So the other night mythbusters was on, and they did mpg tests while drafting behind a semi. Turned out some pretty good hard evidence. I knew it made a difference but i didnt think THAT much.

Of course i had to try it on my normal 1/2 hr drive to work on the highway this morning. Got on the first exit started the mpg gauge thing and found a semi that did about 65-70mph all the way to my work exit...25 min away. Stayed about 1-1/2 car lenghts behind it...so it wasnt like i was eating his bumper.

Ended up getting 34.2 mpg, AC on....about 88 deg F...flat florida highway.
Normally i get 25-26 at 70, so i thought it was pretty interesting.

Anyone do this regularly?

 

Would you rather save a few dollars a week or spend a few hundred regularly to repaint the front end of your car? Big trucks=major rock chips.

 

Never done this and I don't think I ever will.
Big trucks kick up a lot of rocks, don't stay behind them.

 

Ouch dude, I avoid them like crazy. I hate the sound of the rocks hitting my car, s'all I hear when I'm behind one for like 3-4 seconds. I rather get 28mpg and not be behind anyone.

 

I went for a drive w/ friends and drafted behind the Z of a buddy of mine. I think I was 'bout 3-4 car lengths behind him and we were doing about 70mph. Wanted to check what type of fuel econmy so I reset the counter. Over a 20+ mile distance the computer was saying I got 30.2 mpg. That was in my '03 completely stock save for some Koni shocks.

 

yeah higher mpg or not I avoid semi's like the plague

 

Yeah, i was thinking about that. But the traffic when i drive to work makes you be pretty close to the back of cars regardless... so its kinda going to happen anyway. I actually made sure the truck had good mudguards and stuff, so trust me...i was conscious . That and my front is so chipped up anyway, maybe i just dont care. haha

 

You know its funny, i dont know if its the highway down here or what...maybe that it rains everyday and washes it out, who knows, but i didnt hear or see one rock or anything decent fly up behind it, and i def would of seen it, since i was staring at the back of his tires for 25 min.

 

I make it a point to STAY AWAY from all big trucks.

 

How many rock chips did they get? lol

 

" 34.2 mpg drafting a semi, anyone else do this? "

Lol, I saw title and though you were getting a hard on. I was like wow this guy really likes saving gas.

 

Yeah you can gain a little on gas mileage drafting a semi.

Some things for thought though ..........

When your behind a semi you cant see whats ahead, becuase your following so close it just takes that one look at the mp3 player and bam, your car is now part of the semi after he locked it up cuase of idiots ahead.

Uh oh big puddle/piece of wood/shredded tire/ect is laying in the road ..... semi may move or it may just drive over it ... no big deal to him ... you got the reaction time and constant attention not to hit these things riding his ***?

As many have said, semis have an inate ability to kick up or drop rocks all over the place and most of them will meet your hood or front fascia. I once had a semi pass me in my company vehicle from the opposite direction. It spit off a rock so big and fast it looks like a baseball bat was takin to the side of my windshield.

This isnt Nascar, we can't depend on the people in front of us not to slam thier breaks, we dont get a yellow flag when thier is obstructions in the road. i get 27 mpg on highways in houston if its not just totally grid locked, why take all these chances to save a few bucks a fill up.

 

I want to be doing 70 MPH twenty feet behind a tractor trailer. Sure.

 

if you're 2 fast 2 furious, you can tuck your z in the middle of the semi and draft it that way

 

Good god...i forgot i joined "internet car forum world" when i posted the thread. Just some stupid thing i did on the way to work out of curiosity, its not a "i live my life one semi at a time" sort of thing. lol

 

^ par for the course...

Drafting is a big thing in the Hypermiler world. Makes a big difference. I'm interested in seeing how the semi's react when they start to see more of it.
'
Risk v.s. reward for me. I'd try it just to see that it works, but doubt I'd make a habit of it.

 

forums do that to ppl =\ tis the way of the interweb..

 

it's all fun and games until the 18 wheeler locks up his brakes at 70 MPH

 

Yeah, thats all i was really doing...


About it locking up its brakes, with good reaction im sure a sports car will be able to stop a lot quicker than that thing will.

Its all the same really.... i spend almost 2 hours every day on the highway going to and from work. There are so many things (other drivers, driving in front, in back, to the side of semi's) that are so equally dangerous, being almost 2 car lenghts behind a semi is no different. Traffic sucks here...it is what it is.

I am so bored at work, i drew a picture in dedication of this thread.

 

^awesome