This is what is called "anecdotal evidence". The other data is just data, there to be evaluated and scientifically studied.Reams of data doesn't fit what I experience in real life. At faster speeds I am able to cruise on the highway, at 55 I need to have my foot on the gas the whole way. Hence, I use more gas going 55. It costs more in both time and money.
WTF? How does time spent traveling have anything to do with it? If you travel 100 miles, it doesn't matter if it takes you 6 hours or 2 hours when it comes to MPG.
I drive 150 miles, all highway every day. I get best gas mileage at 70-75 Mph of 32mpg. 80 and it drops to 31.7-.9 I am guaranteed to drop below 30 if I go 55-60 mph. I'm measured it many times. Has to do with gearing. 55-60 is in between gears for best efficiency.
How about if shitty greedy car companies put more effort into overall efficiency so we could go 75 and get the same results you see by going 55? Is that too much trouble?
Fuck yes it is. There's no money in efficiency.
Out of curiosity, what is your RPM at 55-60?
Slower driving getting better gas mileage is a generally accepted fact. A few simple things about fuel economy:
-drivetrain drag is less when using higher gears (a car in first gears slows down extremely fast even without hitting the brakes)
-drivetrain drag is less at lower rpm
-aerodynamic drag is less at lower speeds, and it increases by the square of the vehicle's velocity (2x as fast = 4x as much drag)
When all of these rules are put together, you get one universal way of getting the best gas mileage:
You will get the best mileage when driving in the highest gear at the lowest rpm. In most cars, that's somewhere around 40-50mph.
The general rule told to drivers in Canada is that your gas mileage decreases by about 10% for every 10km/h of speed increase. From my experience, that's a fairly accurate estimate. My Civic would get horrible gas mileage when driving 140km/h (88mph). It could drop by as much as 40% just by driving fast.
over 3k in 5th
under 2k in 6th (and worthless if accelerating or going up hill)
Your car will get better gas mileage at 55mph, this is almost guaranteed. Try it with a instant MPG tool and report back. 3.5L of displacement is plenty to not lug at that RPM in top gear.
I got to drive from FL to TN in a TL (auto, but similar gearing). It got better mileage at 55 rather than 70+.
He said everything equal you will use more gas going 75 rather than 55. That only matters if you assume time is equal. There's nothing physically stopping a design from being more efficient at 75 than 55. Smarten up.
AyashiKaibutsu said:That assumes time spent traveling is equal (hint: faster cars spend less time traveling).
I drive 150 miles, all highway every day. I get best gas mileage at 70-75 Mph of 32mpg. 80 and it drops to 31.7-.9 I am guaranteed to drop below 30 if I go 55-60 mph. I'm measured it many times. Has to do with gearing. 55-60 is in between gears for best efficiency.
This is not very believable, imo.
Particularly losing only tenths of a mpg going to 80. The power required goes up a lot to go from 70 to 80, or even 75 to 80. As does the drag.
I would be very surprised if a Scangage gph readout agreed with you.
How are you measuring fuel consumption?
How about we both drive responsibly? You drive your car as you want, I drive mine as I want, and get the hell out of my way?
We really don't need more government in our lives, and certainly not because YOU think it's a good idea. This is exactly what's wrong with America and its politics.
BTW, my car is most efficient at around 80 mph.
I drive in Detroit, where EVERYONE is doing 80, and is within a car length of the car in front and behind. There is no wind resistance!
I'd rather drive a hybrid at 75 mph on the highway than a high horsepower car that has a 55 mph speed limit.