If you do the coasting in neutral and you gain 1.5mpg, and drive a 100,000mi this way you are only saving like 4.5% on your fuel bill. *given 16 to 17.5mpg, 4.50$ fuel and my doing my figures right*

Can't say that I would coast in neutral in a vehicle for any extended period of time. To my knowledge the transmission fluid pump is driven off of the input side not that tail shaft so I would think that if you did that you might not get enough fluid pumped through the tranny and could shorten the life of it. Also you run the risk of accidentally slipping it up into reverse and fucking things up. Sure you may be careful 99% of the time on that one, but is saving a little bit of money on fuel really worth the extra risk on fragging the transmission? Now on the new fully electronic controlled ones, I don't know if it will even try to slip into reverse while going that speed.

I engine brake, coasting is hard on brakes. Engine breaking also shuts off the injectors.

Throwing it into Neutral will remove all ability to accelerate in emergency situations.

Can't say that I would coast in neutral in a vehicle for any extended period of time. To my knowledge the transmission fluid pump is driven off of the input side not that tail shaft so I would think that if you did that you might not get enough fluid pumped through the tranny and could shorten the life of it. Also you run the risk of accidentally slipping it up into reverse and fucking things up. Sure you may be careful 99% of the time on that one, but is saving a little bit of money on fuel really worth the extra risk on fragging the transmission? Now on the new fully electronic controlled ones, I don't know if it will even try to slip into reverse while going that speed.

I engine brake, coasting is hard on brakes. Engine breaking also shuts off the injectors.

Throwing it into Neutral will remove all ability to accelerate in emergency situations.

I was about to post about the accelerate in emergency, and the brakes issue. But was wondering if anyone else would add their .02$

I always let the car coast when I need to stop...

how is coasting hard on brakes?

I'm also unsure how engine braking turns off the injectors when doing this raises your RPMs when you first downshift, which I figure would need *more* fuel.

Edited June 11, 200817 yr by KU40

When in gear you are using engine braking which is using the compression stroke of the engine to absorb some of the energy, coasting eliminates this and puts all the energy into the brakes. The only way the brakes have to dissipate heat is through the surrounding air, to hot and you run into fading and failure.

how is coasting hard on brakes?

I'm also unsure how engine braking turns off the injectors when doing this raises your RPMs when you first downshift, which I figure would need *more* fuel.

If it downshifts and raises the RPM's without you pressing on the fuel pedal, more fuel is not going into the engine. It is then using the compression stroke to slow down the engine to match the fuel input that you are giving it with the accelerator pedal.

That is how I understand it.

0% throttle input = 0% fuel input

I rev match on downshift, then let the engine do the braking for me. Doesn't work for those that like to slam on the brakes to avoid the rear end of another driver.

Basically Standard Transmission > Automatic

Basically Standard Transmission > Automatic

All depends on what your doing. Drag racing and city traffic I'll take an auto any day of the week.

And curious, where was this information found and how did they come to these conclusions?

I'm not being an ass, just curious.

From http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=7714 post #2

I don't know how true it is but atleast they attempted a scientifical approach. People on FSC still refuse to believe it...

Basically Standard Transmission > Automatic

All depends on what your doing. Drag racing and city traffic I'll take an auto any day of the week.

Good point. I do city driving as little as possible during rush-hours now. And for the drag track, most auto's are faster. Unless it's a neon. The 3-speed gearing in the first gen was soo bad in the auto that it was ~ 3 seconds slower down the track than a standard neon with a good driver.

CVT, automatic or GTFO

yes I am a lazy bastard

GM Canada is now suing the CAW

this is starting to get fun

Good. CAW is a bunch of dog fuckers... highest paid unskilled workers in the world.

Good. CAW is a bunch of dog fuckers... highest paid unskilled workers in the world.

Thats what I keep hearing

Ok, so now that I have an indication of my gas mileage and such for the saturn I have put together some numbers....

Constants

Gas - $4.00

Z71 - 16 MPG

SL2 - 29 MPG

I average around 430 miles per week. (Drivng to and from work, driving to Baytown or else where on the weekends and Leisure travel)

for the Z71 and SL2 that is 26.875 Gal and 14.333 Gallons respectively and $107.50/wk and $57.33/wk

The difference comes out to about a $200 Saving per week and $2400/yr

Ok so we need subtract cost of ownership

$2400

-$120 (for oil changes)

-$300 (Tires)

-$150 (Repair and misc)

-$90 (emissions and registration) (I think this is higher than what it really cost)

=$1740

Now Subtract the cost of the car...

-$1400

-$124 (TT&L)

=$216

So in one year I am already ahead by $216 and the cost of tires is not a yearly occurrence and neither is the cost of the vehicle.

Depreciation is not worth mentioning because the car is worth more than I bought it for and will be in the future with gas the way it is

Insurance is not worth mentioning either because we dropped another vehicle for this one and the Saturn is cheaper.

So in the next few years I should be saving quite a bit of money

My question is how are you only getting 29mpg with an sl2... One of my buddies in highschool had a standard one doing over 40mpg on highway.

Interestingly enough my Jeep has been using less fuel monthly than my neon was. Don't blame me for a) having an auto-neon, and b) having ported and polished heads and a mid-range cam....

But anyways I just eclipsed the 40mpg mark. I went 84.8 miles on 2.178 gallons of gas. I'm sure I could do even better if I employed more hyper-miling techniques.

My question is how are you only getting 29mpg with an sl2... One of my buddies in highschool had a standard one doing over 40mpg on highway.

SL2's get the lowest MPG's of any of the Saturns of that year model.

Same size engine but 25 more HP

I don't know though. That would be awesome if I'm capable of more. I've never driven a standard daily before so MPG could improve with my skills. But the car is really up on maintanence (or so it seems) I might throw in some new plugs, wires and such and see if I gain anything

0% throttle input = 0% fuel input

I rev match on downshift, then let the engine do the braking for me. Doesn't work for those that like to slam on the brakes to avoid the rear end of another driver.

so the car doesn't use gas when idling?

Doesn't idle while moving, unless the clutch is engaged & you are coasting.

So if you're going downhill in 4th gear and letting it drift there is zero fuel being shot into the car?

uh, i meant engine, but i think you know that.