is driving over 60mph really this inefficient

[holden j caufield]

Text

according to this gov site it is. I find it hard to believe

 

[conjur]

Look for a graph showing how drag increases with speed and I think you'll have a good answer.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Varies by car. Largely a function of gearing. The graph is wrong though. I have yet to have a car that did not peak in fuel mileage between 35 and 45 mph. 55mph is not the peak of efficiency, it's just as low as they could make it without having the country rise up with torches and pitchforks.

My Lincoln is rated at 26 highway. I get 26mpg cruising at a steady 80mph on the interstate. Have gotten 28 at a steady 65.

ZV

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: conjur
Look for a graph showing how drag increases with speed and I think you'll have a good answer.

That and you run out of gearing. Cars are made to run more from the line to 60ish. Mind you a corvette with a 6speed manual goes to sleep in 6th, but I am speaking in MOST type cars.

 

[monk3y]

I need to start driving slower

 

[aplefka]

does driving over 60mph really this inefficient

Is that a statement? Is it in English?

 

[osiris3mc]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: conjur
Look for a graph showing how drag increases with speed and I think you'll have a good answer.

That and you run out of gearing. Cars are made to run more from the line to 60ish. Mind you a corvette with a 6speed manual goes to sleep in 6th, but I am speaking in MOST type cars.

Corvette? C'mon, how bout a real car!

 

[mobobuff]

Wouldn't it also depend on the weight of the vehicle?

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
My Lincoln...

Grandpa?!

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: conjur
Look for a graph showing how drag increases with speed and I think you'll have a good answer.

That and you run out of gearing. Cars are made to run more from the line to 60ish. Mind you a corvette with a 6speed manual goes to sleep in 6th, but I am speaking in MOST type cars.

Any American car with a good torquey V8 should have plenty of gear left. My Lincoln hits 55 in first and is only turning about 2,000 RPM at 75 in OD.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
My Lincoln...

Grandpa?!

Mark VIII. 32 Valve, 280hp V8. Surprises the hell out of punks in Civics.

ZV

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

If there's a fuel efficiency difference anywhere between 65 and 75 mph in my Mazda 3, I haven't discovered it. Anywhere in that range yield about the same mileage with cruise control and the windows up (34-36 mpg).

 

[holden j caufield]

Originally posted by: aplefka

does driving over 60mph really this inefficient

Is that a statement? Is it in English?

either you're a grammer nazi or you're stupid if you don't understand the question (yes the grammer sucks but it's not hard to understand). No soup for yoooooo

 

[MercenaryForHire]

1-800-Bullshit

I made a seven-hour highway run in my old '93 Civic LX, averaging about 75-80mph the whole way. 42 mpg.

- M4H

 

[aplefka]

Originally posted by: holden j caufield

Originally posted by: aplefka

does driving over 60mph really this inefficient

Is that a statement? Is it in English?

either you're a grammer nazi or you're stupid if you don't understand the question (yes the grammer sucks but it's not hard to understand). No soup for yoooooo

You're telling me I'm stupid? Yup, I'm stupid because I can properly form sentences and questions. :disgust:

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: aplefka

Originally posted by: holden j caufield

Originally posted by: aplefka

does driving over 60mph really this inefficient

Is that a statement? Is it in English?

either you're a grammer nazi or you're stupid if you don't understand the question (yes the grammer sucks but it's not hard to understand). No soup for yoooooo

You're telling me I'm stupid? Yup, I'm stupid because I can properly form sentences and questions. :disgust:

yes stupid you very is

up the shut f*ck

no0b



- M4H

 

[Kilrsat]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
1-800-Bullshit

I made a seven-hour highway run in my old '93 Civic LX, averaging about 75-80mph the whole way. 42 mpg.

- M4H

I can get 20-22mpg while doing 80 in my El Camino... of course it was never the most fuel efficient vehicle in the first place. Will get roughly the same mileage even at 65.

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
1-800-Bullshit

- M4H

It's engaged

 

[Yellow Dog]

You have to keep in mind that all of the mileage ratings on new cars, that the highway MPG listed is tested at 52 MPH or something close to that, nothing that has anything to do with actual "highway speeds". Just another duping of the public by the auto industry with the governments blessings.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Yellow Dog
You have to keep in mind that all of the mileage ratings on new cars, that the highway MPG listed is tested at 52 MPH or something close to that, nothing that has anything to do with actual "highway speeds". Just another duping of the public by the auto industry with the governments blessings.

i get my rated mileage.

 

[glorifiedg790]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: conjur
Look for a graph showing how drag increases with speed and I think you'll have a good answer.

That and you run out of gearing. Cars are made to run more from the line to 60ish. Mind you a corvette with a 6speed manual goes to sleep in 6th, but I am speaking in MOST type cars.

Any American car with a good torquey V8 should have plenty of gear left. My Lincoln hits 55 in first and is only turning about 2,000 RPM at 75 in OD.

ZV

How about a 98 taurus?

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: glorifiedg790

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: conjur
Look for a graph showing how drag increases with speed and I think you'll have a good answer.

That and you run out of gearing. Cars are made to run more from the line to 60ish. Mind you a corvette with a 6speed manual goes to sleep in 6th, but I am speaking in MOST type cars.

Any American car with a good torquey V8 should have plenty of gear left. My Lincoln hits 55 in first and is only turning about 2,000 RPM at 75 in OD.

ZV

How about a 98 taurus?

Sucks no matter *what* the speed or gear is!

 

[Kilrsat]

Originally posted by: Yellow Dog
You have to keep in mind that all of the mileage ratings on new cars, that the highway MPG listed is tested at 52 MPH or something close to that, nothing that has anything to do with actual "highway speeds". Just another duping of the public by the auto industry with the governments blessings.

In 1987 my car was rated at 18/22 for city/highway. I still get 21-22 on the highways, even at speeds of 65+mph. Where's this grand conspiracy?

 

[Actaeon]

Aside from coasting and those other "tricks", you will always get the best gas mileage in your highest gear, at the lowest cruising rpm (typically 1500~), thats typically around 35-40mph in most cars.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: glorifiedg790

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: conjur
Look for a graph showing how drag increases with speed and I think you'll have a good answer.

That and you run out of gearing. Cars are made to run more from the line to 60ish. Mind you a corvette with a 6speed manual goes to sleep in 6th, but I am speaking in MOST type cars.

Any American car with a good torquey V8 should have plenty of gear left. My Lincoln hits 55 in first and is only turning about 2,000 RPM at 75 in OD.

ZV

How about a 98 taurus?

V8? And I doubt the SHO V8 is a good example since it's performance tuned.

Though to be honest, most American cars with more than a 4 cylinder have a pretty tall overdrive gear because of all the highway travel.

ZV