How much is your grocery shopping?

[Kristen]

"I am however considering selling my car and buying a Smart car to get to and from work in the not too distant future."

I have reduced my fuel consumption from 30-35MPG to 40-45MPG, on familiar journeys, by hypermiling (buzz word for a bunch of economy-driving techniques, but probably worth a Google if you are interested). The vehicle has a published "combined cycle" of 39 MPG.

[HeyWayne]

"I am however considering selling my car and buying a Smart car to get to and from work in the not too distant future."

I have reduced my fuel consumption from 30-35MPG to 40-45MPG, on familiar journeys, by hypermiling (buzz word for a bunch of economy-driving techniques, but probably worth a Google if you are interested). The vehicle has a published "combined cycle" of 39 MPG.

I manage to get 33mpg (which is the figure quoted on Parkers interestingly) on average driving conservatively, but then my car's not exactly "eco" anyway. Tyres are always at optimum pressure (checked weekly), climate control is only used on very hot days. There's very rarely anything but me and my laptop in the car (with obvious wallet, keys sunglasses etc). Fuel tank isn't always full. I use my brakes as little as possible (pads and discs are still original on a 5 year old car). Although my journey is only 7 miles, the last 2-3 miles to work involve considerable traffic and I am therefore unable to do anything but sit in traffic - which does fuel consumption no good at all. When driving in a 30-40 mph area I keep the revs below 2000rpm so that the turbo does not kick in.

My drive to work this morning, I could not better 30mpg (on board computer gives "real time" consumption).

I'd love to ride my bike to work, but it's just not practical.

[Kristen]

I use the "elapsed" (rather than "spontaneous", or whatever it is called) MPG - so I get a comparative figure at the end of the trip.

I coast (either clutch-down or in-neutral) all downhill sections and "speed-reducing zones". (Allegedly modern injection engines use zero fuel when you lift off, that does not seem to be the case for my diesel).

The Hypermiling web sites suggesting turning off the engine if you will be stationery for more than 10 seconds; and when you start the engine drive away immediately ...

Anyway, its something to pass the time on the 15 mile trip morning and evening, and is saving the planet a bit too.

[Winged one]

I have started doing some of those hypermiling things too (never knew what they were called though). I often get stuck at a level crossing, and there are a couple of long sequence lights I have to stop at too. So I had started turning off engine at these about 6 months ago. Now, on lights I know the sequence of, I often turn off the engine until just before we get to go.

I have also started doing a lot more freewheeling in the past month or 6 weeks, since oil prices really shot up.

My lil Fiesta (often laden down with necessary stuff), has gone from an average of 200 to an average of 260-280 miles per tank of petrol (just a bit old and non-luxury for on-board computer gizmos). So it really does make a difference (and my commute is 7 miles each way, in traffic, and I have to do it at peak-ish hours due to toddler, with very little other driving).

[HeyWayne]

I use the "elapsed" (rather than "spontaneous", or whatever it is called) MPG - so I get a comparative figure at the end of the trip.

I coast (either clutch-down or in-neutral) all downhill sections and "speed-reducing zones". (Allegedly modern injection engines use zero fuel when you lift off, that does not seem to be the case for my diesel).

The Hypermiling web sites suggesting turning off the engine if you will be stationery for more than 10 seconds; and when you start the engine drive away immediately ...

Anyway, its something to pass the time on the 15 mile trip morning and evening, and is saving the planet a bit too.

As far as I'm aware, start/stopping the engine increases wear on certain areas - starter motor being the obvious example and increases the draw on the battery so I'm sceptical about that one. BMW's Dynamic Drive is set up slightly differently I think.

Coasting out of gear is not a particularly safe method of saving fuel - I'd advise against it to be honest - and an engine will still use fuel if it's ticking over. Much better to use the engine speed to slow down - a quick blip of the throttle before down-shifting is how I do it.

Saving the planet is obviously a great idea, but don't put your own safety at risk because of it.

[di]

It was a while ago but my driving instructor told me it was illegal to coast?don't quite know how you'd get caught out doing it tho'?!!

[MrsC]

what an interesting thread, have read all of the comments. i like doing the bulk shopping and cooking, it makes sense to me. food prices are ridiculous at the moment and we can waste food. I shop around and believe it can be done on a budget, I actually quite enjoy doing this shopping with a set limit and having to think what meals I can make. I suppose it is all in relation to the amount you earn really and how much you see is reasonable to be spent on food etc.

[Rhona]

what an interesting thread, have read all of the comments. i like doing the bulk shopping and cooking, it makes sense to me. food prices are ridiculous at the moment and we can waste food. I shop around and believe it can be done on a budget, I actually quite enjoy doing this shopping with a set limit and having to think what meals I can make. I suppose it is all in relation to the amount you earn really and how much you see is reasonable to be spent on food etc.

I totally agree. I'm actually enjoying trying to budget too! I think I'm more creative as a cook. We used to waste such a lot of money, and I'm not happy to do so anymore. Even if money's not the only factor - it's mad to ignore the other issues relating to our individual consumption.

