Long Trip Hypermiling tips.

[goofy1]

we're taking a long trip to AL today.(5 - 6 hours)
I have some hypermiling techniques. but was some good Long Trip Tips?
besides cruise control, tires, watching out for traffic reports.etc.

[GasSavers_Erik]

Some "safe distance" drafting of semis will help.

[GasSavers_BIBI]

speed

[ihatemybike]

Second the semi drafting. 2.5-3 second back seems to give me the best mpg according to my current mpg gauge.

[almightybmw]

Watch the cruise control and your shift points, know when to engage/disengage the cruise and when to use neutral. I can get 34mpg with 2 or 5 people (extra 480lbs) in my car, technique is key. I'm taking a long distance trip next weekend as well, 10 hours, but only 2 people. I'm betting I can break 35mpg, maybe 36 if I do a few aero mods.

Semi drafting hasn't ever worked for me, due to the mountainous nature of Montana. Not practical to follow a semi up a mountain pass at 25mph, but I will draft them on the downhills and flats, holding 70mph or so. Haven't seen large gains yet.

Do up any smoothing of the front end if you haven't. My fog holes suck air.

[GasSavers_ALS]

Drink water. Do not drink anything with caffeine or sugar before you leave.
The caffeine and sugar brings you up and when it wears off it brings your mental alertness way down. You drink more of these drinks to stay alert
thus you need to pee more.
It should save you at least one rest stop on your trip.
Thus your gas mileage stays up and you don't lose any MPG's stopping at the rest area. Plus the time spent on the trip is actually decreased due to not having to make that stop.
I make much better time driving at a maximum of 65 mph drinking water than when I use make the same trip at 70 mph plus. I was stopping almost every two hours during the 1180 mile trip when I was consuming those types of drinks.

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by almightybmw

Watch the cruise control and your shift points, know when to engage/disengage the cruise and when to use neutral. I can get 34mpg with 2 or 5 people (extra 480lbs) in my car, technique is key. I'm taking a long distance trip next weekend as well, 10 hours, but only 2 people. I'm betting I can break 35mpg, maybe 36 if I do a few aero mods.

Semi drafting hasn't ever worked for me, due to the mountainous nature of Montana. Not practical to follow a semi up a mountain pass at 25mph, but I will draft them on the downhills and flats, holding 70mph or so. Haven't seen large gains yet.

Do up any smoothing of the front end if you haven't. My fog holes suck air.

what sort of distance are you drafting at? About what percentage of the trip do you draft?

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Originally Posted by ALS

Drink water. Do not drink anything with caffeine or sugar before you leave.
The caffeine and sugar brings you up

What! Coffee! Yeah! Coffee good! Alert!!! Pick targets for overtaking sooner!!! Get there fast!!! aaaaahhhhh zzz *twitch* need more coffee!!!

[96sc1]

Avoid using the cruise control. Take your shoes off and try to maintain a constant throttle position instead. I would love to modify my cruise control to be able to select either maintain constant speed or maintain constant throttle position.

Keep your RPM around 2000.

I would advise against drafting (especially on trucks - the drivers hate it).

Make sure your tires are well inflated (I personally inflate them over the car manufacturers recommendations, but NOT over the tire manufacturers recommendations).

Clean and wax your car and keep the windows rolled up.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by 96sc1

Make sure your tires are well inflated (I personally inflate them over the car manufacturers recommendations, but NOT over the tire manufacturers recommendations).

Did you copy and paste that from one of my posts?