Hypermiling tech that damages car parts

[user removed]

I usually lose tailgaters on the cloverleafs. They climb up my arse as I coast then slam on their brakes when they realize they can't make the turn at the speed they are travelling, unless they are in a good cornering car, which is rare.

I have driven some of my cars much faster around cloverleafs. The 59 Vette would do 70 around a standard interstate cloverleaf, but I was young, crazy and invincible as well as stupid.

regards
Mech

[Cobb]

The only time my cars performance shines is the lack of trips to the gas station and passing people on ramps, merge and acceleration lanes. Once the road straightens out, I dont go any faster.

Ill never forget the day some rat rod or as I like to think of it as a Goldberg device to burn gas was playing with me. I was lucky enough the road had enough twists and turns that every time he started to catch up to me he had to slow down as his bucket of crap cant take corners or turns.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

I usually lose tailgaters on the cloverleafs. They climb up my arse as I coast then slam on their brakes when they realize they can't make the turn at the speed they are travelling, unless they are in a good cornering car, which is rare.

I get the opposite problem. Actual cloverleafs are rare hereabouts, but there's one I go through every now & then. It's not even a real cloverleaf, just a gentle 90-degree ramp from eastbound to southbound, which just about any car should be able to take at highway speeds. Instead, there's an almost permanent tailback there, and a high number of rear-end accidents, because some people just have to slam on their brakes halfway through.

[theaveng]

My Civic Hybrid cost $8500, so it will take a loooong time to recoup the gasoline savings (versus a cheap $2000-3000 car).

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Going to neutral and back does not wear the clutch, at all.

Well it does in my car...... the engine is idling and the wheels are freewheeling at 40, 50, or 60 miles an hour. (coasting) Reengaging the gear again causes clutch wear due to differing RPMs.

[Frank Lee]

Rev-matching FTW.

[theaveng]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

1. Uhh, I have never heard of anyone on this site claim they have had to replace their ignition due to turning off their car.

Wayne Gerdes..... don't know if he's on this site but I do know he wore-out the ignition (the key switch) in his Accord with repeated forced autostop.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by theaveng

Well it does in my car...... the engine is idling and the wheels are freewheeling at 40, 50, or 60 miles an hour. (coasting) Reengaging the gear again causes clutch wear due to differing RPMs.

Improve your technique, and match the revs by careful throttle application.

If you do it right, the car won't slow down, nor lurch ahead, and the extra wear will be utterly minimal.


Many folks on here have an ignition kill switch so they don't have to key-off the engine, nor do they have to key it back on (which is done by bump starting in a high or even highest gear).

[theaveng]

Originally Posted by mcrews

all the Q45/M45 owners complained about the "warped rotors"!!! I kept telling them to slow down!!! only put on one set in 270k miles.

I doubt heat was the reason..... more likely dealer dishonesty. On my Honda Insight the dealer said the rotors were warped & yet I barely use the brakes (it has an electric motor to slow the car). I told the dealer just replace the pads and leave the rotors alone.

The car still works just fine & an expensive repair was avoided. Your Q45/M45 owners probably could have avoided the repair too, as I doubt anything was wrong with their rotors.

Aside:
The dealer also tried to say my rotors were "too thin" so I asked him to measure. "0.23 too thin". I asked what the tech manual says. "0.20 minimum." I told him to follow the book and leave the rotors alone.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by theaveng

...the engine is idling and the wheels are freewheeling at 40, 50, or 60 miles an hour. (coasting) Reengaging the gear again causes clutch wear due to differing RPMs.

To be fair, that's not hypermiling you're describing. That's poor operation of a manual transmission. Hypermiling is very precise and practiced operation that's not any more harmful that ordinary careful driving if you do it correctly.

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Rev-matching FTW.

+1 ... The Revd. Frank Lee says it all in six words or less.

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by theaveng

I doubt heat was the reason..... more likely dealer dishonesty. On my Honda Insight the dealer said the rotors were warped & yet I barely use the brakes (it has an electric motor to slow the car). I told the dealer just replace the pads and leave the rotors alone.

The car still works just fine & an expensive repair was avoided. Your Q45/M45 owners probably could have avoided the repair too, as I doubt anything was wrong alone.

You are assuming that Infiniti dealers are dishonest. My experience as a moderator on an Infiniti enthusiast site is that is a false assumption.
Also, you'd know if you had wrapped rotors.
Very easy to show on a lath. Also very easy to see after new pads are installed and used a few times.
Q45s have 340hp and 0-60 in under 6 seconds. Heat was a REAL issue.