Best way to improve highway fuel economy?

[blainehamilton]

I'm driving from Edmonton to Regina (I know, I know) at the last minute this weekend for a funeral. I rented a chevy cobalt with unlimited km for 2 days (thanks to the avis thread) and am just curious on how to get the best fuel economy. I was thinking keeping under 110 and maybe drafting a truck.

Any suggestions?

[Pete_Coach]

Set the cruise control to 100 - 110 and leave it alone.
Do not draft a truck, he will get p'd and you will just be on the gas off the gas.

[fatpiggy]

Set the cruise control to 100 - 110 and leave it alone.
Do not draft a truck, he will get p'd and you will just be on the gas off the gas.

Really? I was always driving at 90-95 and I thought that was the most economic speed?

[Bincent]

If you are really that picky about saving gas, then you can speed up going downhill and pick up speed so that you don't have to gas as much going uphill (assuming it's one after another).

I've also heard before that the optimal speed is 90, but do you really want to trek across Canada going only 90?

If possible, stay in the middle of a pack so that it reduces the wind resistance on your car (also helps eliminate all the bugs that will accumulate on the leading car :lol: ).

Don't use Air Conditioning. Keeping the windows open will consume less gas than using the A/C.

Don't overpack. The heavier the vehicle, the more gas it needs to keep moving.

There are other ones that are typically related to in-the-city-stop-and-go driving (ie. don't do jackrabbit/quick starts when the light turns green), but you only asked about travelling across the country.

[Alvito]

is the car auto or stick?

in a stick you want to be in the last gear and keep your rpms low.

keeping the windows open will make u less wind resistant, thus slowing you down.

[batman321123]

I was always under the impression that driving on the highway with your windows open and A/C off was worse for fuel economy than driving with your windows closed and A/C off because windows open=wind resistance=you having to push harder on the gas pedal.

[deep]

If you are really that picky about saving gas, then you can speed up going downhill and pick up speed so that you don't have to gas as much going uphill (assuming it's one after another).

The laws of conservation, and principles of air resistance and efficiency just called....to laugh in your face and say "BS".

[Spor 13]

I was always under the impression that driving on the highway with your windows open and A/C off was worse for fuel economy than driving with your windows closed and A/C off because windows open=wind resistance=you having to push harder on the gas pedal.

This was acutally proven to be wrong on Mythbusters. They went to a racetrack and had 2 cars do 75mph (or something like that); 1 with A/C on full blast and 1 with windows fully open. Basically the car with the windows open did more laps than the A/C car before it ran outta gas. Of course, noone really turns on their A/C full blast tho but it was a cool comparison and suprising result.

[maniacshopper]

HWY speed means 80kph and up, so keep your windows closed, turn on the fans, no AC. Drive with packs of cars, like NASCAR, it's a 200mph train :cheesygri

When going downhill driver faster to compensate the expected loss of engine power when going uphill. Like the 401 corridor to Kingston, hills are huge, like mountains. I usually go 130kph downhill, and uphill I maintain the throttle, I easily drop down to 100 kph on the uphill.

If you have windows screens put them on the rear windows and rear windshield, protect the kids from the sun.

Pack light, the heavier the load, the worse the fuel econo. Depends on # of passengers.

Tire pressure, make sure it is not underinflated. I heard that for every 0.5 lb of air underinflated is equal to 0.5L on the econo.

Hope that helps, have a safe trip.

[GangStarr]

on a cobalt the savings in gas will be so marginal it really isn't worth your time obstructing traffic.

The difference between you driving 110 and 120 in a cobalt will mean VERY little at the pumps.

Do the whole world a favour, follow a truck so you dont obstruct traffic and you have less wind resistance.

If its hot use your a/c. Windows suck on the highway

[squall458]

HWY speed means 80kph and up, so keep your windows closed, turn on the fans, no AC. Drive with packs of cars, like NASCAR, it's a 200mph train :cheesygri

When going downhill driver faster to compensate the expected loss of engine power when going uphill. Like the 401 corridor to Kingston, hills are huge, like mountains. I usually go 130kph downhill, and uphill I maintain the throttle, I easily drop down to 100 kph on the uphill.

If you have windows screens put them on the rear windows and rear windshield, protect the kids from the sun.

Pack light, the heavier the load, the worse the fuel econo. Depends on # of passengers.

Tire pressure, make sure it is not underinflated. I heard that for every 0.5 lb of air underinflated is equal to 0.5L on the econo.

Hope that helps, have a safe trip.
yea tire pressure is the best way to get the most out of your hard earned gasoline. if its not inflated to the right amount ur losing gas.

[fatpiggy]

I just heard on the radio yesterday morning that if you inflat your tires with nitrogen it will increase your average gas mileage by 10 to 15%. Have no clue if this is true or bull , or where to get the tires filled up with nitrogen.

[deep]

I just heard on the radio yesterday morning that if you inflat your tires with nitrogen it will increase your average gas mileage by 10 to 15%. Have no clue if this is true or bull , or where to get the tires filled up with nitrogen.

That......would also be BS. Nitrogen tire-filling services are a scam. There was an older thread here in which we discussed this at some length.

[Bridge]

This was acutally proven to be wrong on Mythbusters. They went to a racetrack and had 2 cars do 75mph (or something like that); 1 with A/C on full blast and 1 with windows fully open. Basically the car with the windows open did more laps than the A/C car before it ran outta gas. Of course, noone really turns on their A/C full blast tho but it was a cool comparison and suprising result.


They actually had to do like 40mph, and they said at the end of the show that at highway speeds, AC would be more efficient. At slower speeds, windows down is better.

[slowpoke]

FWIW...

From Edmunds.com

"We Test the Tip What Really Saves Gas? And How Much?"

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html

[rc51]

That......would also be BS. Nitrogen tire-filling services are a scam. There was an older thread here in which we discussed this at some length.


Why is it a SCAM? Costco offers it for free with tires and free fill/rotation for the warranty period.

[deep]

Why is it a SCAM? Costco offers it for free with tires and free fill/rotation for the warranty period.

If it's free, then fine, at least you're not out any money. However, despite the CHEMICAL stability of nitrogen, it's been proven to be at BEST as good as mixed air, and in many cases worse, for filling tires.