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Next week we'll be headed to N. Michigan to visit family/pick cherries etc. I'm hoping to reduce spousal and offspring eyerolling and sighing. I'm sure that speeds much less than the top limit and frequent FASing would meet with disapproval from the passengers. What recommendations do you have for hypermiling techniques that won't make a teenager or spouse in the car revolt and demand to drive?

Tell them that if they insist on driving, they get to buy the gas.

Seriously though, you should be able to get away with at least DWL and maybe 5mph under, I would hope. This is about all I usually do when I'm on the highway. I try not to be on the highway anymore than necessary.

When we (myself, the wife, and the dog) go on trips to see the parents/in-laws, I usually stick to the speed limit. It's a pretty hilly drive, so I'll DWL when I can. I'll also get in some high speed P&G in certain places. Although, this is in the Prius, so it isn't as drastic as an FAS. Some NICE-On glides might help from time to time. But overall, take it slow and steady.

ILAveo--

I was a little worried about the same issue recently. My wife's family are 12 hours away in Minnesota, and it was the first trip we took in my HCH and I wanted to see what it could do. Fortunately, the episode of Mythbusters with the experiment on drafting was on just a few days prior, and really piqued my wife's interest. She was shortly in on the plan when she found distant-drafting can increase FE by 20%. We proceeded to knock out a 61+ mpg tank - together.

My advice then: figure out a way to get the family in on it. Sure, it's a long drive, but if you can ease them into getting on board, so much the better. --FE

Teenagers? Easy. Tell them the more money you save on gas, the more money they get on vacation. ;)

Of course, you don't really have to deliver on this promise - just use it as a remind when you're in a P&G doing 50 MPH on the freeway. ;)

If they insist on a/c, turn the fan on so they think they're getting air. Then just turn the compressor on occasionally as needed.

Driving in the right lane will annoy passengers even if you're going the speed limit. You may have to stick to a lane towards the center, but try not to increase speed.

Maintain even speed and limit restroom stops.

If they have iPods, they won't notice you're FASing. Suggest your spouse take a nice nap.

If they stay on your case then say you think you see a cop way back in your rear-view mirror and you're just playing it safe going under the limit.

Hi ILAveo:

___Do you have a DVD playback system of any kind? If not, buy one. Or drive throughout the night while everybody is sleeping other then yourself of course (the movie Family Vacation comes to mind ;)). I locked up the kids and wife’s attention so hard playing DVD after DVD while traveling the desert southwest a few years back that I did not even hear a peep other then the sounds of explosions and gun fire or when the fruit bags were playing, the background soundtracks (those things will put you to sleep quick :rolleyes: ) while I was left alone to do my thing. Mainly DWL, DWB, hanging 5 – 10 under as an average. The MDX pulled a 32 something over 600 miles that particular evening/night drive IIRC.

___John, you are devious :angel:

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I just got back and although the gas mileage was only decent, not great we had a relaxing and pleasant time.

I credit three things 1. The teenager bailed on us, so we could take the smaller car (Aveo rather than Taurus) and not worry about the livestock as much. 2. My wife was in a good mood because her apple pie had just won a blue ribbon at the fair. 3. I followed everbody's advice about only using mild hypermiling techniques.

I pretty much stuck to the upper speed limit , only applied distant drafting techniques and only used FAS when coasting to stops and down steep hills when it wouldn't be very noticeable. We don't currently have A/C in our cars (yes, I know that's weird), so that wasn't an issue. Our gas mileage on the different tanks varied from about 42 to about 45 mpg apparently depending on whether we mostly had a headwind or a tailwind.

I noticed three interesting things in our trip.

First, drafting trucks doesn't seem to gain you much on hilly two lane highways (as compared to interstates) because you gain too much ground coasting in the truck's draft on the steeper downhill grades and have to use your brakes. What is the best way to approach drafting in hilly terrain? Has anybody tested FASing vs. drafting in hills?

Second, if it weren't for all the traffic, Chicagoland's straight, flat roads would be great for hypermiling.

Third, the Scangauge provides entertainment in a nerdly way that makes the drive seem to go faster even though the car is probably going slower.

If you get up to Traverse City, MI on vacation I recommend the following spot as the nicest I know for a scenic glide. Head north on M37 from Traverse City up the Old Mission Peninsula. As you leave town you will climb what is locally known as Carpenter Hill; at the top of this hill you will be able to see both arms of Grand Traverse Bay across orchards and vineyards. At about the time you can see both bays you will be at the top of the hill and can start your glide down the hill toward East Bay. The grade is steep enough to give you good acceleration but probably not so much acceleration you will need brakes and there is a several mile flat run out with no stops at the bottom of the hill along East Bay.

Anhow, thanks to all for their advice.

Rich