Most economical way to drive a car?

So my new car (new to me) has one of the gadgets that tells you how many miles worth of petrol you have left, and it changes as the way you drive your car, but sometimes i think its a bit crazy, when i am in town traffic it actually says i have more milage than when on a steady road, are they just a rubbish gimmick?

My thought's on getting the best milage out of a gallon of petrol is to get it in top gear as quick as possible, and to drive as slow as possible in the top gear without labouring the engine is that about right?

I don't look at mine. I drive a 3 litre Jeep automatic!

So my new car (new to me) has one of the gadgets that tells you how many miles worth of petrol you have left, and it changes as the way you drive your car, but sometimes i think its a bit crazy, when i am in town traffic it actually says i have more milage than when on a steady road, are they just a rubbish gimmick?

My thought's on getting the best milage out of a gallon of petrol is to get it in top gear as quick as possible, and to drive as slow as possible in the top gear without labouring the engine is that about right?

common sense deano, that's all..i bought a new car last year and the gadgets (gimmicks) drive me mad..tells me when the service is due.i know.lights come on when its dark, I know when to put my lights on, tells me when to change gear, I know when to change <removed> gear. reversing buzzers comes on when I'm to close, don't trust it, prefer to look over my shoulder. chucking it down with rain on come the wipers, as if I had"nt noticed, electric windows, prefer a handle less to go wrong. number of miles left in tank, not interested I"ve got a fuel gauge. yes you guessed it I'm an old fart...but I don"t want some invisible robot telling me how to drive. rant over.

So my new car (new to me) has one of the gadgets that tells you how many miles worth of petrol you have left, and it changes as the way you drive your car, but sometimes i think its a bit crazy, when i am in town traffic it actually says i have more milage than when on a steady road, are they just a rubbish gimmick?

My thought's on getting the best milage out of a gallon of petrol is to get it in top gear as quick as possible, and to drive as slow as possible in the top gear without labouring the engine is that about right?

A useful tool I think. Mt vehicle tells me when to change gear, on occasion I should be in 6th and not 4th, but mostly 6th instead 5th.

But the vehicle does not know when you will be slowing down or where the next hill is.

Using any electrics in the car, will lower the mpg, so dont have lights/blowers on when not required.

Man vs computer, who gets the most MPG?

Get someone to push it

A useful tool I think. Mt vehicle tells me when to change gear, on occasion I should be in 6th and not 4th, but mostly 6th instead 5th.

But the vehicle does not know when you will be slowing down or where the next hill is.

Using any electrics in the car, will lower the mpg, so dont have lights/blowers on when not required.

 

Man vs computer, who gets the most MPG?

now this is something that has always puzzled me, i cant quite work it out, the engine is running and generating electric, so it is producing electric anyway

now this is something that has always puzzled me, i cant quite work it out, the engine is running and generating electric, so it is producing electric anyway

Perhaps you should google the "principle of conservation of energy".

That should explain things to you nicely.

It is because when the battery is being charged, it takes a bit more effort for the engine to turn the alternator or dynamo. Only a little bit, granted, but enough to make a slight bit of a difference.

Engine load is what affects mpg. The alternator is always running so electricals have very little bearing on mpg. The a/c condenser is clutch engaged so will add to the engine load. Under inflated tyres, weight, junk in the boot all add to engine load. Losing a few pounds will save more mpg than having the radio on !f

Drive 56 mph. On motorway. On country lanes.

Drive 56 mph. On motorway. On country lanes.

but if you can manage to drive in top gear at 40, would that return an even better MPG? i assume it would

common sense deano, that's all..i bought a new car last year and the gadgets (gimmicks) drive me mad..tells me when the service is due.i know.lights come on when its dark, I know when to put my lights on, tells me when to change gear, I know when to change <removed> gear. reversing buzzers comes on when I'm to close, don't trust it, prefer to look over my shoulder. chucking it down with rain on come the wipers, as if I had"nt noticed, electric windows, prefer a handle less to go wrong. number of miles left in tank, not interested I"ve got a fuel gauge. yes you guessed it I'm an old fart...but I don"t want some invisible robot telling me how to drive. rant over.

If you have a Vauxhall and it shows 'Service Vehicle Soon' it doesn't mean that ... what it actually means is one of the glow plugs is on its way out .... arghhh.

TPS is the worth thing, none of them are accurate. Predictive braking, arghhh!!