Sweetspot

[Dean Fletcher]

I think I have found my cars sweetspot for driving to work. Over the last few weeks been trying various methods. No cruise control, sitting at 60mph sitting at 70 mph and so on. The best I have found so far is 65mpg with cruise control on. My usual mpg is around 51 on a 82 mile trip to work and back. This week iv seen figures of up to 57mpg. Which I have never seen in all my 4 months of doing the trip.

 

[Blobcat]

I sit at 68 as the compromise between the both.

It should improve when it’s warmer as well

 

[bembo449]

6 mpg more by going faster , awesome

 

[LostKiwi]

The V8s both seem to be better at 80 than at any lower speed but rapidly get worse beyond 80.

 

[Dean Fletcher]

I know weather plays a huge role but the weather couldn't get any worse than of late. So we should see improvements. I also got told being in cruise control was good for the DPF system which is understandable.

 

[d215yq]

Don't use cruise control when it's hilly though. As you need to accelerate before the hills slow your car down. We get long sweeping A roads at 5-10% gradients - the only time I do 95mph is at the bottom so I can get up the hill slowing down gradually. It's super annoying now they put speed cameras in the dips which is the only time it is good for traffic flow/mpg to speed.

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Don't use cruise control when it's hilly though. As you need to accelerate before the hills slow your car down. We get long sweeping A roads at 5-10% gradients - the only time I do 95mph is at the bottom so I can get up the hill slowing down gradually. It's super annoying now they put speed cameras in the dips which is the only time it is good for traffic flow/mpg to speed.

Luckily j40 to j36 isn't to bad then its along the A591 to work. Quite lucky in that respect..

 

[EmilysDad]

.... on a 82 mile trip to work and back. ....

My 50 mile round trip commute is far enough for me

 

[rorywquin]

As a "foreigner", I don't get the obsession with fuel consumption in this country. I've had homes in 8 countries (lived in about 11) and never known drivers to worry about consumption like we do here.

It is even more surprising to see the number of MB drivers worried about it.

Maybe that is why we have people blocking lanes - they are on cruise control, saving fuel, and refuse to speed up and get out the way or move over and possibly have to slow down.

 

[Blobcat]

Luckily j40 to j36 isn't to bad then its along the A591 to work. Quite lucky in that respect..

Just watch out for the revenue vans on the bridges

 

[EmilysDad]

As a "foreigner", I don't get the obsession with fuel consumption in this country. ......

maybe it's because of the cost of fuel here ...

 

[rorywquin]

maybe it's because of the cost of fuel here ...

UK does not have a monopoly on expensive fuel. The country is full of big people carriers, expensive SUVs and expensive German cars. Perhaps we are living beyond our means.

 

[d215yq]

As a "foreigner", I don't get the obsession with fuel consumption in this country. I've had homes in 8 countries (lived in about 11) and never known drivers to worry about consumption like we do here.

It is even more surprising to see the number of MB drivers worried about it.

Maybe that is why we have people blocking lanes - they are on cruise control, saving fuel, and refuse to speed up and get out the way or move over and possibly have to slow down.

Although for some it's probably because people justify their shiny new toy they can't afford by it being a few mpg better (at least in the tests) than their older one so they have to drive like that to "save" money, for many it might just be about using resources efficiently. I get pleasure out of reusing old scrap wood I find in the street (in Spain there is a day where such old stuff is put out and many a people collect it) and making made to measure furniture from it - it's not because I can't afford some designed to throw away equivalent from IKEA, it's just I like reusing reources properly and not wasting stuff.

So if I can get 50mpg instead of 40mpg why not - petrol/diesel is a limited resource after all. Mainly for this (and saving money too) I do care about fuel economy and drive accordingly to the point of managing an ownership average of 49mpg from a 30yr old manual diesel 3.0 that many wouldn't think possible. But it makes sense to me as all other costs inc tax and insurance maintenance and depreciation are around 500/yr and my fuel bill at 20k miles per year is around 1800 so it is the biggest cost to be mitigated. And to be honest I quite like driving on a nice sunny day with the window open at 65 and the car runs the smoothest and returns the best mpg at this speed so if I'm not in a hurry, why bother doing the legally permitted 75mph. Over many of my typical drives (4-5h) the difference is still only 30 minutes or so and then there's fewer fuel stops and feeling more relaxed so less breaks needed eating into that. And on my 10hr drives through France it's actually is "something to do" to try to increase the mpg.

 

[daibevan]

I've never considered fuel economy when buying a car. Just got the best available within my price range at the time. Just fill er up when she needs it. (& no I'm not made of money)

 

[Dean Fletcher]

My 50 mile round trip commute is far enough for me

How long does that take you??

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Just watch out for the revenue vans on the bridges

Sitting at 65mph BC I should have no issues

 

[Dean Fletcher]

maybe it's because of the cost of fuel here ...

 

[Dean Fletcher]

UK does not have a monopoly on expensive fuel. The country is full of big people carriers, expensive SUVs and expensive German cars. Perhaps we are living beyond our means.

Noooo never. We not to blame its the fuel companies and government.!!

 

[Dean Fletcher]

Although for some it's probably because people justify their shiny new toy they can't afford by it being a few mpg better (at least in the tests) than their older one so they have to drive like that to "save" money, for many it might just be about using resources efficiently. I get pleasure out of reusing old scrap wood I find in the street (in Spain there is a day where such old stuff is put out and many a people collect it) and making made to measure furniture from it - it's not because I can't afford some designed to throw away equivalent from IKEA, it's just I like reusing reources properly and not wasting stuff.

So if I can get 50mpg instead of 40mpg why not - petrol/diesel is a limited resource after all. Mainly for this (and saving money too) I do care about fuel economy and drive accordingly to the point of managing an ownership average of 49mpg from a 30yr old manual diesel 3.0 that many wouldn't think possible. But it makes sense to me as all other costs inc tax and insurance maintenance and depreciation are around 500/yr and my fuel bill at 20k miles per year is around 1800 so it is the biggest cost to be mitigated. And to be honest I quite like driving on a nice sunny day with the window open at 65 and the car runs the smoothest and returns the best mpg at this speed so if I'm not in a hurry, why bother doing the legally permitted 75mph. Over many of my typical drives (4-5h) the difference is still only 30 minutes or so and then there's fewer fuel stops and feeling more relaxed so less breaks needed eating into that. And on my 10hr drives through France it's actually is "something to do" to try to increase the mpg.

I can quite easily afford my car at the lowest fuel economy for example it may cost me £65 a week fuel as appose to £40 a week if I drive economically. I just feel that the £100 a month saved could be better used to buy my kids what they want or take the wife out for a meal rather than satisfying my right foot urge

 

[EmilysDad]

How long does that take you??

About 40/45 mins each way at the times I travel, but when I used to have a shift that finished at 4pm it'd take well over an hour