Hypermiling Vehicle Durability

[amartin]

Hello there. I'm relatively new to the forums and am basically just starting to hyper mile. I drive an automatic 2006 vw jetta and have seen a 10% increase in fuel economy so far. My question is for those that have been hyper miling, is there a significant difference in how long (mileage wise) your car lasts versus those driving a traditional style?

Thanks for your help and input.

[Flakbadger]

Well first off, welcome to the forums.

Secondly, the difference in your vehicle's longevity depends on what you're doing to hypermile. If you are constantly engine-off coasting and bump-starting, you can expect your plugs to get blackened and need cleaned a bit more often, and for your battery contacts to wear out quicker.
Since you don't drive a manual, that's not a concern (but I figured it should be said anyway).

With an automatic you'll need to check your owner's manual to see if you can "flat tow" your vehicle. If so, you can safely coast in neutral. If not, you will need to keep very light gas pedal pressure to avoid the car decelerating while coasting in gear.

Do you have any instrumentation? A Scangauge or Ultragauge is going to help you immensely.

Finally, you will find you spend a lot less money on brakes and fuel. The lifespan of your brake pads and your gas tanks will be stretched out far beyond the norm.
Oh wait, those aren't cons!

~Matt

[radioranger]

the more you coast , the less fuel, the less wear and tear on everything ,two worries , you hate to use your brakes on downhill runs, so you might speed a bit , and other drivers may tailgate you expecting to bully you along a bit faster, best thing there is to let them pass and enjoy the draft as it pulls you along for a bit , read the you might be an ecomodder comments funny and mostly true. I've also had police tail me since i go slower than the speed limit on the highway , they might think your impaired, had it happen !! probably not alone , but generally the less fuel you burn the longer your car will run.