P&G/coasting.

[goofy1]

I've been tring p&g for a 4 days now. and in the first two days i eached the highest mpg ever in this car 37.5mpg.(thats alot considering the car is automatic and a 3 speed automatic to boot)
But i'm extremely unconfortible with the idea of turnin the car off in med coasting. both mechanic and safety reasons.
But the other day i timed the differience between p&g well shifting into Neutral and just lifting off the gas. Its a huge differience. on level highway i coasted 12 seconds just lifting my foot off the gas. and 18 seconds shifting it from drive to neutral. Why does the car slow down so fast just lifting my foot off the gas?
And one more thing. my wife drives a 2007 Vibe(or Matrix) and when i tried the same two styles it was 13 seconds just lifting off the gas and close to 25 seconds shifting it to neutral. What in the world??? I know my tercel and the Vibe two completely different transmissions. but what is going on excately? and should someone even p&g on flat level road or in the city? I know go downhill is the best. But with a 3 speed auto, i need all the tricks in the book.(btw my goal is hit 40mpg...well 40+ would be GRRRRRREAT but i'm shooting just to reach 40mpg at less once)

I've notice some are worried about shifting to neutral cause of what damage could happen. But next time you drive, try both ways. that so called "kick" shifting it back to drive happen both ways because when you lift up the gas, the transmission goes out of gear. when you push the gas again you can feel it shifting back.