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macintologist · Sep 2, 2005, 08:27 PM

We all need to buy less gas to help with possible shortages.

Some things you can do:

1) If you're buying a car soon don't buy a ****ing SUV. Buy a Prius, or other gas-electric hybrid vehicle.

2) If you drive a pickup truck and aren't carrying a load, lower your hatch. For all vehicles, keep your windows closed since open windows create drag. These help with aerodynamics.

3) Don't accelerate to a red light. If you see a red light up ahead just let go and coast as much as you can.

4) Build up a lot of speed before going up a hill. The inertia helps.

5) In general use inertia wisely and don't accelerate where it is unnecessary. So maybe instead of taking 15 minutes to drive somewhere it will take 20 minutes. Big deal.

A couple of these points may seem miniscule, but we accelerate and stop hundreds of times every month. A few changes in your driving habits can really add up.

And one more thing, if you ride alone you ride with Bin Laden

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Sep 2, 2005, 08:41 PM

How about car pooling and public transportation?

Or buy an electric bike/scooter.

Millennium · Sep 2, 2005, 08:47 PM

That's practical for some -perhaps many- but not everyone can do that.

I'm actually starting the transit thing soon. The place we're moving to has a complimentary shuttle to the nearby Metro station, where it just so happens that my employer has a shuttle to the campus for $1 round-trip. So, shorter commute time-wise, I don't have to do the driving, $5/week versus one tank of gas that's rapidly approaching $50 a pop?

Behold the power of cheese...

jasonsRX7 · 09:19 PM

Keep junk out of your car (lower the weight) and go easy on the gas from a stop.

Use cruise control. I don't know why more people don't use their cruise, it makes a huge difference if you're one of those people that can't keep a constant speed with your foot. My car has a gauge that shows your current mpg and it fluctuates a lot more than you'd think when keeping your foot on it.

Lowering your tailgate in a truck has been proven over and over by people who race trucks to actually create more drag, and increase 1/4 mile times. I'm sure there's supporting evidence that says the opposite in some situations, but plenty of Lightning owners will tell you that they get better times with the gate up. Lightweight tonneau covers actually can help.

http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/tailgate.html

http://truck-bed-covers.com/Tonneau_..._save_fuel.htm

and the best one
http://www.motor.com/MAGAZINE/Articles/052004_06.html

macintologist · Sep 2, 2005, 09:19 PM

I think a good invention would be some kind of gismo that tells you exactly how much you are spending RIGHT NOW while you're on the road just from driving and gas costs. That should make people think twice when they get in the car. Am I running an errand that is absolutely necessary?

The Godfather · Sep 2, 2005, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by macintologist

I think a good invention would be some kind of gismo that tells you exactly how much you are spending RIGHT NOW while you're on the road just from driving and gas costs. That should make people think twice when they get in the car. Am I running an errand that is absolutely necessary?

Lexus cars come with that.

chabig · Sep 2, 2005, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by macintologist

Don't accelerate to a red light. If you see a red light up ahead just let go and coast as much as you can.

You're right of course, but I so love watching the less intelligent spend gas money to accelerate to the red light, then spend more money on brake wear when they get there.

tooki · Sep 2, 2005, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by macintologist

2) If you drive a pickup truck and aren't carrying a load, lower your hatch.

Wrong. Apparently, keeping the tailgate up forms a "bubble" of air that actually improves aerodynamics. Lowering the tailgate destroys this advantage.

See http://ask.yahoo.com/20050427.html

tooki

baw · Sep 2, 2005, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by tooki

Wrong. Apparently, keeping the tailgate up forms a "bubble" of air that actually improves aerodynamics. Lowering the tailgate destroys this advantage.

See http://ask.yahoo.com/20050427.html

tooki

I've driven my truck with the gate down and up. Never made a difference in gas mileage for me.

Millennium · Sep 2, 2005, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by The Godfather

Lexus cars come with that.

Do they? At least in theory, such a device would be relatively easy to build. We already have in-car computers which can track gas mileage almost in realtime. If you have this, the amount of fuel being consumed, and the price of gas, the rest is very simple math.

