I'm freaking sick of this ish

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

People want to have their cake and eat it too. This is typical human behavior and is quite frustrating to the rationally-minded. I've often said that intelligence is a curse...

I get pretty good MPGs and don't drive at all like a grandma. I'm usually the fastest one off a line, in the fast lane on the highway, and arrive at my destination just about as fast as one could reasonably go. The only difference between my driving and any other person is that I anticipate traffic, look ahead at lights, memorize patterns, and do as much engine-on coasting as possible. Ok, that and a tiny bit of PnG. Oh, and I take corners at much higher speeds than most people.

I could surely get better MPGs, but I really don't want to sacrifice significant time to obtain it.

Some day you'll become serious. Where tire & brake life mean as much as sheer mpg. CPM calculations. It's all part of economy. As is keeping the vehicle the longest possible time period. The American fleet takes 17-years to turn over. How many model years left on yours to achieve that number?

I think there's the same problem in defining "reasonable" and "significant" as with the average American.

.

[Nevyn]

ARGH! It's EAT your cake and HAVE it too! If you have cake, you can eat it as well. However, if you eat it, you can't have it at the same time.

What happened that practically the whole entire world says it backwards?

[Frank Lee]

^Like "back and forth"... you have to go forth before you can go back

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Some day you'll become serious. Where tire & brake life mean as much as sheer mpg. CPM calculations. It's all part of economy. As is keeping the vehicle the longest possible time period. The American fleet takes 17-years to turn over. How many model years left on yours to achieve that number?

I think there's the same problem in defining "reasonable" and "significant" as with the average American.

Surely economic change will modify my behavior, but at present conditions I am not compelled to become more "serious". From an economic standpoint, I'm better off driving 70mph than 65mph. My time is simply worth more than the fuel, wear, etc cost. I believe my faster cornering will save more fuel than it will cost in tire wear, but I have no evidence to support this.

If I can save just 1min on a 1-way commute, I will have saved 8hrs of driving over the course of a year. Each minute more you save is an additional 8hrs of time regained. The typical American spends over 100hrs/year just driving to and from work! Source

To answer your question, I have 12 years left on my car, and I'm confident it will last that long without major issues. I had a 1996 Legacy until last year with 230,000 miles and only replaced the clutch, brakes, and spark plugs, and oil.

Originally Posted by Nevyn

ARGH! It's EAT your cake and HAVE it too! If you have cake, you can eat it as well. However, if you eat it, you can't have it at the same time.

What happened that practically the whole entire world says it backwards?

Thanks for catching this. I normally don't say it that way, but the whole entire world has brainwashed me into saying it wrong. Kind of like how I say "subliminable" now instead of "subliminal" due to the non-stop media coverage of the Bush-ism.

[larrybuck]

It's a little how you perceive your income level, and what you choose to spend your time on.
For me, I look at the above post, and I'm thinking of the $ that could have been saved if you had been gentler: no clutch, or brake replacement.

I don't ever dominate conversations; I'm far from a type A personality. I propose a driver's side quarter window sticker similar to what new cars have, but with the predominate mpg info as suggested on the earlier page here. Go BIG! Put on the sticker what your typical commute mpg. is, then also put a 12,000 per yr. $ figure w the current fuel price. Then put the same stats for 10, and 20 mpg. less than what YOU do! The $ difference will shake them up.


Most people are sheep, and never want to do anything Different, until they perceive for themselves, that it's better!

The sticker is self explanatory, and you can save your breath; let them come to you one by one. That would probably be more in their comfort level.


I like the post where he shares how the savings pays for his show car! Good job!


I might be tempted to share w someone, that a whole vacation trip was paid for w fuel savings; that's about it.


My only other temptation might be to say that we're not in the old Junior High peer pressure scene; we've outgrown that , and have come off the merry-go-round of continuely buying cars that depreciate, and that the veh. turnover rate is way too high.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by larrybuck

It's a little how you perceive your income level, and what you choose to spend your time on.
For me, I look at the above post, and I'm thinking of the $ that could have been saved if you had been gentler: no clutch, or brake replacement...

I propose a driver's side quarter window sticker similar to what new cars have, but with the predominate mpg info as suggested on the earlier page here.

I still coast a heck of a lot, and generally my speed has bled down before I hit the brakes. I go fast, but not to a stoplight, congested roads, etc. Really, I only go fast when I know nothing will be slowing me down any time soon. I'm positive I wear my brakes at a much slower rate than average. Nearly all TSX owners complain of prematurely worn brakes, but I don't experience this.

Really like the idea of posting a sticker that brags about MPG. This is something to be proud of and encourage others about.

Ultimately though, economic forces will drive conservation and not enlightenment.

[Gasoline Fumes]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

If I can save just 1min on a 1-way commute, I will have saved 8hrs of driving over the course of a year. Each minute more you save is an additional 8hrs of time regained.

But does that time really add up? Do you get to use that extra 8 hours at the end of the year?

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Gasoline Fumes

But does that time really add up? Do you get to use that extra 8 hours at the end of the year?

Of course not, but time is valuable no matter when it is cashed in. How many would stay a measly 6 minutes longer at work each day without pay?

[slowmover]

Of course not, but time is valuable no matter when it is cashed in. How many would stay a measly 6 minutes longer at work each day without pay?


Never had a job where that would figure in. Whether 6, 10 or 30-minutes, I might hang around if the traffic would ease some. Go have a beer, what-not. Same with arriving 15-minutes or more early if that meant an easier drive on the way in.

Same, again, as hauling tail on a cross-country. Very few stretches there are of several hundred miles without a slowdown along the way. It's hard to maintain 65 or 70. So running at 58 allows me to not ever come off the CC for the inevitable 55-mph zone (where somewhat prudent). I've tried arguing this on other boards, and as best I can tell the value of the purported time-savings is spent with the channel changer.

I'll not deny it's hard to change childish habits (we learned to drive as children), but it pays cash money. One little bit at a time, with comfortable changes does the average mph and the average mpg creep upwards together.

My time is valuable. And I'll not throw it away any more by acquiring unnecessary non-deductible, non-reimbursed expenses. As principle. This summer, due to the heat and short miles, I allowed my mpg to decline as the idle time for A/C use rose. Now that's over with, time to acquire a new skill level via a BSFC map and different shift/cruise rpms.

Income level is irrelevant to this.

.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by slowmover

...I'll not deny it's hard to change childish habits (we learned to drive as children), but it pays cash money. One little bit at a time, with comfortable changes does the average mph and the average mpg creep upwards together....

I agree entirely with your post.

I travel 150 miles roundtrip on the interstate about once per week. The speed limit is 65, and I do 70. At this speed I am not passing everyone, or overtaking the fast lane traffic ahead. It seems to be just the right pace to get to the destination as quickly as possible while avoiding traffic citations and needless maneuvering in traffic.

When I make this trip in my diesel truck, I'll slow it down to 60 since the aero and tranny are not optimized for traveling faster.