how can i get better MPG???
05-22-2008, 02:05 PM
#53
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05-22-2008, 03:41 PM
#56
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I have to disagree that it "hardly has any breaking power at all". I often downshift my fiance's Mazda3 auto and notice a significant increase in braking. I do it in the 8 all the time too, just let your foot off the pedal when you're cruising at 4k RPM and you'll feel the added drag. Put the clutch in and it'll free up.
I don't know if it actually is likely to damage the engine though... More than that I would think it will wear your clutch more because you're downshifting more often (thus your total number of shifts increases)
I don't know if it actually is likely to damage the engine though... More than that I would think it will wear your clutch more because you're downshifting more often (thus your total number of shifts increases)
05-22-2008, 03:46 PM
#57
Compared to the power of brakes, engine compression has very little braking power. Sure, if you let your foot off the gas, it'll slow down.....and if your slowing for a stop light a block away.......well, I guess that's ok. But I sure don't want to dive deep into a corner with only engine compression. As for downshifting - the purpose of downshifting is not to slow the car, it's to be in the right gear when you accelerate. That's why you heel and toe; shift while braking, then get off the brakes and come out hard.
05-22-2008, 04:42 PM
#58
Norway, the gasprice here is about 9.3 per gallon (or 2.6 dollar per litre as we would say) and rising. As you may or may not know (take a look at this list if not: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chart_o..._oil_by_nation ) we are an oil country, you'd think we got it cheap 
Most of the prices is tax that goes to the government though.
MisterMan: I'd be interested to know what we get for free though. Free hospital and some other things, sure. So do Cubans
We have pretty crappy roads by any standards, and it's expensive to own a car eventhough the country is long and there's a good distance between the big cities. There's 25% salestax on everything and I have to pay about 40,000 dollars in fees and taxes to the government for the RX-8 I'm importing that comes in addition to the amount it cost in the states. Yeah, it's really cheap here :P
Can't complain though really, but not to be rude, but you are getting away a bit easy on the gas prices so far, don't think it will last.
I'd never be able to even buy the RX-8 unless I had money saved up, inherited some, and haven't got anything else than a flat to pay off. I'm carmad, so I'll get by, but we don't get a lot of "free" stuff.
Most of the prices is tax that goes to the government though.MisterMan: I'd be interested to know what we get for free though. Free hospital and some other things, sure. So do Cubans
We have pretty crappy roads by any standards, and it's expensive to own a car eventhough the country is long and there's a good distance between the big cities. There's 25% salestax on everything and I have to pay about 40,000 dollars in fees and taxes to the government for the RX-8 I'm importing that comes in addition to the amount it cost in the states. Yeah, it's really cheap here :PCan't complain though really, but not to be rude, but you are getting away a bit easy on the gas prices so far, don't think it will last.
I'd never be able to even buy the RX-8 unless I had money saved up, inherited some, and haven't got anything else than a flat to pay off. I'm carmad, so I'll get by, but we don't get a lot of "free" stuff.
05-22-2008, 05:52 PM
#59
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Bullcrap.
Braking with your brakes wears down your pads, your rotors and makes brake dust.
Using your engine to decelerate cuts off the fuel flow completely and just turns it into a glorified air compressor since it doesn't need fuel to keep it turning, the wheels are doing it for you.
Putting it in neutral and using your brakes means the engine is idling and using fuel to make it keep turning at idle.
I would imagine that an engine running on fuel is getting more wear than one that is just turning and not experiencing the burn. Not to mention you're saving on gas.
Braking with your brakes wears down your pads, your rotors and makes brake dust.
Using your engine to decelerate cuts off the fuel flow completely and just turns it into a glorified air compressor since it doesn't need fuel to keep it turning, the wheels are doing it for you.
Putting it in neutral and using your brakes means the engine is idling and using fuel to make it keep turning at idle.
I would imagine that an engine running on fuel is getting more wear than one that is just turning and not experiencing the burn. Not to mention you're saving on gas.
