I agree with everything so far and am quietly thrilled that someone has come to realise that the 1L Uno is more about economy than 'exhibitionistic' driving
That is an actual word from a FIAT handbook...
Basically, any engine that has to work hard is not an economical engine. Remember the time that Jeremy Clarkson trailed a Prius around their track, Clarkson in the V8-powered M3 got better economy than the Prius, which proves that the Prius was working too hard (it was being driven flat-out).
Narrow tyres will help economy but I suggest 155/70, not 135... 155s are still biscuits by modern standards... you will have to expect less in terms of cornering grip, you trade that off for rolling resistance being less. I presume at the moment you have 185/60 13s. Obviously, while not wide by modern standards, that's quite a bit wider than original - I challenge whether wider is always better though. Sometimes, you can hardly tell the difference, especially if the 155/70s are really good ones (not made in China, not super-hard rubber). If you do fit narrower tyres, please take the car for a thrash around an industrial estate on a Sunday, etc., I'm not condoning breaking laws, but it's sensible to find out where the limits are, so you know them. Try some emergency stops and a few swerves - you don't have to be going very fast...
Steel wheels are more practical than alloys, in terms of maintenance and robustness (particularly when you keep kerbing them
), and the Uno steel wheels are really light anyway. And, as a bonus, they seem to be worth about 5p.
Fuel consumption - I don't like this dipping the clutch business... dunno why, just doesn't seem right. There won't be much engine braking when rolling in fifth anyway, and with revs above about 1500 the fuel should be cut off (it won't be if you dip the clutch). Rolling down a long motorway hill in neutral would be illegal but there's no doubt you go further than you do in gear. I used to do it.
In practical figures - from your nine miles per litre, I make that 40.8mpg. When I get that in my 3 litre Alfa 164 in open-road conditions, that's pretty good - but you have a 1 litre engine and HALF the weight to haul around
I reckon you can easily raise your average to 45mpg. There you go, the challenge is laid down :slayer:
Basically, fuel economy golden rules are not just about driving slowly, though driving slowly can be part of it - it's more about conserving momentum. Stopping and starting off again uses the most fuel.
- Never brake hard. Anticipate the need to slow down and get off the throttle early. Hopefully by the time you get there, the need to stop will have passed. If in a queue of traffic, hang back a bit so as to avoid the need to stop and start. People behind may be annoyed but screw them - they're going to be saving fuel too, as when you don't stop, they don't have to either
- Actually, think of the brake pedal as using just as much fuel as the accelerator - because any time you're braking, you're losing momentum which will have to be built back up again. You can even use this as an excuse to go around corners a bit faster (avoiding the need to brake), which obviously has mixed messages. On the one hand, it can be safer not to be braking as much, but on the other hand, you obviously don't want to overdo the fast-cornering on your new biscuit tyres. SMOOTHNESS is key here. So, a common myth busted - a hesitant, jerky, slow driver is not an economical driver. A driver who has the same smoothness as a racing driver, is economical. There you go, suddenly the drive to work becomes as smooth and relaxing as driving on a race circuit...
- Move off with moderate acceleration, using the gears properly, though I sometimes skip a gear if accelerating especially gently. If you're stopped, I think you should always move off in 1st. If you're moving even slightly, then 2nd will be fine.
- Light accelerator pressure, should never be any need for more than 2/3rds throttle. Keep some power in reserve
- Use high gears to sustain speed, not to accelerate. i.e. get up to 30-40mph perhaps in 3rd, then shift to 5th and maintain that speed. Don't over-use 5th. A few extra revs do not matter all that much, whereas trying to accelerate in 5th is usually bad as the engine will be below its torque peak (efficiency peak). An accelerate-and-sustain approach seems to give better results than a constantly-accelerating-very-slowly-and-holding-everyone-up approach.
- Here's the bit that goes against the 'slow driving' myth. Build up speed on the flat or downhill - as fast as you dare - so that going uphill, you can let the speed taper off a bit. Obviously don't slow down to the point where you become a hazard to other drivers, but (especially if you happen to be in the left lane on a motorway) let it down to 60mph or so uphill. That uses much less fuel than stepping on the throttle to maintain 70mph going uphill.
- The difference in economy between 70mph and 60mph is probably greater than you think (maybe try and measure it sometime; brim-fill at a motorway services, do a steady 70mph to the next services, brim-fill again and calculate, then do the same (maybe another day
) but only do 60mph. In any case, there will be even more of a difference between 70mph and 80mph in a small-engined car. But, you do have to weigh all this against the time-saving. I suggest going with the flow, but if you get held up behind slower traffic, just take a few deep breaths (with window open if necessary) and think, well, at least I'm saving fuel
- Here's probably the biggest surprise: if you need to do 70mph continuously, consider a bigger-engined car. You'd be surprised to know that my 2L Alfa 156 is more economical than my 1.2L Punto when achieving an average speed of 93km/h in open-road (not motorway, not dual-carriageway) driving.
Just as you said, achieve economical driving and after a little while you realise that the longer following distances, decreased need for braking, decreased wheelspin at traffic lights
rolleyes
, all give you longer to react to dangerous situations, so as well as saving fuel, you're a safer driver. And people notice when you're a smoother, more relaxed driver. It makes them feel more relaxed too. They might even fall asleep, which is a good sign
On the other hand I have been guilty of speeding on a deserted road at night, several times, to stay awake... Economy driving is all well and good on a regular basis, but sometimes, you do just have to put your foot down. We're all only human
-Alex
