Save Money on Gas video

[user 22017]

Bob's new video is about how to save money on fuel. He offers numerous ways to save.

However, at 7:50 he says to "turn off air conditioning". That is wrong (unless you are driving slowly Eg. in town). You get better gas mileage if you use air. Especially on highways. I learned that in the 70's from the Shell Answer Man. Anyone remember those commercials?

Bob's video:



Just did a search and it is still true about air conditioning & gas mileage:

https://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/hybrid-technology/driving-with-windows-down.htm
Trivia: Random Shell Answer Man commercial from 1977:

 

[Malamute]

Thats interesting, though my personal position is I dont care if it takes some fuel, AC is one of the all time greatest inventions ever!

I used the AC in my cabin sparingly, then said "forget it, Im using it full time no matter what, I HATE being too warm!" and came to discover it cost me at the time around $15-$20 a month to run and actually be happily comfortable all the time rather than messing with turning it on and off through the day to save a mere handful of dollars. Id rather skimp on food than AC.

You can save money on fuel by driving slower in many cases.

 

[AmargosaWayne]

In a 1989 25 foot Class C, windows up or down doesn't affect the mileage that much. The A/C is kaput and it is R12, so no one will service it. Nice that it has the old style vent windows to direct air flow.

Previous energy crisis in 1974 the national speed limit dropped to 55mph to save fuel.

I have been doing 55mph with my Class C for some time, well before the current crisis, that arrived fortuitously near the end of the prior crisis.

 

[user 22017]

I have been doing 55mph with my Class C for some time, well before the current crisis, that arrived fortuitously near the end of the prior crisis.

Do you ever get nervous going 55 when so many cars and trucks are going 80? I like going 55, but in Illinois on the interstates, cars & trucks routinely drive 80 MPH. I get nervous.

 

[RVTravel]

If driving slower, you just don't change lanes fast at all. Look for awhile before doing so. It is scary even at 70+ mph to see a speeding car coming around you so fast.

 

[AmargosaWayne]

The posted speed limit is a maximum allowed speed. Not a required speed.

A minimum speed limit is sometimes posted on limited access highways. it is lower than 55 mph.

I'm only nervous (heightened alert level) on Las Vegas freeways, where the idiots drive too close, too fast, and the right lane can disappear every couple of miles.

I will drive two lane blacktop from Pahrump to Shoshone to Baker to I-40, to avoid Vegas traffic when heading south.

I avoid US-95 when going into Pahrump for shopping and use Death Valley Junction and Stateline Rd/Bell Vista instead. Less (almost none) heavy truck traffic on that route.

Doesn't anyone else think that it's odd that Shell, a major fuel seller, would tell us how to save fuel?

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I got really into 'hypermiling' when I was camping up and down the west coast in my Subaru.
I took all the silly rook rack stuff off and filled the holes that were left. Smoothed out a few rough edges here and there with bondo, small pieces of wood or electrical tape. It really is crazy how many cosmetic details they put on cars that are contrary to aerodynamics! Creating turbulence and increasing drag.
I think all that work maybe made a 2% difference.
Modifying my driving stye made a huge difference. Like 20%.
When starting from a stop light, accelerate slow and smooth.
Try to conserve momentum around corners. Strive to use brakes as little as possible.
Of course this can make you a super annoying driver to be around, so be mindful of how many people are behind you!
Speaking of, on the freeway I prefer to stay at 60-65 for best mpg.
So I try to find that one guy who is in an older truck or car, going slow. Then I stay behind them.
Once several cars are lined up like this going slow it's not as bad for the other drivers. You aren't the sole car doing 60 when everyone else is going 85.
I think with semis you get a slipstream effect as well.
As far as AC, maybe some cars are different, but on my Ford Vans and my Subaru they all had a little solenoid or clutch that took the pulley out of the path of the serpentine belt or drive pulley. So it wasn't loading the crankshaft.
I know on my Subaru especially, the AC sucked enough horsepower away to be noticeable on steep grades in Oregon and Northern Ca.
On my Ford van it's less noticeable, but I still avoid using it unless it's just hot as hell.

Another wrinkle is all the junk we put on our vans. I bought flexible solar panels because they have a much thinner profile than the cheaper, more reliable panels with aluminum frames. Ideally I'll mount them flush to the roof, but right now I store them in the van until I get someplace where I can whip them out. I'm pretty sure having a full roof rack with several panels and other crap bolted on adds a ton of aerodynamic drag!

Another one I don't think Bob mentioned is gas discount cards. Like the discount cards grocery stores use.
I got my first one through an ad from AAA. Then I noticed a few others as I traveled around. So long as there is no fee to sign up I'm in. I really don't care if Shell, Marathon or Loves tracks my purchases. I use gasbuddy to find the cheapest gas. Then check if any of the ones I have discounts for will be competitive. Most of the time it's just 5 cents per gallon discount. But every little bit counts!

 

[Malamute]

In a 1989 25 foot Class C, windows up or down doesn't affect the mileage that much. The A/C is kaput and it is R12, so no one will service it. Nice that it has the old style vent windows to direct air flow.

