Tribeca test

[Pinehollow]

I have a Tribeca that I just took in for the 3000 mile oil change. I have
been a little dissatisfied with the mileage that I get, so I watch the MPG
display a lot while driving to see what kind of habits are the most
desirable.

While driving on the Florida Turnpike, I was holding about 70 MPH and noting
that on the instantaneous MPG, I was getting 24 MPG, which I thought was a
little low. I got behind another car going a little slower, about 68, and
noticed that the MPG started indicating between 27-29 and hovered around 28
while I stayed about 100 feet behind him. Decreasing the distance to about
30 feet increased the MPG to about 30. I don't know what would happen if I
got really close, but I assume the effect would have been dramatic.

I experimented a little more and followed other vehicles that were holding
70 MPH. I found that it didn't seem to make a difference what type of
vehicle was in front of me. I drafted behind a large truck and a small car
and the MPG variation was almost the same. Following one truck at 60 MPH
gave in indication of 34 MPG. I didn't notice the MPG at 60 without
drafting.

There were a lot of other little things that I noticed, such as the effect
of cars passing me while of was holding 70. There would be a decrease in
MPG when the car was just behind me and the MPG would increase as the car
passed, peaking while he was about a car length in front. Being in a
different lane made the effect last a little shorter period.

What I learned was that it pays to draft! With gas so expensive, if I
draft, even at a safe difference, I can save quite a bit. Has anyone else
experimented with this? I have had the instantaneous MPG display on other
cars, but never really paid any attention to it before.

Don

 

[Michael Pardee]

I have a Tribeca that I just took in for the 3000 mile oil change. I have
been a little dissatisfied with the mileage that I get, so I watch the MPG
display a lot while driving to see what kind of habits are the most
desirable.

While driving on the Florida Turnpike, I was holding about 70 MPH and
noting that on the instantaneous MPG, I was getting 24 MPG, which I
thought was a little low. I got behind another car going a little slower,
about 68, and noticed that the MPG started indicating between 27-29 and
hovered around 28 while I stayed about 100 feet behind him. Decreasing
the distance to about 30 feet increased the MPG to about 30. I don't know
what would happen if I got really close, but I assume the effect would
have been dramatic.

I experimented a little more and followed other vehicles that were holding
70 MPH. I found that it didn't seem to make a difference what type of
vehicle was in front of me. I drafted behind a large truck and a small
car and the MPG variation was almost the same. Following one truck at 60
MPH gave in indication of 34 MPG. I didn't notice the MPG at 60 without
drafting.

There were a lot of other little things that I noticed, such as the effect
of cars passing me while of was holding 70. There would be a decrease in
MPG when the car was just behind me and the MPG would increase as the car
passed, peaking while he was about a car length in front. Being in a
different lane made the effect last a little shorter period.

What I learned was that it pays to draft! With gas so expensive, if I
draft, even at a safe difference, I can save quite a bit. Has anyone else
experimented with this? I have had the instantaneous MPG display on other
cars, but never really paid any attention to it before.

Don

As you found, drafting can be done safely and can pay off. When I was an
avid bicyclist, drafts were golden! Okay, I wasn't always safe with *that*
but at highway speeds the draft can extend back a long way. The downside is
that it takes very little sidewind to shift the draft completely off the
road.

Mike

 

[R Sweeney]

What I learned was that it pays to draft! With gas so expensive, if I
draft, even at a safe difference, I can save quite a bit. Has anyone else
experimented with this? I have had the instantaneous MPG display on other
cars, but never really paid any attention to it before.

think of the money you will save after you have killed yourself by
tailgating
(the other word for drafting)

 

[Michael Pardee]

think of the money you will save after you have killed yourself by
tailgating
(the other word for drafting)

The two are not synonymous. I admit my drafting on a bicycle was following
*way* too close, but at highway speeds there is sometimes useful draft at
normal following distance. The trick is knowing how to recognize it. On a
bike it feels like a warm, relatively quiet zone. In a car it is just a zone
of soft buffeting, unless you can hear the drop in wind noise or see it on
the instantaneous mpg display. If it isn't there, oh well.

Mike

 

[Pinehollow]

think of the money you will save after you have killed yourself by
tailgating
(the other word for drafting)

I believe that you didn't read my entire post. I don't advocate unsafe
situations. I mentioned that traveling 100 feet behind the vehicle in front
provided about 4 MPG better mileage. 100 feet behind was safe and I believe
that I will experiment further to see if it really pays off. Don't be so
quick to criticize others when you really don't have the whole picture. It
seems as if there is always someone who likes to appear to be holier than
thou about almost any subject.

Don

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

think of the money you will save after you have killed yourself by
tailgating
(the other word for drafting)

I believe that you didn't read my entire post. I don't advocate unsafe
situations. I mentioned that traveling 100 feet behind the vehicle in front
provided about 4 MPG better mileage. 100 feet behind was safe and I believe
that I will experiment further to see if it really pays off. Don't be so
quick to criticize others when you really don't have the whole picture. It
seems as if there is always someone who likes to appear to be holier than
thou about almost any subject.

Don





----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------
color]

At what speed does a vehicle cover 100ft in 2 seconds? I TRY to use a 2
second rule for safe following distance in good weather, traffic conditions.

Carl

 

[l.lichtman]

Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
At what speed does a vehicle cover 100ft in 2 seconds?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
34 MPH

 

[CompUser]

I believe that you didn't read my entire post. I don't advocate unsafe
situations. I mentioned that traveling 100 feet behind the vehicle in front
provided about 4 MPG better mileage. 100 feet behind was safe and I believe
that I will experiment further to see if it really pays off. Don't be so
quick to criticize others when you really don't have the whole picture. It
seems as if there is always someone who likes to appear to be holier than
thou about almost any subject.

Interesting...I've noticed an increase in
tailgaters as well!

Never thought to correlate it with the higher
gas prices...

Thanks, next guy that starts it up, I'll just be
sure to change lanes on him, ha!

 

[Wandering Willy]

No, you have to think further: the tailgater is trying to save gas.
So help him/her out: you'll save more gas by going slower, so when
you have a tailgater, you can assume they're trying to save gas. So
take your foot off the gas, don't touch the brakes, and gradually slow
down...that way, you're helping them.

As well as pissing them off.