The real trick would be in keeping track of the price of gas. I assume you would use not the absolute current gas price, but whatever the price of gas was when the driver last filled the tank. After all, the gas has been bought. so the money is already spent. What you really want to track is how much of that money goes into any given trip. This said, how do you get that price into the device? You could have gas stations transmit their current prices over some wireless protocol and have the device pick up on that, but just try getting the gas stations to cooperate with that scheme. Would you prefer to have the user enter it manually: easiest of all to implement, but hardest to use? My point is that the idea sounds easy, but it's not as simple as you might think.

The Godfather · Sep 2, 2005, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by Millennium

Do they? At least in theory, such a device would be relatively easy to build. We already have in-car computers which can track gas mileage almost in realtime. If you have this, the amount of fuel being consumed, and the price of gas, the rest is very simple math.

The real trick would be in keeping track of the price of gas. I assume you would use not the absolute current gas price, but whatever the price of gas was when the driver last filled the tank. After all, the gas has been bought. so the money is already spent. What you really want to track is how much of that money goes into any given trip. This said, how do you get that price into the device? You could have gas stations transmit their current prices over some wireless protocol and have the device pick up on that, but just try getting the gas stations to cooperate with that scheme. Would you prefer to have the user enter it manually: easiest of all to implement, but hardest to use? My point is that the idea sounds easy, but it's not as simple as you might think.

That'd be a dream come true for the people behind http://www.gaspricewatch.com (it powers the Gas Price Widget). In my area, all gas station prices are 4 days old or older

If you find a solution to this, please do tell us.

MacMan4000 · Sep 2, 2005, 11:16 PM

hmmm...
*does some quick math*
it looks like with my gas mileage and the current price of $3.09 per gallon it costs me approximately 21 cents per mile.

budster101 · Sep 2, 2005, 11:20 PM

Turn your air conditioning off and open your windows. You will save a great deal more gas, and don't tell me about turbulence. Mythbusters did a show on it and the computer said that the drag with the windows open would be worse than closed and air on. Guess what? In the reat test, the air conditioned truck died out 30 minutes before the truck with the windows down and air off.

You'll save gas.

jasonsRX7 · Sep 2, 2005, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by budster101

Turn your air conditioning off and open your windows. You will save a great deal more gas, and don't tell me about turbulence. Mythbusters did a show on it and the computer said that the drag with the windows open would be worse than closed and air on. Guess what? In the reat test, the air conditioned truck died out 30 minutes before the truck with the windows down and air off.

You'll save gas.

Mythbusters test was extremely flawed because they used two different vehicles (of the same model) and because they used Expeditions which already get very low gas mileage so there's less impact versus a car which is more fuel efficient.

It would have been much easier and accurate if they had simply gotten a Ford diagnostic kit and plugged it in while they were driving around. It would have told them their instant and average MPG.

budster101 · Sep 2, 2005, 11:30 PM

Actually they used a diagnostic computer and it was WRONG. Real world results speak louder than some computer... They used the same make and model, give me a break.

jasonsRX7 · Sep 2, 2005, 11:34 PM

Real world results are fine, but they should have used one vehicle, and it shouldn't have been an Expedition. It should have been a vehicle that had more of an impact of additional drag.

Why was the computer wrong, I don't remember.

budster101 · Sep 2, 2005, 11:38 PM

? ? ?

Ford Explorers are not aerodynamic. I think they did a great job and I'm convinced that A/C puts too much of a load on the engine and mileage.

I'm not sure why the computer gave the drag solution the thumbs down. It suprised me too.

zerostar · Sep 2, 2005, 11:39 PM

Make sure your tire pressure is correct you can loose a lot of psi in just a month, check it every few weeks.

jasonsRX7 · Sep 2, 2005, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by budster101

Ford Explorers are not aerodynamic.

Exactly. They're already bogged down by wind drag. They could have really shown a greater range by picking something more aerodynamic than a refrigerator, and rolled the windows down on it instead.

A/C does add an additional load, but I'm not convinced the savings at the end of your trip would be worth all the effort put into evaluating and worrying over it. In the real world, that is.

zerostar · 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by budster101

Ford Explorers are not aerodynamic. I think they did a great job and I'm convinced that A/C puts too much of a load on the engine and mileage.

I have done my own tests (as you guys may know I drive 192 miles a day to work). I drive a G35 Coupe and with windows down in the winter I get almost 22mpg with the windows up and the A/C on a little I get 24mpg

In the hot summer (South Florida) I get 19 with windows down and 22 with windows up.