Previous energy crisis in 1974 the national speed limit dropped to 55mph to save fuel.

I have been doing 55mph with my Class C for some time, well before the current crisis, that arrived fortuitously near the end of the prior crisis.

Perhaps check and see if it can be updated. I had all my older vehicles from that period updated so they can use the newer freon type after it changed. They change all the seals and some small parts to convert to the new type freon, the parts were relatively insignificant, its mostly labor.

 

[RonDean]

On the AC issue, or anything else, I don't really trust Big Oil. However, I do believe milage issues can be affected.
* While all this might seem like a minor issue, getting it wrong can have a notable impact on your fuel economy; using AC can increase your fuel consumption by as much as 10% but opening the windows at higher speeds can increase fuel consumption by as much as 20%. (source: leasing.com)
* Conventional wisdom holds that open windows are better at slow speeds, and air conditioning is better when you're flying down the highway.

But the surprising thing is that actual tests of the idea have arrived at a different result. Good real-world data is frustratingly limited, but the few tests that have been conducted say if you can deal with the sound, it's slightly more efficient at any speed to roll down the windows, even on the highway. Now, there are definitely some caveats with the studies out there. The main one used big, boxy cars (which cause plenty of air resistance whether the windows are open or not). Others don't provide a ton of details about their testing or data. But if you're bent on saving gas at any cost, there just isn't any evidence out there that using AC is ever more efficient. Rolling down your windows seems to be a better bet. (source: vox.com)
-----
Even on this simple question, there are different answers. If it is AC vs CLOSED windows, I'll go with simple logic. It takes energy provided by the engine to run an AC. I can see no logical reason this would REDUCE the load on an engine and thus save fuel to run an AC. But, if it is hot enough, I'll still do it.

 

[RoamerRV428]

there are tons of great gas cards.

upside gas is one we use. money back, other perks and more and we don't have to 'look' for that lowest price near us cause if the gas is a member, and most are, you get savings anyway so.

just saying there is TONS ON THE INTERNET to save on gas, find it and get more perks and cash back etc then meets the eye, but yea it is a PIA to know all the crap on good situations coming at us. We have truck stop cards, gas app cards, this card and that and in the end WE ONLY use what pays the best back and works best for us on the road.

yea it is annoying as heck to work thru what suits one best but a tad of time on learning the new out there, yea one can find the best for themselves.

 

[ohbejoyful]

I'm happy to hear that other people choose to drive slow; I've been feeling a little embarrassed when I'm being passed all the time. I think I'll be able to chill out about this now.

 

[Morgana]

I'm happy to hear that other people choose to drive slow; I've been feeling a little embarrassed when I'm being passed all the time.

Haha same here.

Once I hit a deer while I was going the embarassing slow speed. It got up and ran off into the woods (looked unscathed, though I worried about it for weeks). If I'd been going the speed of all the people who passed me, I probably would have made a real mess. Since then I find it a little easier to stick to my preferred speed.

Never want to see a deer eyeball up that close again unless it's in a petting zoo.

 

[mbrasseau]

Doesn't anyone else think that it's odd that Shell, a major fuel seller, would tell us how to save fuel?

It was a different time then.

 

[Ripper238]

Speed doesn't seem to effect my MPG too much and my time is limited, but I will come to slow rolling stop when I can. I also found the biggest thing is turning off the vehicle rather than idling. So much fuel is wasted at idol.

You will get better MPG by not using your AC. Bob is right, but if you have to resort to opening your windows rather than AC then yes the drag from the windows being down will make it worse than running the AC.

 

[Morgana]

For what it's worth, AAA comes down on the "use less air conditioning" side too (https://gasprices.aaa.com/news/fuel-saving-tips/).

 

[barefootrebel]

I'm in the drive slow group. On I-66, outside of DC. I set my cruise at 60. I pizz off a lot of people.

 

[Camper]

Here's a great article on saving gas by Consumer Reports:

How to get the best fuel economy now:

Link

 

[user 22017]

Here's a great article on saving gas by Consumer Reports:

How to get the best fuel economy now:

Link

Thanks for the link. So my dad and brother were right all along, lol. Back in the '70's I argued that the Shell Answer Man said better mileage with the windows up.

 

[user 22017]

I'm in the drive slow group. On I-66, outside of DC. I set my cruise at 60. I pizz off a lot of people.

I drive 60, too. I'd go 55 if it felt safe.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I try to stay off the interstate and freeways in general and stick to secondary roads. Speed limits are usually 45 to 65 mph. Much less stressful when vehicles around me are going about the same speed as I am. And I get about 2 to 3 mpg better even with slowing down for towns.
Plus the scenery is better; interstates seem to have the most boring scenery.

Concerning air conditioning vs. windows open:
IMO it is too dependent on vehicle and conditions to make general statements. With my truck (2012 Ram 2500 V8), I cannot tell the difference in gas milage or power.

I have gotten much more conservative in my driving as I age. Slower to accelerate, 3 second gap to traffic ahead, earlier slowing and stopping.