Easy way to cut costs
I've found a device which will cut costs on any motorhome or towing vehicle. Very easy to use and does not need fitting. It's the Right Foot. Simply by driving with a lighter right foot has cut the fuel consumption in my Fiat van conversion motorhome by around twenty-five percent and also cut driving stress. Results are good on all kinds of roads, but especially good on motorways. The van's been doing about thirty per cent better by dropping motorway cruising speed from around seventy to between fifty and sixty - and the driving has been much more enjoyable.
Also have found that by being a little more gentle on the throttle around town (but not cutting actual driving speed) I'm getting much better fuel economy.
Works well for the newish diesel Fiat van in Blighty and the little oldish Honda petrol van in Japan. The Japan van both runs around Tokyo and regularly goes to the Alpine regions not too far away. The lighter right foot seems to save fuel everywhere, and at today's prices that's no bad thing ...
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Yep, I was taught to drive in this manner around 55 years ago and I’m sure many others were too.
Btw, it not only applies to ICE powered vehicles but also to EVs.
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I had to chuckle when I read the OP to be honest, so glad the penny is starting to (literally) drop for some.
Agree TW, driving older cars that really needed to be driven with thought and a sympathetic attitude didn’t just keep them running sweetly, but brought a bit of fuel economy into the equation as well. We still coax and mollycoddle a 50 year old MGB around in the Summer, and achieve 35mpg average with our MH. Have had 40mpg a few trips as well.
I find it very amusing being overtaken by some tail hugging fool, desperate to get just one vehicle more in front, only to gently roll up behind them at the next set of lights. 🤷♀️
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With all due regard to the OP isn't this just common knowledge? Not to mention common sense?
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I’d have thought so 👍🏻
There is an alternative with the Fiat Ducato which is to put it in Eco Mode. It makes you the slowest driver on the road by default🤣
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My dad had the highest mpg of all of us with the same car, a Ford Anglia. His advice was drive like you had an egg under the accelerator!
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I honestly believe a significant number of drivers do not have a clue how the use of the right foot and reading the road can effect mpg.
I have just returned from Devon and Cornwall to Merseyside. This run gives an excellent chance to experiment as it is mostly motorway and good dual carriageway.
I drive a 3 year old 1.5L petrol Audi A3. On the no van trip down, 2 adults and very full boot, we sat around 60mph and returned 62mpg. On the return run it was 55mph and 71mpg. The 300 miles were covered in less than 6 hrs, so still a good average speed. These figures are far better than the manufacturers figures and show what you can achieve.
I always brim the tank and when I compare the actual mathematical mpg against what is on the cars computer it is within 1 or 2%. [My previous Skoda was not so accurate]
Colin
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I thought cruise control was a positive fuel save🤔, I use it on long motorway runs🤷🏻♂️
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I agree with that, I changed my truck recently from 2.5ltr to 1.9ltr, same tugging power of 3.5tonnes but more mpg, 21st century efficiency at its best, 45+mpg is astounding.
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I know the theory that cruise control uses more fuel ... it just looks at the speed & doesn't take anything else into consideration however ..... I use cruise a lot as it keeps a check on my speed, other wise I find my right foot will tend to get a bit carried away.
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I don’t see how it can be more fuel heavy🤷🏻♂️. A constant speed of 50/55mph on Mways how can it use more fuel?🤔
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because your foot doesn't always do constant speed like cruise does, it will tend to do constant throttle instead ie slow down going up hill. Ask it to resume your previous speed & it'll tend to get back up to speed as quickly as possible & 'floor it' .... newer cars maybe be a bit more sensitive than they used to be.
Anyway .... it's all a bit academic when towing a large slab like white box with a large towcar.
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We have an accord👍🏻😊
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I drove past a Shell fuel stn this am £189.9, 3hrs later (on the way back)it was £192.9🤷🏻♂️. So the oil giants pay a windfall tax to stop poor folk freezing over winter. . .They then ramp up the price to make another £5bn in the next 3 months🤣🤣🤣
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Solo I have always found cruise control to be thirstier by a couple of mpg or so. I have concluded that in right foot mode I slow a little on hills and resume speed more gently than cruise does.
Many manufacturers do not recommend cruise or adaptive cruise control for towing. Probably because maximum braking in ACC is limited to about 30-40% and this is calibrated for a solo car.
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From the BBC:
4) Does cruise control save fuel?
Cruise control - a device which keeps your car at a constant speed without having to use the accelerator pedal - is often seen as a sure-fire way to save fuel, as it avoids unnecessary acceleration an harsh braking.
However, this may only be true when it comes to motorway driving - due to the constant flat surface.
On other road types you are more likely to come across hills and your cruise control will take time to adjust to the change in gradient, using up more fuel in the process.
Normally you take your foot off the accelerator as you begin to descend down a hill, but as your cruise control can't see what's in front it spends extra time using power - leading to worse fuel consumptionIt appears JVB is correct?
Other tips here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61745697
Personally I love cruise control and use it whenever I can but Mrs C can't stand it and won't use it.
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Oy MrC, it were me who was having a discussion(with ED) re cruise control being better on Mways not JV. . .Credit where credit is due old chap🤷🏻♂️
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A full apology Rocky, indeed it was
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