Changing Driving Habits?

[Porsche_997]

Here in Maryland, gas prices suck. I have seen diesel for over $5.00/gal. Some of my friends with diesel trucks must be pretty upset, I mean damn.

I have heard that not running the a/c helps greatly in improving gas mileage. I just have the windows down in my car unless it gets above 85 or 90 degrees, then the a/c goes on. Other than that, don't be heavy footed. That being said, I rarely follow any of the things I just listed

[Chacal]

The "windows-instead-of-a/c" thing is a myth. It doesn't save any gas.

[Wesley]

Chacal, mythbusters tested out your theory. They found that driving with the windows down(as apposed to A/C) increased gas mileage.

[Destructor]

Chacal, mythbusters tested out your theory. They found that driving with the windows down(as apposed to A/C) increased gas mileage.

good ole' mythbusters. here alabama the temperature is hitting at least 95 daily. a car parked in the sun can get up to 110. i'm lucky to have a gas saving 4 cylinder because i can't help but use the AC. the next car that i get (which will be the first one i pay for) will be a hybrid. It won't be for a few years so hopefully they will be even more fuel efficient.

[donkey_nutz]

wes your wrong the myth busters found out there is NO diffrence between the two.. in order for your car.s ac to work the drive belt must turn a compressor pully wich in turn exerts more strain on the motor... mind you with nhe newer cars its not that much added strain.. especialy the cars that have electric cooling fans as opposed to the drive belt fans... and to run with the windows down as opposed to the ac creates areodynamic drag on the car.... mind ouy again its not that much... i have a truck with horrible gas mileage... and i have a mpg display in the trim computer in the celing wich gives me instant mpg readings or it gives me the mpg on average... and its accurate to tenth's of a mile per gallon... and there is no differance

[A.M. Foxtrot]

Chacal, mythbusters tested out your theory. They found that driving with the windows down(as apposed to A/C) increased gas mileage.

up to what speeds did they test that to? I've heard that windows down, up to a certain speed is more efficient than using A/C. Though I believe that there is a point where the wind resistance of open windows becomes greater than the mechanical resistance of using A/C, therefore making use of the A/C more effiecient.

Also, with cars coming in all different shapes and sizes, I'm sure that point is different for each model.

Regardless, there's no way in hell I'll be testing that theory basking in the hot So. Texas sun. You open your windows mid-day down here and you'll be lookin' like those two germans at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[radar77]

I have heard city driving speeds like less than 40MPH.

I have to agree with donkey tho... using a/c vs windows down amounts to not much difference in mpg savings. That is if the a/c works.

[Wesley]

On mythbusters the guys were not going fast at all, probably 25-35, but the one without the a/c did drive a good bit longer, perhaps its just the year car/make and model. V8s were always hit much less than a 4cylinder trying to run an extra pully.

[Chacal]

That makes sense. Speed, model, power, amount of window being down, all of these will be factors.
My guess is, on the highway it's better to use a/c. besides, if you open a window at 70 mph the noise is deafening.

[[ecgn] btt]

if you open a window at 70 mph the noise is deafening.

I like my windows open on the highway. I find I am more aware of what is around me because I can hear cars (the wind is not that deafening ) in my blind spot.

I wonder what the sweet spot is behind a Mack truck to draft it. that would save some gas.

[Wesley]

I would guess about 3 feet tony.

[[ecgn] btt]

I would guess about 3 feet tony.

I've been there before.

[SavageParrot]

That makes sense. Speed, model, power, amount of window being down, all of these will be factors.
My guess is, on the highway it's better to use a/c. besides, if you open a window at 70 mph the noise is deafening.

lol but it's only on the highway that you get sufficient windage (;)) to actually stay cool. Sitting in a traffic jam with windows down just ain't gonna cut it...

[donkey_nutz]

i had the myth busters episode recorded on my dvr... but its not there any more... i thought they where on a race track.. and i thought they had the cruse set to 60 or 65 mph.. to simulate highway speeds.. also savage p is exactly correct about the sitting still thing... and another thing to remember is all vehicles are diffrent... even one produced right behind another.. i know a man who bought 2 1987 dodge ramchargers.. he orderd them from the factory and they where identical in every way ane vin numbers where the same except for 1 number... hell they where made on the same day. one of them had lots of problums and the other had none.. one was alot faster than the other one..thats why my dad says "never buy a car that was made on a monday"...i guess he had a hungover assembly line worker in mind when he said that

[YOOPER]

btt]I wonder what the sweet spot is behind a Mack truck to draft it. that would save some gas.

The Mythbusters did this one, too.

They noticed a difference further out than just three feet. But for goodness sakes...don't tailgate a bigrig...