is it good or bad to switch to Neutral when waiting at a stoplight?{/quote]
I only shift into Neutral when at the lights in hot weather, i found it helps to keep my transmission fluid cooler, other than that no real need to. Just remember to change back to drive before taking off again :lol:
- if, like me, you have a car with two settings for the gearbox (Economy and Sport) - does it really make a difference in the fuel consumption.
I drive in economy, i found sport/performance mode to hold gears for to long before upshiting for everyday driving.
Assuming that one keeps his driving style, is it better keep the car in the same gear longer or is it better to shift through all the gears when accelerating. I can reach 50mph in 2nd if I'm in Sport mode. In Economy that will be achieved in third.
Engines have a certain spot in the rev rangewhere you'll get the best economy, aim to keep the engine in that band as much as possible.
Also, is it better to accelerate quickly until you achieve your desired cruising speed, or is it better to accelerate slowly and take your time to reach your cruising speed?
I accelerate what is kinda slow for my car, but quick enough to stay with the flow of traffic. Idealy i try to accelerate between 2000 - 2500rpms (optimal economy band).
That's my 2c worth