Driving tips for gas saving?

[Spoiled]

To get the maximum miles per gallon, what is the best way to drive the elanta?

It is a 05 manual GT...stock

SHould I go through 1 and 2 to redline then shift to 5?

Should I shift before 2k and hit each gear?

At what speed in 5th does the elantra get the best mileage?

What have you all found to be the best driving method for fuel conservation?

[03SilverBullet]

I have learned that when im driving on a parkway on a warm day that if I keep my windows closed I get better MPG.

[BlackElantraGT]

According to the Hyundai manual, they suggest that you shift at 15, 25, 35, & 45

From my experience with this car over the years, it's not much of a gas saving when I shifted at or slightly below 2K rpm. Not only did it not save me gas tremendously, but everyone around me would just pass me when I drove like this, especially cars with automatics because they would always be quicker off the line.

I think Hyundai's recommendation works well because you're not going too slow and you're not driving like a riceboy either.

I don't think I know a single person with a stick that takes their car in 2nd gear up to redline and then shift to 5k rpm. Who knows, maybe that works well for you? I've personally never tried it. I personally like the feeling of hitting every gear.

[Vampyrate]

for 1-2 gears, i shift at 3k or a little above for normal driving.
for spirited driving, i normally shift around 4-5k for every gear.

think of it this way, the less the engine has to work to get a certain speed, the better for gas mileage. another thing, would you rather drive in 3rd at 3-4k all the time or shift into 4th and drive around 2500?

and for best gas mileage to speed ratio, ive heard that 55-65mph is the best to drive, whether automatic or manual, and for every 10mph over that, you loose a certain percentage in gas efficiency, i dont remember the thread, but a search can solve the exact numbers on that.

[Gregster]

I dont have a manual, but i have boosted my avg mpg's (city/hwy) from low-mid 20's into the low-mid 30's just by changing my driving habits.

Higher tire pressure-35 front and rear on my car

Extensive use of cruise control-both in city and highway (when situation presents itself)

Remove all unnecessary weight from cars-in other words, take out your junk. Go on a diet if you need to....lol

Go the speed limit where ever you go-sometimes i stay in the right lane and go 5 under. Also, if you go the speed limit, you have a better chance of green then red lights.

I accelerate lightly-I try to keep it so the transmission shifts at 2000-2500 rpm's. Sure everyone is passing you, but you have the statisfaction of knowing they are just wasting their money.

Take care of your car and she'll take care of you-simply maintain your car

Dont know if it makes any difference but i put 1/2 tank unleaded and 1/2 plus. No, i dont actually fill up with both grades at one time. The tank is full, let it get to half tank, and fill it with another grade.

Use a/c and roll windows up at speeds above 45 mph. I've heard you waste less gas on the freeway doing so, it creates less drag.

Consolodate all your trips

Coast whenever you can-coming up to a red light you know will change green. It's better to get back up to speed (in terms of saving fuel) from 10 mph then it would be from a full stop.

Avoid drive thru windows-i mean is it that much more effort to get a small bit of exercise walking up to the counter?

My friend has a neon and on avg achieves 40 mpg and he shifts at or below 2000 rpm. Granny driving to the max, but significant savings.

just by doing these things, I've seen a 10 mpg boost. I'm sure the manuals will do better, but in the mean time...ill just putt along in my 30-35 mpg (avg) elantra.

Gregster

[fgummett]

EDIT: oops! I guess the gregtser and I were both typing at the same time... but I'm glad to see we mostly agree. :D

This size engine is most efficient when at normal operating temperature and running at around 2500-3000 RPM. So change gears according to your rev counter.

If you want fuel efficiency do all your pulling away, accelerating, changing direction and braking smoothly... imagine you had a tennis ball in a shallow salad bowl on the seat next to you and you had to keep that ball from rolling out of the bowl. This helps to keep the car in balance and saves wear and tear along with gas but does not necessarily mean you have to drive slowly... just smoothly. [this tip courtesy of Jackie Stewart.. F1 champion in his day]

Stay within posted speed limits... the highway maximum was in some part at least determined to save fuel.

Don't idle your engine for more than a few seconds.. modern engines do not need to warm up before pulling away from cold. If you're stuck in traffic it doesn't hurt your engine to turn off and restart when you can move again.

There is still discussion about A/C versus increased drag from open windows but my understanding is that modern A/C is much more efficient and on a hot day I will drive at highway speeds with the windows closed and A/C on (if needed) but on slower roads I turn the A/C off and open windows.