That is my little test over the past year averaging about 85mph on the turnpike.

budster101 · Sep 2, 2005, 11:55 PM

huh. I'm confused now.

macaddict0001 · Sep 3, 2005, 12:04 AM

At a certain speed it is better with the windows down but once your going over about 50 kilometers per hour its more efficient to use ac.

jasonsRX7 · Sep 3, 2005, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by budster101

huh. I'm confused now.

Using an Expedition to test the effects of wind drag on fuel economy is like trying to test the effects of sleep depravation on a narcoleptic.

budster101 · Sep 3, 2005, 12:09 AM

funny...

max5 · Sep 3, 2005, 12:22 AM

close your windows if ur going over 40 mph... the air goes into the cabin therefore causing a lag to the engine...

JohnM15141 · Sep 3, 2005, 12:32 AM

I can definitively put this Myth to rest...I have the ultimate test vehicle, a Honda Insight! It's an extremely aerodynamic vehicle and gets very high gas mileage. I have AC installed. I get better gas mileage with the windows up and the AC on then I do with the windows down and the AC off. Now this is subject to conditions like if I am on the highway or city streets. If I'm on city streets in stop and go traffic, I get better mileage with the windows down and AC off (but not much better!) If I'm on the highway at higher speeds, the window up and AC on, I get much better gas mileage than I do with the window down and AC off. There is a lot of turbulence with the window down, until I get within about 6 car lengths of a large truck. The turbulence stops and my mileage goes up. Way up! I have learned to just keep the windows up and my AC on in all mydriving because on average my mileage is higher (plus I'm more comfortable.)

PS I fill up my car every Month and a half, 10 gallons, man I love this car!

Originally Posted by budster101

Turn your air conditioning off and open your windows. You will save a great deal more gas, and don't tell me about turbulence. Mythbusters did a show on it and the computer said that the drag with the windows open would be worse than closed and air on. Guess what? In the reat test, the air conditioned truck died out 30 minutes before the truck with the windows down and air off.

You'll save gas.

max5 · Sep 3, 2005, 12:37 AM

Wow Bro, ur soo lucky ... my 96 maxima gets 18 gallons and I get about 280 for full tank... How much horsepower does ur insight have ?

JohnM15141 · Sep 3, 2005, 12:49 AM

A whopping 67 HP and 73 HP when the electric motor kicks in a boost! My lifetime mileage on the car is 59.2 MPG but most of my driving has been city driving. When I get out on the highway I easily go above 70 MPG. When I play the game(drafting, following the shift computer as well as other tricks I've learned) I can get 80+ MPG.

Originally Posted by max5

Wow Bro, ur soo lucky ... my 96 maxima gets 18 gallons and I get about 280 for full tank... How much horsepower does ur insight have ?

Millennium · Sep 3, 2005, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by The Godfather

That'd be a dream come true for the people behind http://www.gaspricewatch.com (it powers the Gas Price Widget). In my area, all gas station prices are 4 days old or older

If you find a solution to this, please do tell us.

Nothing yet, but here's an interesting gadget that lets you keep tabs on many different in-car statistics, including fuel efficiency. It's not cheap -$129- but it provides a lot of info.

m a d r a · Sep 3, 2005, 02:04 AM

how to save gas? - fart in a jamjar

budster101 · Sep 3, 2005, 11:05 AM

madra, you made teh funny.

I just farted, and no jar around when you need one.

amsalpemkcus · Sep 3, 2005, 11:12 AM

Inhale more.

__^^__ · Sep 3, 2005, 11:34 AM

Drive less. Where I live, weekend traffic is the same as during the week.

wdlove · Sep 3, 2005, 11:41 AM

My wife is a visiting so driving to patients homes is part of her job. On her days off she doesn't like to drive. The only extra driving is to Church and errands.

m a d r a · Sep 3, 2005, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by wdlove

My wife is a visiting so driving to patients homes is part of her job. On her days off she doesn't like to drive. The only extra driving is to Church and errands.

can bots get married?

amsalpemkcus · Sep 3, 2005, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by m a d r a

can bots get married?

Proof.

m a d r a · Sep 3, 2005, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by amsalpemkcus

Proof.

which one's the bot? - the one on the left is silver, but the one on the right is more plastic looking.

