Driving Tips

[muppet]

Hi Guys

With the increase in petrol prices it might be time to revise your driving habits in an effort to cut down on excessive fuel usage. Here are some tips that may help you.

Driving Tips

We Test the Tips
What Really Saves Gas? And How Much?
By Edmunds.com Editors
Date Posted 11-22-2005
With gas prices so high, the media is awash with lists of gas-saving tips. Well how's this for a tip? If you listen to us, you can see hybrid-type savings without having to buy a new car.

By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away (depending on how you drive). Combine several tips and perform routine maintenance and you will save real dollars, not just pennies.

A miracle? All we did was take several of the most common tips out there and put them to the test over a remote 55-mile route in the high desert of California. Some of them worked like a charm. Some of them didn't work at all. We'll give you the breakdown.

These tests were done under real-world conditions — not in a government lab somewhere. Our results can be matched by anyone — even you.

The wonderful part about what we found is that improving your car's mileage is just a matter of changing your habits. Stack a few of these winners together and we'll bet that you'll see a substantial savings at the pump — without the need for a new car.

Read more at:http://money.cnn.edmunds.com/ownersh...2/article.html

Regards

[CJ]

MOst of that is common sense.

However, when I jump in a car, common sense doesn't seem to follow me.

What is the point in owning an evo or a V8 if you dont drive aggresively and above the speed limit.

Sadly, I am without car now and the underground just doesn't give me the same enjoyment.

[cube]

a remote 55-mile route in the high desert of California

Sounds just like the route that I commute to work on!

[spaceman]

Gas is cheap in NZ

I'm in Italy, converting the price in NZ$ to Euros and visa versa for Italy and NZ you get the following.

NZ 1 litre = NZ$1.67 = Euro 0.86
Italy 1 litre = NZ$2.47 = Euro 1.27.

Now I would think that being a much larger market and being much closer to the main source of the oil, the actual cost per litre of fuel (not the sale price) in Italy would be a lot lower than in NZ.

Here the price we pay for gas is more than in NZ but people are apparently the most "car crazy" in the world. Passing the USA in car ownership per capita sometime in the 90's. So it hasn't affected peoples love for cars here although there are a lot more smaller cars here. But the small car thing also has to do with them being more practical in the cities... parking, narrow streets and such

I say put the price of gas up in NZ to around the NZ$2.50 mark, then use the extra tax revenue to improve the public transport system, roads and general transport infrastructure. I seriously doubt that many people would change their driving habits at even NZ$2.50 per litre .... though smaller engined more fuel efficient cars probably would become more popular.

So buy a big V8 now while you still can afford to run it.

Cheers
Spaceman

[Julian]

Spaceman,
I thought socialist views such as those you have suggested would not appear on a capitalist based forum as PropertyTalk. How is your Green Party membership going? Reminds me of a tee-shirt I once saw in Sydney which read (over a rather lovely and voluptuous set of breasts) "Keep New Zealand Green" (an old and worn out kiwi slogan), and accross her back were the words "...tell the buggers nothing!"
Julian

[CJ]

Julian is back!!!

And trying to catch up to Poomba by digging up old threads.

Where have you been. We have all missed your friendly personality on this forum.

[spaceman]

A commy me??

I didn't think my views were paticularily socialist ...more like user pays (more capitalist to my way of thinking)

i.e if you use the roads a lot you pay lots of tax

but i guess the socialist bit you were reffering to was then expecting the government to then use that tax to fund better transport infrastructure .... i see your point here.
Much better that tax on petrol gets spent on "hip hop tours" and MP's super generous pension plans.

No tree hugging greeny me. I'm planning on buying a V8 on return to NZ .....hopefully there will be less people on the roads and I'll be able to drive really fast and burn even more gas ... as they'll all be sitting at home and moaning about the price of gas.

I'd like to hear more about the breasts ... i mean t-shirt


cheers
spaceman

[Rhys]

Anything less than 8 cylinders is tax avoidance

I own a 1969 mustang and my brother owns a 1971 mustang, 1971 XY GT falcon and a F100 Truck

[Julian]

CJ
I had been, dare I say it, working - and quite frankly it was an experience I don't wish to repeat. Thankfully I have since on-sold the business, and now I can look forward to getting my life back.

Spaceman,
Anyone who thinks that by paying more taxes means the government will spend the extra money (a) how they said they would, or (b) wisely, is kidding themselves.

Julian

[CJ]

CJ
I had been, dare I say it, working - and quite frankly it was an experience I don't wish to repeat. Thankfully I have since on-sold the business, and now I can look forward to getting my life back.

Is this the carpet business??

[muppet]

AA's PetrolWatch - April 2006
Tuesday, 2 May 2006, 5:42 pm
Press Release: Automobile Association
2 May 2006
PetrolWatch - April 2006

Second-largest fuel jump in a single month

Fuel prices rose sharply in April, reaching record levels around the world. Prices were driven by uncertainty over oil supply from Nigeria, the possible impact of the diplomatic stand-off over Iran and strong demand.

In New Zealand petrol prices increased 14 cents per litre during April, ending at $1.709 per litre for 91 octane petrol, up from $1.569 at the beginning of the month. It's the second-largest jump in a single month recorded by PetrolWatch since records began in 1999.

The price of diesel rose 11 cents per litre during April, to close at $1.279 per litre, which, like petrol, is the highest price ever recorded.

"Crude oil prices approached US$75 a barrel towards the end of April before settling back to the low $70s. That was almost US$9 more than at the beginning of the month," says Mike Noon, AA General Manager of Motoring Affairs.

"While the NZ dollar recovered nearly 3 cents against the US dollar during April, it was not enough to cushion motorists from the sharp jump in product costs which flowed through to the pump."

According to AA PetrolWatch, petrol has risen 32 cents per litre, and diesel has risen 35 cents per litre, since the beginning of January. For a medium-sized car with a 60 litre tank, it now costs an extra $19 to fill up with 91 octane compared to the beginning of the year.

So what can you do about rising fuel prices?
Here are some simple tips to reduce your fuel consumption and improve the fuel economy of your car:

* Drive smoothly, avoiding rapid acceleration and braking - adopting a smooth relaxed driving style is the most effective action you can take to improve your fuel economy;
* Drive in the highest appropriate gear - driving at 60km/h in third gear uses up to 25% more fuel than in fifth gear;
* Use the lowest octane fuel suitable for your car;
* Check tyre pressures; low tyre pressure increases fuel consumption by 3%; and
* Minimise use of air-conditioning, running your air conditioning can increase fuel consumption by up to 11%.
"Remember the faster you go the more it costs!" says Mr Noon.

More helpful tips on keeping your fuel costs down are listed on the AA's website: www.aa.co.nz

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0605/S00067.htm

[cube]

Has anyone tried Shell's new formula - does it work?

Shells New Fuel

[Stevegoodey]

Doesn't taste any better than the old one.....Hic

[Rhys]

doesn't work in V8s - keeps fouling plugs and no economy advantge (although thats not really an exact science in a V8 ). Gull was always the best fuel for me.

[captaincrab]

Try BP's Ultimate 98 Octane. A car mag did a whole lot of tests on the different types and this one came out the best.(more Horsepower generated) My 350Z runs way smoother and I actually get better mileage even though it costs more.