Anyone else do this? Compete against your car's....
Discussion
.. computer for better mpg on a long trip? I've a fairly regular 150mile trip on M40 and M25 and in an attempt to remain with a licence, I've started to compete against the average mpg computer reading, I try this by avoiding the average mpg reading from increasing while still maintaining a decent average speed for the whole journey.
Best I've achieved so far is 51.2 mpg averaging 62mph with my recent change to a 1.8 tdci C-max, the speed limited sections on M25 really bump up the economy. I've also found that roof bars cost between 3.5 and 5.0mpg on my longer journeys.
Biggest surprise is a trip computer that is actually slightly pessimistic, but 0.2mpg difference on a brim to brim is not far of completely accurate in my books.
Best I've achieved so far is 51.2 mpg averaging 62mph with my recent change to a 1.8 tdci C-max, the speed limited sections on M25 really bump up the economy. I've also found that roof bars cost between 3.5 and 5.0mpg on my longer journeys.
Biggest surprise is a trip computer that is actually slightly pessimistic, but 0.2mpg difference on a brim to brim is not far of completely accurate in my books.
thebraketester said:
You really are sad old duffers.
Sitting at 75 to 80 leptons most of the time, while also getting 50+ mpg overall makes this Old duffer happy enough to be "sad". Don't think I could ever really do the hypermileing thing properly, but playing at beating a computer while maintaining a good average speed helps me keep interested in my regular journey.Update - having had a service and a new timing belt kit and water pump last Monday, I was playing my game of beating the average mpg indicator and had an indicated 70.1 mpg over 75 miles on mostly 50mph controlled smart motorway yesterday, which I think is pretty amazing for an older tech Ford 1.8tdci engine. This has fallen to an overall 61.2 mpg with another 79 mile trip today with a lot more 30mph roads, me booting it a bit more up the hills, as well as more of the journey being at 70mph and 60mph on controlled smart motorways. That, and tickling the throttle does get a bit boring.
All this at an average overall speed of 44mph, which to be fair is a pretty soul destroying average speed, made slightly easier knowing I'm getting paid while traveling, in this instance, so I have an incentive to stick to the limits. Apart from a few occasions when I could have gone up to 80mph or so, or been a bit more aggressive in my acceleration on a few twisty B roads, I could not have driven that much faster on congested roads to save my self some time.
The one thing I have really noticed is that the fuel efficiency rises dramatically when my car has had 6 to10 miles to warm up, borne out when having multiple short journeys with a cold engine and lower temperatures, which has seen my average mpg drop as low as 36mpg over a tank, with an admittedly very heavy right foot. Higher temperatures and not needing to put anti waxing agents in the diesel has probably had some effect on things too.
All this at an average overall speed of 44mph, which to be fair is a pretty soul destroying average speed, made slightly easier knowing I'm getting paid while traveling, in this instance, so I have an incentive to stick to the limits. Apart from a few occasions when I could have gone up to 80mph or so, or been a bit more aggressive in my acceleration on a few twisty B roads, I could not have driven that much faster on congested roads to save my self some time.
The one thing I have really noticed is that the fuel efficiency rises dramatically when my car has had 6 to10 miles to warm up, borne out when having multiple short journeys with a cold engine and lower temperatures, which has seen my average mpg drop as low as 36mpg over a tank, with an admittedly very heavy right foot. Higher temperatures and not needing to put anti waxing agents in the diesel has probably had some effect on things too.
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