05-22-2008, 06:31 PM
#60
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Norway,
: snip :
MisterMan: I'd be interested to know what we get for free though. Free hospital and some other things, sure. So do Cubans We have pretty crappy roads by any standards, and it's expensive to own a car eventhough the country is long and there's a good distance between the big cities. There's 25% salestax on everything and I have to pay about 40,000 dollars in fees and taxes to the government for the RX-8 I'm importing that comes in addition to the amount it cost in the states. Yeah, it's really cheap here :P
Can't complain though really, but not to be rude, but you are getting away a bit easy on the gas prices so far, don't think it will last.
I'd never be able to even buy the RX-8 unless I had money saved up, inherited some, and haven't got anything else than a flat to pay off. I'm carmad, so I'll get by, but we don't get a lot of "free" stuff.
: snip :
MisterMan: I'd be interested to know what we get for free though. Free hospital and some other things, sure. So do Cubans
We have pretty crappy roads by any standards, and it's expensive to own a car eventhough the country is long and there's a good distance between the big cities. There's 25% salestax on everything and I have to pay about 40,000 dollars in fees and taxes to the government for the RX-8 I'm importing that comes in addition to the amount it cost in the states. Yeah, it's really cheap here :PCan't complain though really, but not to be rude, but you are getting away a bit easy on the gas prices so far, don't think it will last.
I'd never be able to even buy the RX-8 unless I had money saved up, inherited some, and haven't got anything else than a flat to pay off. I'm carmad, so I'll get by, but we don't get a lot of "free" stuff.
You're right on gas, though. The reality is that we could be paying 6 or 7 dollars a gallon and still be miles ahead. The only thing you have on us is distance. It's not uncommon for a day try to take hundreds of miles (and still not be anywhere "fun"). Not to mention the public transportation system here is a joke. I could make my way to to europe and backpack around and have a great time. Around these parts: Good luck getting off the street corner.
The "free stuff" dig was (needless to say) that at least your tax dollars are more directly spent on things you actually see/use in some capacity. I'm tired of most of my tax dollars going to pay for crapola I'm not interested in.
But look. I've gone and rambled and derailed the heck out of this thread.
My bad.
But, "Hey!" It was nice conversing with you. Once again, I didn't mean to come across as a real ***.
(Oh and with current incentives (and an obscure discount through work) my RX-8 - which stickered at 33k - was only 26k)
05-22-2008, 06:50 PM
#61
Thus you burn more fuel at idle than while engine braking.
05-23-2008, 04:26 AM
#64
I won't take credit for being right on that Unnecessary downshifting is a wear on the clutch though, so personally I'd rather wear my brakepads than wear my clutch
MisterMan: I gotcha
Unnecessary downshifting is a wear on the clutch though, so personally I'd rather wear my brakepads than wear my clutch MisterMan: I gotcha
05-30-2008, 12:44 AM
#67
Power!!
05-30-2008, 10:45 AM
#69
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i once only got 86 miles to a full tank lol, i drive it normal with the occasional redline. i also had a cel for a 02 sensor at the time too and my driving to work is 2-3 minutes i shut it off pull out my boxtruck out of the shop, start the rx8 back up and pull her into the nice heated garage thats y my gas milegae sucks.. but i get usually 160-190 miles to the tank
05-30-2008, 11:29 AM
#73
When you slow the car down by down shifting. I don't really know what you call it... that's what how my buddies and I talk about in German...
For good mileage I bike to work and carpool. Get a road bike, it is fun, quick, and cheaper than the car.
For good mileage I bike to work and carpool. Get a road bike, it is fun, quick, and cheaper than the car.
05-30-2008, 11:31 AM
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^^^^
AKA engine brake
To down shift into a lower gear and use the engine's compression to slow down the car as opposed to pressing in the clutch (or shifting to neutral) and riding the brakes. It's not recommended as it puts unnecessary wear on the drive train. Brake pads and rotors are much easier to replace than transmission components.
AKA engine brake
To down shift into a lower gear and use the engine's compression to slow down the car as opposed to pressing in the clutch (or shifting to neutral) and riding the brakes. It's not recommended as it puts unnecessary wear on the drive train. Brake pads and rotors are much easier to replace than transmission components.