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I'm a new user, new to Hypermiling, but I saw the piece CNN did with Wayne and was like, "WOW!"

I drive a 1999 Mercury Cougar automatic V6 (hence the post title) and live in the suburbs pf Pittsburgh, which I don't think it a great place to do this.

My work commute is something like 4 miles. One way is mostly uphill, and of course the otehr way is mostly down, but I do take a different route home that lets me coast more.

All I've been comfortable doing is coasting in Neutral whenever I can, but right now I"m note even beating the computer in the car anymore - my average MPG has stayed at 19.6 (my 1990 cougar in college was up to 21 or 22 when it was totalled and that was before neutral, that was just careful driving.) I also watch my Tach and try not to rev the engine above 2500-3000 RPMs. I hork a lot of people off in the morning. Snerk.

I'm scared of turnig it off in traffic cause there's an issue that we can't find with the ignition (it's likely in the passive anti theft) and it doesn't always start up right away.

It's only got 91K miles on it so I'm loath to replace it right now, but I want to squeeze all I can out of it.

Welcome Lady S (is kneeling required?;)),

Here are a few suggestions to taking the next step. First, try to get a Scangauge so you can see both average and instantaneous mpg at the same time, and work the instantaneous to improve the average. That way you can compare today's commute with yesterday's and try different things to see if you can beat yesterday's average. Most people find the gas it helps you save will pay for it in 3-4 months.

Inflate the tires to the pressure given on the sidewalls (in tiny print). It will coast further and also burn less gas while you are in gear. Recheck frequently, especially if you have taken the car to the shop for maintenance, and get your own tire pressure gauge (ca $30 for a good one).

Experiment with Pulse and Glide, leaving the engine on in Neutral during the Glide phase. Try to Pulse the uphills (if they are short enough) and Glide the downhills.

Check your owner's manual to see if the car can be flat-towed (towed with all four wheels on the pavement). Unless you are sure that this is OK, never turn your engine off for the Glide. If the car can be flat-towed, maybe experiment with Gliding engine-off at low speeds in a large empty parking lot on on a deserted back road.

Also see if shifting at lower rpms helps your mpg's. 2500-3000 seems a bit high, I try to stay under 2000.

Try to avoid horking people off, especially semis. Ridgeriding helps wake them up that you are doing something different, and haz flashers can be used to alert semis while they are back far enough to change lanes without loosing a lot of momentum. Narrowing your P&G range when you have people behind you helps (you'll annoy them just enough that they change lanes without getting enraged). But then when no one is behind you you can compensate by widening the range. It's hard to keep alert for those nobody-behind-me moments.

Good luck and welcome again, your Ladyship!

Welcome Lady S!

If you are having a problem restarting your car, don't turn it off when driving. It's not worth the risk. Gliding or coasting in neutral will help your mpg, as lightfoot posted. Press your tires to the sidewall max to help your car glide farther.

One of the main rules of hypermiling: Don't do any of these techniques if you are uncomfortable doing them or feel they are unsafe in your particular circumstances! Safety first!

Read through this article (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510), and see which techniques you can incorporate on your daily drive. Airing up the tires is easy, and you should see some benefits when coasting. Other easy things: Slow down, particularly on the freeway. Driving 60 MPH will give just about every car a pretty significant bump in FE over driving 70 MPH, and driving 50 another bump. In general, you will cruise at max FE by running the engine in top gear at the lowest RPM that it will stay in top gear.

Good luck--have fun, be safe!

-soD

Thanks all! I should have mentioned that my entire commute is NOT freeway it's actually 2 lane roads all the way!

No kneeling requried - I'm a recoverd Final Fantasy 7 fangirl who never bothered to change her internet SN :)

For 2-lane, try to stay at the PSL when traffic is behind you. If you come to a passing zone and no traffic is coming the other way, try sidling as far to the right as you can as a hint that they should pass you (this won't work for those who don't know how to pass).

When no one is behind you, P&G away. Keeping alert for these opportunities is tough for me.

If you have traffic lights, try to figure out the light timing if they change on time, and how to deal with them if they are triggered by sensors in the pavement. If there is a trigger in your direction, one trick is to induce someone to pass you and go on ahead and trigger the light for you.

I have about 7 miles of 2-lane at the home end of my commute.