Mythbusters Episode Fuel Saving Tips Jun 12 @ 9EST

[101Volts]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Positive or negative impact on the environment?

Besides environmental concerns, there are financial ones as well, among many others.

Taxing would be the word. And I wasn't taking other factors into account at the time.

Originally Posted by Xist

You would be leaving a swath of junked cars and replaced parts.

True. I imagine it would be less environmentally taxing to salvage such parts off cars which would otherwise be crushed, Though; Lots of cars with good parts go through crushers and shredders often. But here I am going on and on and one can hear both sides of the argument; The overall point is if you can do the same thing on/with less, Great.

[toc]

But that's sort of what the show is about.
Taking a myth / concept, and testing it.

It's a great show, but they do drop the ball at times. This was one of them.

There's some really good information amongst those episodes, even the explosive myths are tested in a logical, methodical manner.
There's some good Duct Tape ones too.

But fuel economy, just isn't their forte.

[Fat Charlie]

The real problem with that show is that they're more concerned with what hats to wear than with science.

[PaleMelanesian]

I'll say again, I think they did a decent job. The biggest failure was having 200% as their confirmed/busted target. Getting 40% and 70% improvements with untrained hypermilers is excellent. Their comments were positive. They saw that it works, and communicated that fact. They just set up an unrealistic target and had to "bust" it because of that. Anyone who watched the whole show would see that it works.

[tjts1]

Mythbursters did a great job as always. They really focus on the science.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

I'll say again, I think they did a decent job. The biggest failure was having 200% as their confirmed/busted target. Getting 40% and 70% improvements with untrained hypermilers is excellent. Their comments were positive. They saw that it works, and communicated that fact. They just set up an unrealistic target and had to "bust" it because of that. Anyone who watched the whole show would see that it works.

I wonder where the myth came from that one could gain 200%.

Originally Posted by tjts1

Mythbursters did a great job as always. They really focus on the science.

I disagree with always. Sometimes, yes, but others, I want to scream at Netflix for their ridiculousness. I stopped watching it a while ago, but many many episodes are just whack-a-doo with their method or baseline ideas. I have never heard such a ridiculous claim as 200%, most people don't believe 25-50% improvement is possible, let alone that.

[ciderbarrel]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

I can't believe there are people out there than think they can modify their vehicle & driving habits to double their mileage. How absurd! Next thing you know, there will be some wacko out there claiming he can get >40 mpg, using only legal, safe, methods, out of a fuel-guzzling 3+ ton 15 mpg truck. How laughable!

Fixed that for ya. They said they wouldn't do anything illegal or unsafe like EOC.

[ciderbarrel]

Originally Posted by Xist

Honestly, I think that is a myth that they need to bust, then we can ask "If that did not work, why would it work with hypermiling?

Yeah, they forgot part 2 of all their experiments. If they can not replicate the myth (by getting a 100% improvement in MPG) then they work on trying to replicate the results (by actually further modifying the car to get 100%+ improvement).

Switching to standard transmission car would be a step in the right direction.

[Xist]

Well, they could have taken two all-but identical cars, except one is a hybrid, and hypermile that one, since it does EOC for you.

Would they have done a better job of Aeromodding than Stuntbusters? I remember their discussion on the motorcycle versus car show, and their raindrop fairing.