Are you carrying extra weight in the car..? you don't need a full toolbox on every trip unless you're a roadside repair person; and if you have a roof rack take it off to reduce drag unless you are using it. Don't fill up every time... run with 1/2 a tank of gas.

Keep your tires at the correct pressure (as shown on the door jamb).. check this at least once a month with your own gauge when the tires are cold.

Keep your car maintained according to the schedule... oils and filters, belts (and tension), plugs and wires can all affect fuel efficiency.

Accelerate before uphills and not on them, to build momentum . Momentum is your friend for saving fuel... again smooth driving... look well ahead, behind, and over your shoulder, then signal and slide between lanes (your steering wheel should hardly move) rather than abrupt lane changes at the last second.

Look well ahead and judge when traffic lights are changing... you may be surprised how often easing off the gas can save you a stop at a red light... same idea with tailgating... leave a gap so you can see down the road and don't have to keep braking because of the clown in front of you.

I'm sure there are plenty more tips but these should give you a good start :)

[Jonny666]

Try waxing your car every day to reduce wind drag and avoid stickers that add more than 10 hp cuz their real gas guzzlers. Have your door handles and mirrors shaved. remove your factory spoiler. Strip the interior for weight savings. lower the car. replace ALL body panel's with carbon fiber. get a fuel tuner and run it lean to the verge of knocking. destroke the motor. install an otto cycle camshaft on the intake cam. lightweight rims & tires. replace all your glass with lexan. add a sail for windy days?

[only1db]

^ i cant believe you would actually type all that to be an A$$....

driving habits are big part of it...

tire pressure...shifting at about 3k...light acceleration...keeping momentum on curves and taking the correct line through it...take all the excessive weight out...make sure you change the oil every 3k...and the spark plugs and wires are newer and the filter is still good....

speeds are relative...it really depends on where your peak power is...because when i'm slammed on the ground i actually get better MPG when i'm on the highway...becaus the car does not shift from a little gust of wind and the three inches of car are not pushing the air but rather sliding underneath it...front spoiler helps too....driving down 78 towards harrisburg...i drove 90mph for about an hour and half...and iwas getting 31mpgs...according to the spot on gauge in the gt.

a modena 360 actually gets it best mpgs at 90 mph...like i said its all relative.

[FordFasteRR]

......... add a sail for windy days?

Thanks for the useful bit of information. :rolleyes:


_____________________

I saw a 125 mpg increase per tank from switching driving habbits. I have a 5spd 2003 XD.

Here are my tips:

#1. Shift at or below 2000 rpms in every gear.
#2. Always coast in neutral.
#3. Keep the highway speed blow 65 mph.
#4. Keep the air-filter clean (Recharge the K&N every 6000 miles or as soon as you see dirt build-up).
#5. Change the spark plugs and wires every 15,000 miles or sooner (Basically once per year) if you feel the performance degrading...
#6. I keep 40 psi of pressure in my tires...

(This one has less to do with fuel efficiency and more to do with reliability and piece of mind for me)......
#7. Change the engine oil frequently (I change it every 2000 miles with regular 10w30 dyno oil).

[slvrsleeper]

Or be a friend to OPEC and drive it like you stole it! Road and Track did a story on this topic in last months issue and basically said that results vary as much or more than the people doing the driving. I personally would rather be flayed alive than drive 65 on the interstate and think an upper GI exam is more fun than shifting at two grand all day.

[fgummett]

and here is that Road and Track article online : http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=20&article_id=3424

[03SilverBullet]

Try waxing your car every day to reduce wind drag and avoid stickers that add more than 10 hp cuz their real gas guzzlers. Have your door handles and mirrors shaved. remove your factory spoiler. Strip the interior for weight savings. lower the car. replace ALL body panel's with carbon fiber. get a fuel tuner and run it lean to the verge of knocking. destroke the motor. install an otto cycle camshaft on the intake cam. lightweight rims & tires. replace all your glass with lexan. add a sail for windy days?
wow :abovelol:

[robs02elantra]

I saw a 125 mpg increase per tank

:eek: you're kidding. 125 mpg increase. You mean, your elantra gets 150mpg?? Reading over it, I expected you to say that you started riding, that's how you got the great mpg.

Edit: Just figured it out. HA. 125 Miles Per Tank, not Miles Per Gallon.

[Vampyrate]

no rob, 125mpg... ff bikes everywhere now and fills up the car like every month

[robs02elantra]

there's still no way on earth that an all gasoline car with a beta 2 engine would get 150mpg. I bike to work every day, my wife walks to work everyday, we drive to church on sunday mornings and we don't get 150mpg (remember, 30mpg before, increase of 125...). Unless we are and I just don't know it. haha

[Vampyrate]

the trip computer doesnt go up that high... yeah, thats what it is.

