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Just found this forum as a result of the USA Today aritcle as I am sure many others have, so saying my first hello and asking a few questions. I drove in SCCA amateur sportscar racing for many years and trying to improve my 07 BMW 530 wagon's MPG will give me something to do driving to work each day. So here's my two questions: I used to always knock it out of gear (it has a 6 speed manual trans) and coast quite a bit whenever I didn't need engine braking but read somewhere that the engine may be using some fuel to keep it idling and would have the fuel shut off completely if it was left in gear so I would welcome comments on whether it make more sense to put it up in 6'th and coast rather than coast in neutral?
Question #2 has to do with accelerating away from stop, assuming on level ground or an uphill incline no matter how lightly I try to accelerate the fuel consumption gauge always goes to it's lowest reading. My question is would it be more efficient to accelerate briskly up to the intended speed and then go directly to whatever gear (usually 4'th or 5'th) will keep it at that speed with the best milage reading?
Thanks, Jay

Accelerating from a stop, see this discussion: http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11719
Basically, keep shifting to a higher gear as soon as it can handle it.

Coasting in Neutral does use fuel, but only a small amount. That is preferable most of the time, while fuel cut (in gear) is better if you do have to stop.

What he said.

Welcome. What was that article like?

Check the laws of your state, but if you are very adept at knocking the shifter out of gear, you could try a FAS, say in an empty parking lot, or an always empty road. When in this mode, your engine is using no fuel, and at the same time, your engine is not being freewheeled by the pavement, which adds friction to your glide.

I'm getting better about using my engine to help slow me for a known stop. I simply let off the gas. When in that mode, I'm using no gas, and using the friction of the windmilling engine to slow me down. In that mode, my engine will restart automatically when it reaches idle rpms. Of course, if I let it get too low, I'll stall it out and everyone around will laugh. If I shifted to neutral and used the brakes instead, the idling engine would be using fuel.

Ok this gives me some things to work on. I haven't tried a FAS yet but it should be very easy in this car because of no key ignition, you plug the key in it's hole and hit a starter button to turn the motor on an off. Also as in any clutch car you just lean on the shifter a little as you are easing off the throttle and it pops right out of gear, no clutch necessary. I added some extra air to the tires yesterday, they were on about 35 psi and the sidewall reads 51 max to I took it to 48 cold. The roads here are generally pretty good so I haven't noticed any drivablity change other than slightly easier steering.
At the moment I am just working on some of the basic driving techniques and it's going to take a real change in my attitude, not that I have ever been an aggressive driver on the street. I think the most helpful tool for me right now would be a bungee chord that would stretch from my seatback to my right toe!! I am amazed by how a small change in my pressure on the throttle will make the mpg jump.
This car was getting about 22.8 in my current around town driving (lots of hills around here) before I started trying any of this stuff and I have already averaged this tank up to about 25 and hoping I can get it to 27 or so by just simply paying more attention to the basics.
The USA Today article was pretty good, a little teaser on the front page then more in depth a page or two in. One of the reporters had spent some time with someone (in Texas I think?) and gave a pretty fair and balanced (to borrow from FOX) view of what was going on, it was just last week so maybe it's available online still? A little surprised that wasn't big news here.
Jay