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...but if you do it consistently, Utienham says it works (http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=106189&catid=57)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Dan_0298.jpgTracey McCain - digitriad.com - June 27, 2008

Commentable article - Gearheads in NASCAR country saying the Prof is clueless - Ed

Greensboro, NC - Get more gas mileage for your money. A NC A&T professor says hypermiling increases your mileage and decrease your trips to the pump.

Dr. Leonard Utienham limits how often he accelerates his engine and increases his gas mileage by shutting of his car when it idles over 30 seconds. He says changing his driving habits, gives him 10 percent more miles per gallon -- http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=106189&catid=57

What I find interesting is the comments on mechanical wear and tear. I was in the pizza delivery business for 10 years. I drove for, managed and owned pizza delivery places. The wear on starters and batteries was minimal, while the #1 item to wear on vehicles was brakes! The average pizza car has to startup 4-12 times/hour over a 4-8 hr shift. Can you say wear and tear? I never had to replace the key switch's at all. Did have to replace the occational battery, but most of my pizza cars were marginal to begin with.

So many people cite wear and tear to the starter and other parts (with no evidence often)
but neglect to mention the advantages of doing it.

It seems like when someone has a new way of doing something, some people think that the new way has to have no disadvantages to be seen as better. Nothing has no disadvantages as far as I know.

You can also bump start if you're moving at almost any speed (below 20km per hour is more difficult to do smoothly). Put the car in 2 or 3 gears higher than you'd normally be in and quickly pump the clutch out and back in again. If it started, put the car in the gear you want to use and drive. You can do it very smoothly and all of it in less than a second.

What I find interesting is the comments on mechanical wear and tear. I was in the pizza delivery business for 10 years. I drove for, managed and owned pizza delivery places. The wear on starters and batteries was minimal, while the #1 item to wear on vehicles was brakes! The average pizza car has to startup 4-12 times/hour over a 4-8 hr shift. Can you say wear and tear? I never had to replace the key switch's at all. Did have to replace the occational battery, but most of my pizza cars were marginal to begin with.

Holy moly, I can relate to that! I have been a courier for 4 years now, my first delivery vehicle, a ford ranger pickup, needed costly brake repairs constantly. Of course, I blamed it on ford and vowed never to get another one, but now I see it was really the nut behind the wheel wearing em out!:rolleyes:

I would bet that it does cause the starter to wear out more quickly, but it is worth the cost. If you kill the starter at 100,000 miles instead of at 200,000 it costs maybe $60 for DIY or $200 for a shop repair.

Once again the advantage is MUCH MUCH greater for the high fuel use vehicle (see no FSP here,since I own a FSP). My large vehicle uses .7 gallons per hour at idle. 20 minutes of idling per day is worth 120 gallons per year or $500 per year.If I kill a starter every 4 years, so what ; I save $1500 and it costs me $60 (or $200 if I use a shop). Rebuilt starters for large USA vehicles are really cheap.

I suspect the engine wear because of startup is a wash especially with modern syn oils. I would avoid switching the motor off until it was warn -especially in cold climates (not NOLA for sure). I don't have proof of this of course.

Hypermiling is really tailor made for big V-8s like the Suburban/Tahoe. They glide extremely well (about 20 seconds from 35 mph to 30 mph)- roughly 1000 feet of glide and 250 feet of acceleration per P&G cycle - 1/4 mile. The gliding is done in D with the motor on. For "some reason" my scangauge shows the same fuel use in D as in neutral. I suspect it just doesn't have the resolution to show that N is using less fuel. I use liters per mile.

Yes, this should become a high fuel use vehicle forum. Maybe we should kick out "low hypermiling savers" like Civics, Corollas etc. Yes, this is tongue in cheek.

Charlie

The Sedona, which weighs in at 4400 lbs with nothing in it, wants to roll like mad. I had to run trash to the dump (60 a year for that, or 50 a quarter for curbside... not a hard call) as per my usual Saturday chore and I've found that the Sedona is far easier to P&G than the Elantra. As a bonus, I can just pop it into D without a rev match and it won't kick down a gear. The Elantra doesn't do this. I got to P&G this trip for about 1/3 the distance. I'll be doing this more often from here on out.

If anyone ever asks me about wearing out a starter, I refer to Wayne's Accord. His car is approaching or has passed the 100K mark with likely 10's of thousands of starts due to it being an automatic. IIRC, his starter is doing OK.

So many people cite wear and tear to the starter and other parts (with no evidence often)
but neglect to mention the advantages of doing it.
I agree and I save enough gas in 3 tanks to pay for a new starter, but have not needed to yet. More importantly, hypermiling causes less wear on the engine, brakes, tires, A/C, and paint (less high speed chips on the hood).

If anyone ever asks me about wearing out a starter, I refer to Wayne's Accord. His car is approaching or has passed the 100K mark with likely 10's of thousands of starts due to it being an automatic. IIRC, his starter is doing OK.

That's exactly why I am not worried about it. Real life experiences.