We have a car, but barely drive anywhere anyway - DH cycles to and from work; and we try to recycle whatever we can. Having a composter makes me feel loads better about any kitchen waste too!

[petal]

Its good to share money saving ideas, I wish I could cycle to work, it took me 5 hours to get home from west hampstead yesterday due to 'I have no idea' Time to change jobs.

[HeyWayne]

Its good to share money saving ideas, I wish I could cycle to work, it took me 5 hours to get home from west hampstead yesterday due to 'I have no idea' Time to change jobs.

Trains were buggered weren't they?

What's a DH Rhona?

[Kristen]

"start/stopping the engine increases wear on certain areas - starter motor being the obvious example and increases the draw on the battery so I'm sceptical about that one"

It may do, but that will be the next owner's problem. Sorry to be so blunt about it. And there will come a point where the price of fuel outweighs the cost of replacing the starter motor, etc., prematurely. (See also "Videos" at the bottom of this post)

"Coasting out of gear is not a particularly safe method of saving fuel - I'd advise against it to be honest"

Ah, now this I do have views on!

First, as I understand it, modern fuel injected (petrol??) engines will use zero fuel when you lift your foot off the accelerator. If your car does that then you can avoid the coasting-controversy altogether! Mine, by experiment, doesn't - and to be honest I struggle with how zero-injected-fuel can be the same as "the engine, with clutch engaged but zero fuel injected, causes zero drag"

I'm pretty sure I was told this was A Bad Idea when I learnt to drive, or around that time (eons ago!)

But why is it bad? I would not be in good shape to "accelerate out of trouble", [actually I frequently drop-the-clutch, rather than selecting neutral, and maintain a gear suitable for the car's speed, so I can change to acceleration if I need to] but I'm slowing down for a corner or a T junction (technically I am slowing down by lifting off the accelerator, and coasting, quite a bit in advance of the point where I would normally start pressing the brake pedal); if I was actually braking hard-ish I would not be in good shape to accelerate out of danger either. Sure, if I was in my sports car I would be using toe-heel as part of my braking procedure, and I would already be in a low gear and thus able to accelerate, but in a normal car I don't drive like that.

A youngster I was talking to the other day, about to sit his driving test, astounded me that they are now taught to slow for the bend and then select the appropriate gear [for the speed they are at] rather than changing down through the gears. (And Rubens Barrichello does that too, apparently)

Coasting down hill is a bit different, I might need to accelerate; but in practice I am coasting down hills that don't have blind bends etc. and I have a clear view of the road ahead. I can't remember all that many accelerate-out-of-danger manoeuvres I've done in my life, but I would guess they were all in towns, and that isn't really a down-hill-cost sort of environment.

In the old days with cable / drum brakes the whole engine braking thing was important. Nowadays I don't think it has any relevance; in an emergency you are suppose to stand-on-the-brakes and let the electronics (ABS) sort it out for you.

When I learnt to drive, some 35 years ago, the emergency stop procedure was "simultaneously depress clutch and brake as hard as you can [without locking the wheels]". If it was all right to disengage the engine for that then, why not to coast too?

I'd be very interested in reasons / arguments for keeping the engine engaged [rather than selecting neutral] for my two coasting scenarios - slowing for a bend and down-hill fuel saving, as I'm struggling to see the oft-touted danger.

I have a hill that is at a nice angle - "friction free" if you like. If I get to, say, 30 MPH down that and lift off I maintain 30 MPH all the way down. If I select neutral (or drop the clutch) I am doing 40 MPH by the time I get to the bottom. Yes the engine is using fuel if its ticking over, but I reckon I am using less fuel "Hypermiling".

Note also that from my previous "standard" driving style I have improved my MPG by 1/3rd. (It ain't going to save me more than a few hundred quid a year, but if every Man Jack on the planet saves 33% of their car fuel its significant - that's like driving for free for 20 years of your life!)

"Saving the planet is obviously a great idea, but don't put your own safety at risk because of it."

I'm very happy to be enlightened, and I HAVE given it some though and discussed with others, but I just don't see where the danger is coming from. (I do NOT turn off the ignition - some people do, that is clearly nuts - as is driving 1mm behind an articulated lorry to benefit from the slipstream)

So come on, enlighten me, where is the danger coming from that I have overlooked?

"It was a while ago but my driving instructor told me it was illegal to coast?"

nah, not illegal but yes it is frowned upon as being less safe, but (apart from now completely outdated reasons relating to engine braking and braking mechanics that have not existed for 40 years) I am struggling to think what the issue could be.

Videos: If you are completely anorak, or just plain bored, here are some videos Hypermiling Videos. The third one includes some turn-the-engine-off-whenever-possible religion! - including turn on engine and immediately drive off - so as to waste no fuel!

[Rhona]

A Darling Husband. They're dead useful.

[Kristen]

"They're dead useful."

Is that the same as having a large life insurance policy?

[Starchild]

Supposed to get 39.4 pmg out of our car average wise. We get 55...gotta love tractors! :-)

[piskieinboots]

A Darling Husband. They're dead useful.

as compost?