hi !

I live in Toulouse, France.

I'm not actually an "ecomodder" as I'm not into modifying my cars.
However I am into hypermiling driving, so let's say I'm ecomodding my driving technique. :)

My rides :
- 2007 2.0L Mazda MX5 (6-speed manual). Average around 8.6L/100km (27 USmpg) (including a few track days), but these days, with warm weather and less traffic due to holidays I am around 7.5L/100 (31 USmpg)

- 2007 1.3L (87 hp) Toyota Yaris (5-speed manual). It's mainly driven by my girlfriend so I can't get good tank mpg. :D Our average for this car is 6.8L/100km (34 USmpg). These days I'm driving the car ; its computer tells me I'm doing 5.6L/100 which is probably close to a real 6L/100 (39 USmpg)

- 2004 0.7L Turbo Smart Roadster (6-speed robotised gearbox). Average 5.75L/100 (almost 41mpg), but my last tank was only 5.1L/100 ! (46mpg). I equipped this one with a Scangauge II.

Except in August when everybody is on vacation, I cannot do real good mpg because my commute is mainly stop and go trafic. But still, hypermiling techniques do improve mileage even in bad conditions ! :)

I have always been into smooth driving and anticipation, but I learned many things reading this forum. For instance, the pulse and glide (even though I don't switch engine off), and more widely the general idea that coasting in neutral is more efficient than in gear, even with fuel cut-off. So thank you ! :thumbup:

Last but not least, I'm in the process of buying a 2000 Honda Insight to replace the Smart ! :cool:
However, they are not available in France, and very rare and expensive in Germany ; so I had my brother who lives in UK buy one for me. Steering wheel on the wrong side, but this should not affect mileage. :p
So my brother is now driving a 2000 blue Insight, with only 80 000 miles but original battery.
Problem is, now that he is driving it, he does not want to give it to me anymore. :D
So I might get the Insight in a few months, I am not in a hurry, I like the Smart. :)

Welcome to the site. Nice little fleet you have there.

Bonjour, Toulouse! Bienvenue.

I agree - quite a fun collection of vehicles.

You are going to have a blast with the Insight -- and there are a few modifications you can make to improve its efficiency that are directly tied to driving (engine kill switch/"Forced Auto Stop" mod; clutch switch IMA-inhibit mod).

Keep us posted!

Welcome!!!!

pump up the psi to 40+!!!

Thanks !

My brother was afraid about being bored driving the Insight, and now he has so much fun he wants to keep it ! So I think it will be fun.

Concerning the mods, I won't do them, but my brother is really thinking about it, and he is much better at modifying cars than I am.
I read about the clutch switch, I know what an engine kill switch is, but what is the "forced auto stop" mod ?

Considering the engine kill switch, I'm worried about safety, mainly considering power brakes.

I already tried 35 on the Smart instead of 29 ; but for more, I'm still afraid about a loss of grip...
(I suppose that I'm thinking too much, for the kill switch and the tire pressure. :p )
But yes I should also put some extra pressure in the other cars too. :)

That's the beauty of the mod: it retains the safety/functionality of the factory "autostop" feature. It will automatically restart the engine if the brake vacuum becomes gets low. Power steering is retained also.

From this thread, today: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post442549

Cool ! Then it sounds really interesting.
Thanks, I'll try to convince my brother. ;)
I will dig into InsightCentral forum to find out how to perform this mod :)

If you find it please post it here! I looked around on InsightCentral but didn't immediately see it and gave up . . . .

News with the Smart :

According to Scangauge I'm currently on a 4.5L/100km tank ! (52 US mpg) :)
First tanks were around 5.8L/100km (40mpg), last one was 5.0L (47mpg)
Changes between those tanks :
- warmer weather :cool: (but not much, this summer is really bad in France ; maybe 10°C more today than in April when I bought the car)
- new oil & oil filter (5W30);
- new air filter (old one was really dirty !);
- tire pressure from 2bars to 2.2 then 2.4bars (29 to 32 and 35 psi);
- smoother driving, slower acceleration, lower rpm gearchange :snail:;
and probably the most important:
- "summer traffic", MUCH less traffic during July and August compared to rest of the year.

I didn't measure every improvement separately ; I will see in September if I go back to 5.8L/100 with traffic jams... :(

The really smooth accelerations and low-rpm gearchange do not seem to make that much difference, according to Scangauge : last week I had one commute when I was in a hurry, and had something to hold in hand (I know, it's bad :o ), so I push a little harder and used the "auto" gearbox mode, which shifts around 3500rpm. Still did 4.2L/100km (56mpg) on that commute !

The new oil & filters did not change my highway fuel economy either : 5.9L/100 (40mpg) on 80% highway tanks, both before and after the oil and filter changes.
The car has short gears (its half sports car/half city car, definitely not a highway car) and quite bad aerodynamics, despite very small front area. Plus, I'm driving at 130km/h (81mph) (I know, this is bad also :o)...

I have the "roadster" version (blue one on the picture below) ; the "roadster coupé" (grey one) has a better shape, basically it has a factory kammback added. :) .
According to Wikipedia, Cd value is 0.41 for the Roadster, and 0.38 for the Roadster Coupé !

EDIT: I found the CdA also !
6.41 sq ft = 0.596 m2 for the Roadster Coupé;
6.94 sq ft = 0.645 m2 for the Roadster.

http://bestartcarz.com/data_images/g...r-coupe-11.jpg

What is the factory-specified oil, 5W30 or 5W20? If possible, use the lightest weight oil that does not cause "smoking" from exhaust pipe...and, preferrably, 100%-synthetic oil.