[evan938]

I love the 'drive 5mph under the speed limit'. does your car know when you are speeding and kill your mileage? mine doesnt. do you think it matters if youre driving in 3rd gear at 45mph in a 25mph zone over 3rd gear at 45mph in a 50mph zone? that has to be the goofiest tip ive seen yet. thanks.

as for me...i dont care about gas mileage...as much as i should. i usually shift at 5k+ most of the day just because i enjoy driving my car. if im on a long trip, ill go easier on it, shift around 3k and set the cruise. other than that, its balls to the wall every day

[hyunelan2]

I think he's talking about 5mph under the limit on interstates. There is a small, yet noticeable difference in gas milage if you're driving 60 or 65 on the interstate - and that difference of 5 mph will only affect your driving time (over 20 miles) by a minute & thirty-two seconds.

[Vampyrate]

its been said before, its better to drive 55 on interstates/highways than it is to drive 65. but with flow of traffic, that may be dangerous (i need to go at least 80 on 81 or im a trucker patty on the side of the road)

[A&F 01 GLS]

I love the 'drive 5mph under the speed limit'. does your car know when you are speeding and kill your mileage? mine doesnt. do you think it matters if youre driving in 3rd gear at 45mph in a 25mph zone over 3rd gear at 45mph in a 50mph zone? that has to be the goofiest tip ive seen yet. thanks.

as for me...i dont care about gas mileage...as much as i should. i usually shift at 5k+ most of the day just because i enjoy driving my car. if im on a long trip, ill go easier on it, shift around 3k and set the cruise. other than that, its balls to the wall every day
Balls to the wall baby... balls to the wall!!!


http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mike.werner/BlogPics/Skylab.jpg

[Bnystrom]

Dont know if it makes any difference but i put 1/2 tank unleaded and 1/2 plus. No, i dont actually fill up with both grades at one time. The tank is full, let it get to half tank, and fill it with another grade.
Gregster
Your other tips are good, but there's no point in doing the above. All you're doing is spending extra money on higher octane fuel that doesn't burn as efficiently in the Elantra engine as regular does. Over the long term, it will result in increased deposits in the engine that will hurt your gas mileage.

To get the maximum miles per gallon, what is the best way to drive the elanta?

You don't need to use every gear. I typically skip forth gear, going directly from 3rd to 5th. In some cars, you can use 1st, 3rd and 5th only, but it doesn't seem to work too well in the Elantra. I'm not sure there's any advantage to it, anyway.

[quickfingerz]

Transmission mod: Plop a bigger final drive ratio on your tranny. 70mph @ 2100 rpm would do wonders for our gas mileage.

My tip: Gas mileage is indirectly relative to how aggressively someone uses their brakes. People who tend to brake harder also use more gas. This is probably because these drivers continue to accelerate when they know they have to eventually slow down or stop. Don't be like me trying to get to the stop sign as fast as possible wasting gas then having to slam on my brakes.

[KeWLKaT]

lol!

i started doing rolling while on neutral nowadays... im at about 9.7L/100km which is very good for me

[RLOU45]

Keep Your Foot Out Of The Dam Floorboard

[Ugzz]

i drive in the city only, i rarely hit the highway and my city driving is hardcore city driving, its nothing but stop signs and red lights and TONS AND TONS of hills. i was getting milage just over 20mpg while driving failry aggressivly,

then i started shifting around 2500-3k instead of always taking it up to 4500 like i used to and i started coasting a whole lot more. Just by doing this i went from low 20s to mid 20s and i i still dont do it as often as i should, i still drive failry aggressive far more often then i should. im sure the more i tone it down the more gas i will save, it has been that way on all of the vehicles i drove. heres my tip: if you drive like an *** you milage will suck, if you drive like a normal person your milage will be average, if you drive like a granny you get the best gas milage.... but hey, what fun is that?

and its not just driving slow like a granny, its as said in other posts about smoothness and fluidity on the road, just keep it nice and easy and shift a bit early and coast when you can.

Like tons of new cars have those super homo shift lights, i hate them and they suck in the city and there no good for quote "shifting" but, if you talk to a car dealer they will tell you that they just light up at low rpms to tell you that you will get similar effeciecy in the next gear if you shift now. so i suppose they work well for saving on gas, as long as your on a nice flat surface, otherwise they will tell you to pull an insane hill in 3rd gear :P..

i duno, just some of my ramblings to add in ..