Teach me how to drive!

[MrAnthonyC]

Originally Posted by Ubersuber

BMW actually tested this during development of their unpopular but efficient eta engines. They discovered (and measured) the benefits of using wide open throttle to reduce pumping losses and accelerating rapidly uses very little extra fuel over accelerating slowly, contrary to intuition and a lot of bogus "economy driving" advice. The extra time you spend at very little throttle opening compensates for the extra fuel used when putting the hammer down. I always accelerate briskly if there's nobody in front of me and then settle at my cruise speed and light throttle asap. Supercharged engines really benefit from this technique.

I am ecstatic to hear this!!

[noodlebaka]

Originally Posted by MrAnthonyC

Yes I am learning to "drive better"..

Was repeating your question, not saying "Learn to drive better".

Either way, smooth inputs!

[hypercarfanatic]

Originally Posted by MrAnthonyC

Toooo much fun! I was hoping someone would say something like this. Can anyone concur? I enjoy accelerating hard to reach my target speed then letting off or popping cruise.

I agree with this statement - when I want to REALLY save fuel, I will shift really early to keep the RPMs lower, up to my cruising speed, and then use cruise control. Cruse control is amazing at keeping my MPG high, but is not good at managing acceleration.

I actually did a test to prove this. I choose 4 days and did 6 tests with each technique and have attached the results in a spreadsheet. Test 1 was me driving like I need to actually get where I want to go. Test 2 was me practicing "You are in a hurry, but I am a grandma in front of you". Test 3 was the aforementioned accelerate with low RPM, activate cruise control. I tried to keep all other variables the same by having the same amount of gas, same tire pressure, and same "driving mentality" - actually slept the night before, ate, wasn't focused on anything other than the test. Also used a road that was not populated so I would not have to worry about other drivers, and one that had straits with twisties. The length of the road segment was 2.459 miles, which I drove 5 times for a total 12.475 miles per test.

Also, I drove each test at a cruising speed of 50MPH.

Hope it helps

[continuecrushing]

teach me how to dougie?

[lantsalot]

I just take my shoes off and drive in socks...

Originally Posted by dreroc-z

If you're having trouble shifting try a pair of shoes that gives you more "pedal feel". I keep a pair of shoes in my car that give me more feel for the pedal vs. the dress shoes I have to wear to work every day. You wont get better gas mileage by wearing different shoes but for atleast...it makes a bit a difference.

[stonenewt]

Originally Posted by Ubersuber

BMW actually tested this during development of their unpopular but efficient eta engines. They discovered (and measured) the benefits of using wide open throttle to reduce pumping losses and accelerating rapidly uses very little extra fuel over accelerating slowly, contrary to intuition and a lot of bogus "economy driving" advice. The extra time you spend at very little throttle opening compensates for the extra fuel used when putting the hammer down. I always accelerate briskly if there's nobody in front of me and then settle at my cruise speed and light throttle asap. Supercharged engines really benefit from this technique.

I see a similar thing in my 120d. Basically any acceleration once over 1600 rpm takes the MPG down to the low 20mpg mark but normally sits in the 40-75mpg range for cruising on reasonably flat roads. The extra fuel saved over the 10 seconds at 19mpg for the 10 seconds at 23mpg is more than made up for by extra the 20 seconds at 24mpg instead of, say, 60mpg.

[FlamingRectumSyndrome]

Your questions miss the entire point of this car. It isn't a particularly great economy car (though I average 33+ mpg commuting 110 miles a day in some of the worst traffic in NorCal), and it definitely isn't a muscle car that's optimized for hard acceleration.

It's a sports car.

Forget gas mileage or acceleration. Join your local chapter of the SCCA and do some autocrossing. Learn how your FR-S handles at the edges of its capabilities. Learn about the car's real strength: handling. You'll have a ton of fun, and drive away with skills that actually translate to daily driving. You'll know how hard you can brake and/or swerve before losing traction, and how hard you can accelerate through a turn before starting to slide; you'll become comfortable with how your car handles at its limits. Unlike 99% of the drivers out there, you'll actually understand your car's capabilities, and know how to use them.

THAT'S learning how to drive.

[Ubersuber]

Well, not the entire point of the car. The entire point of the car is it as useable as a hatchback but can be as exciting as a Cayman (admittedly not as fast as but that is rapidly becoming a non-issue as public opinion changes more and more to a nanny state).

Driving this car normally as a commuter car is just as much fun really as driving it as hard as you can. Just different.

[hypercarfanatic]

OP was banned, why thread continue?

[MrAnthonyC]

Originally Posted by hypercarfanatic

OP was banned, why thread continue?

Bans all around!