philmcneal from Canada BC

[philmcneal]

Hi, I've never learned anything about efficent driving until I read a few articles about true conservatism (pulse and glide, turn off engine coast) off a hybrid forum site.

Ironically I don't even have a hybrid myself so I came here after realizing I'm in the wrong place all along...

Hope to be some support to all.

Phil

[Matt Timion]

Hey Phil...

Welcome to the site, and please tell us about yourself. What type of car do you drive? What makes you want to drive more efficiently?

[SVOboy]

Somebody teach this man how to bumpstart!!!

[philmcneal]

ok details details:

I live in the heart of Surrey B.C, home of the number one auto thief in Canada! To make matters worse I drive the number 1 stolen car too, a 04 Honda Civic coupe 5 spd. Back in the day my dad wanted me to drive an auto because it was "safer" (I didn't know how to drive stick back then) but I'm glad I picked the 5spd because back then I just wanted something that was fuel efficent. (Hence the Civic).

So at first learning stick was hard but then I practiced and evenually learned how to drive it smoothly and now I have around 36000 km. Yes I had a little fun here and there but after awhile I had a hard time adjusting to EPA estimates. Then I stumbled upon a site that opened my mind to everything about fuel efficency and also opened the world for me about hybrids. After with great knowledge I can easily get under EPA estimates in all city driving, but then I noticed a few key members on that site took it to the next level. After realzing what these people have done I have determined myself to do the same because I wanted to see if those kind of numbers is really possible for any kind of person, espically myself.

So after with much thought, I wanted to ask the whole community to show me (well the experts), how to achive insane mileage with a non hybrid and then well I'm here haha.


My average lately has been 35 mpg or 6.5L/100km, it seems I can never break this record but now I can with the help of you guys

My new home indeed, I hope I can be as much as assist to newbies as you guys are assiting me!

Also I wanted to add, there's have been some critisim about the way I drive (ICE OFF, slowly waiting for the red light to change) from my peers and friends. They tell me, "not worth it for a few lousy cents" but the way I see it is:

1) its the numbers that are impressive, not the savings. The savings is just a bonus for your work. (perks)

2) a few cents means the difference between a normal meal at macdonalds or a superized meal at macdonalds.

You make the choice.

[Compaq888]

Also driving like everybody else puts more wear and tear on the car. It's not just saving on gas but you save your parts too. My cousin is like everybody else. He says it's not worth it and I should drive like everybody else. His car had a broken motor mount and whenever he revs the engine it sounds like a bunch of screws are in his cylenders. He drives a 2002 LX civic auto.

Let me tell you how I save. I accelarate a little slower than everybody else and I drive the speed limit on the freeway. Now I get for mixed driving what I used to get for freeway only a year ago.

I'm still on the second set of brakes. The original owner changed the brakes at 30k, I'm at 66k and still on the same brakes. Other people are on 3rd or 4th set. My car passes emissions flawlessly every year except last year because I screwed with the distributor.

Also it's very important to do a maintenance. They are very important because later on you won't have to pay a huge price for a part you could of prevented from breaking.

[philmcneal]

well maintainence is very important so that's why my fuel savings sometimes go to the dealer since all my work has been done there from the very first oil change. I look under the hood of my car once and never again unless something wrong arises. Although there's a lot of hand prints on the hood of my car because I like to feel the hood if its warm or not. Then it will tell me how warm it will be until my next drive behind the wheel.

And yes i'm still on my first brakes although I admit I first was all racy racy like when I got the car (ok so speed and power was another reason i got stick too!) but that's all over now. My last report the brakes were at 40%, and the dealer said I might have to change them on my next service. Well I've had three so far and my brakes are still strong =D I Guess from there on I stumbled upon better driving habits.

And I'm glad I did.

although i still feel sometimes i'm pushing it with keying the engine off and bump starting again. I guess I just need more practice.

[MetroMPG]

hey phil - welcome to the site.

Originally Posted by philmcneal

home of the number one auto thief in Canada!

greater vancouver: home of not just car thefts, but car break-ins too.

i spent the winter out your way a couple of years ago - drove my 89 accord from ontario. my first night there, someone busted my rear quarter window and stole a bunch of stuff out of the car. a fitting welcome to the "property crime capital" of the country. (and in an underground parking lot with a gate and cameras. the cameras caught it all on tape, but what can you do with grainy video except say - "look at that guy smashing my window and taking my stuff." the police couldn't use it.)

[krousdb]

Originally Posted by philmcneal

although i still feel sometimes i'm pushing it with keying the engine off and bump starting again. I guess I just need more practice.

I would recommend driving a whole tank using all of the various fuel saving techniques but WITHOUT shutting down the engine and bump starting. You may find that your mileage is quite respectable. You should be able to exceed EPA estimates. If you want to take it further, then try a tank using shut down, bump start technique. You may be surprised to find very little difference. I'm guessing that it is worth 5 MPG for me. But if you don't have many hills to take advantage of, it may be worth much less.

[philmcneal]

oh yeah i found the older your car is, the more chances of it actually being stolen. I guess because by then thiefs will learn the knowledge of breaking into cars they couldn't break in when they were first released. For my car anyway, since I don't like to encourage breakins I usually have my passsenger glove compartment open to show I got nothing. Also a baby seat in the back helps too for, "pity me" points

I also try to show no signs of coins or anything that looks like what an addict can use to get more drugs. Also keeping the car dirty helps too to show I'm as scrub as they are. Add on top of that a brake lock and maybe in the sometime future a wheel lock if I'm not that lazy (although i really am sometimes). Yup you godda do it if you have the cheapest insurance available (105 cnd a month!) for a car like mine hehe with no comprehesive and the lowest liablity i can buy.

Oh Metrompg, I couldn't believe you were raised by GT4 either! Haha I thought I was the only one that thought like that and tried to incorporate a few techniques into one's daily driving style.

I just hope I can pull the numbers thanks all for the wonderful warming welcomes!

hehe Dan I'm sure the 5MPG is totally worth it. Not because of the 5 but of the number I got that no one else can get unless they use the techniques I did.

[Compaq888]

LOL.

I have an alarm with ignition disable. Also my car is very dirty and beat up so I doubt it's going to bring the thieves more money. My radio is stock so it doesn't cause any attention. I also have no tints which shows I got nothing to hide.