PS +100 nerd points for finding a still of a cyrius cybernetics advert.

production_coordinator · Sep 3, 2005, 12:26 PM

Another Good Tip
Wait until you have 4-5 tasks that require the car before going out. Don't take one trip to the grocery store, one trip to the barber, one trip to the movie store, one trip... bunch them all together into one big trip.

m a d r a · Sep 3, 2005, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by production_coordinator

... bunch them all together into one big trip....

this rule can also be applied to magic mushrooms.

LilWolfChokingOnCigs68 · Sep 3, 2005, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by macintologist

We all need to buy less gas to help with possible shortages.

Some things you can do:

1) If you're buying a car soon don't buy a ****ing SUV. Buy a Prius, or other gas-electric hybrid vehicle.

Or just buy a normal car with a smaller engine. They can get 30-40mpg and they aren't complex or unproven and they're still fun to drive.

You missed something though:

CHECK YOUR TIRES AIR PRESSURE

Underinflated tires waste millions of gallons of gas each year. Also, most of hte time it's suggested you put them at 32psi or so, but 35 is fine too, giving you a bit better mpg, and a bit crisper and more responsive handling. If you're going to be driving a long distance, like over an hour, pump up your tires to about 40psi. It is over inflating them, but it does a few things: It lessens the contact area on the road a little, which can worsen your handling, braking, acceleraiton, so be careful,... but again.. it does affect those things, just not very much. You probably wouldn't notice hte difference. But secondly, because there's less tread on the ground, there's a lot less rolling resistence, giving you better mpg. Whenever I roadtrip I always pump up the tires quite a bit, it really helps getting better MPG.

Also, don't use the A/C. Check your air filter, change it if it's dirty. Try to maintain a constant speed on the highway. Get behind a big SUV or semi if they're traveling about the same speed as you to save even more gas. There's a book at the library called '99 ways to save gas in the 90s' with all sorts of tips.

OSX Abuser · Sep 3, 2005, 01:54 PM

My 66 Mustang drinks gas like a sailor on shore leave, needless to say I'm not driving it much lately.
Gets great gas mileage in the driveway though.

amsalpemkcus · Sep 3, 2005, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by OSX Abuser

My 66 Mustang drinks gas like a sailor on shore leave, needless to say I'm not driving it much lately.
Gets great gas mileage in the driveway though.

Feed it horseshit.

historylme · Sep 3, 2005, 03:54 PM

How to save gas? Don't drive

simple aint it

Railroader · Sep 3, 2005, 03:58 PM

Check your air filter.

Axo1ot1 · Sep 3, 2005, 05:13 PM

If you put a magnet on your fuel line you can squeeze out some more MPG as well.

__^^__ · Sep 3, 2005, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Axo1ot1

If you put a magnet on your fuel line you can squeeze out some more MPG as well.

Don't forget to cover your car in tinfoil.

LilWolfChokingOnCigs68 · Sep 3, 2005, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Axo1ot1

If you put a magnet on your fuel line you can squeeze out some more MPG as well.

iDriveX · Sep 3, 2005, 07:20 PM

I thought this was funny, and relevant:

mojo2 · Sep 3, 2005, 11:25 PM

On "Coast to Coast AM" tonite.

Matt Savinar, who created the Life After the Oil Crash site, will be discussing the possible repercussions on fuel prices and availability in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/2005/09/03.html
http://www.coasttocoastam.com/

Saturday 9/03/05 10:00pm - 5:00am depending on your local station play times. Available via Streamlink and via podcast on the internet. Streamlink subscribers can download past shows.

phantomdragonz · Sep 3, 2005, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by Axo1ot1

If you put a magnet on your fuel line you can squeeze out some more MPG as well.

I love it when I see that magnet for sale of store shelves, makes me laugh!

everything we have talked about here is about reducing resistance... anything that REDUCES the resistance on your car, be it air resistance, tire resistance will increase your gas milage...

also, if you have a squeaky wheel bearing REPLACE IT, this will reduce your resistance..

and that comment about your tires, over inflating them does reduce the resistance, but it also makes them wear faster, which means you have to replace your tires more frequently, so you tend to not save too much money. tire prices will go up, because they are made with oil as well!

make your car as light as possible, with the least amount of resistance and you will get the best gas milage you can get.

Zach