Lessons Learnt on My First Car Trip from Melbourne to Sydney

LJFurter on 14/01/2018 - 20:18
Last edited 14/01/2018 - 21:41 by 2 other users

Just got back from my first car trip, Melbourne to Sydney and thought I'd share some cost saving lessons.

  1. Pack light. You pay for every extra kilo in the car, and it really does add up over such a huge distance.
  2. Drive slow. 5km less than the posted limit (no less, its illegal). This will reduce your drag - and the side effect is that you'll enjoy the drive more, just remember to stay in the left lane (excepting see 4)
  3. Purchase fuel in town not on the highway. Usually about 4-6c cheaper in towns rather than the freeway. Goulburn was 15c cheaper in town.
  4. Take your corners. Like you are a race car, switch lanes to take the best line through each corner you reasonably can. It might not sound like much, but over such a long distance, it can really add up and shave of the kms
  5. Don't use cruise control. A well trained human will always beat cruise control for fuel efficiency. You can see a hill crest coming and back off ready to coast down etc
  6. Easy on the A/C. I'd say never use it, but sometimes the temperature can get to a snoozy high, the A/C will keep you fresh and alert, just remember to turn it off when you are not at the sleepy temp.

Anyone more experienced know some other good tips for saving on the trip?

Travel

closed Comments

  • jno on 16/01/2018 - 07:08

    I think I'll stick to a plane when domestic goes on sale.. I like a good cruise but freeways are boring as hell

  • DarkOz on 16/01/2018 - 07:42

    If you have to go through all that crap driving from Melbourne to Sydney, my only advice to OP is…DON'T DRIVE!!!

  • dr on 16/01/2018 - 08:21
    +3

    4) Take your corners. Like you are a race car, switch lanes to take the best line through each corner you reasonably can. It might not sound like much, but over such a long distance, it can really add up and shave of the kms

    This is bloody dangerous have you not heard about the recent head-on crashes, the Falkholt one on Boxing day claiming 4 lives and leaving 5th person still in critical condition? I hope you and me never drive on the same road.

    I guess you are trolling as your overall advice is borderline penny-wise-pound-fool, but if you are really into such penny pinching here are few more weight saving suggestions:

    1) Go on a diet 10 days before the trip, you can lose anywhere between 3-6kg
    2) 24 hours before the trip take laxatives, why lug all that shit around?
    3) If travelling alone take the passenger seat out, and maybe rear seats too,
    4) Floor mats - take them out, rear wiper (if you have one) too,
    5) it is known that wheels can operate with one lug-nut missing, take one out on each of the wheels to shave some extra weight.

    • bobbified on 16/01/2018 - 09:07
      +3

      OP should also cruise through all red lights to save the fuel rather than stop/start.

    • jace88 on 16/01/2018 - 19:27
      +1

      Contact lenses are lighter than glasses.

      And in the spirit of penny wise pound foolish, don't bring any luggage - buy everything you need there.

      Seriously though, weight savings are obviously great if you can remove unnecessary weight (eg slab of beer in the boot) but it's not going to make that much a difference.

      As for corners, taking things as gently as possible (ie using a smooth wide line) so you don't need to slow down and then accelerate again isn't a bad idea but I think the way you described it sounds bad.

  • sweetnipples on 16/01/2018 - 08:26

    All the work this guy put into trying to save a few $$

    There has been no consideration for wind speed and direction
    And honestly, if you are that tight, change diff ratios

  • lgacb08 on 16/01/2018 - 08:51

    I suggest staying exactly 2m behind a truck for the entire trip, you'll save heaps by avoiding drag alone. And truck normally travel below speed limits, especially when doing up hill.

    Or just get a chain and hook up with any truck you come to contact with.

    • [Deactivated] on 16/01/2018 - 23:25

      lol I read it as

      "I suggest staying exactly 2m behind a truck going to the tip"

  • cockneylondoner on 16/01/2018 - 08:57
    -2

    In my opinion the best way to get more mpg, or should that be kpl is as follows:
    Don't buy an automatic
    Keep the vehicle serviced, especially the engine
    Don't run the A/C any more than you have to.
    Don't have windows or sunroofs open.
    Keep tyre pressures to manufacturers recommendations - don't bother to overinflate them as the tyres will wear out quicker and the vehicle could be de-stabilised, especially in the wet. Don't take my word for it, check out the comments on the internet.
    Don't carry more weight in the vehicle than you need to and this includes not filling the tank to max if possible.
    Read the road and allow the vehicle to coast (in gear of course) where possible
    Avoid hard braking
    Accelerate as though there is an egg between your foot and the throttle
    Think of the saying 'be thrifty, max 50' That's mph so 80 in km terms
    And surprisingly enough, drive at night if possible
    Happy motoring

    • montorola on 16/01/2018 - 14:31

      drive at night if possible

      But if you drive at night, then you have to use the lights, which adds strain to the battery, which adds strain to the alternator to charge the battery, which in turn makes the engine work harder, which chews up fuel more, which….

      • cockneylondoner on 17/01/2018 - 07:31

        which…. is a load of rubbish you're spouting. You obviously don't know how vehicle electrics, and in particular an alternator, works.
        Travel by night - less traffic - generally cooler and moist air (engines are not so efficient running in heat)

        • Euphemistic on 19/01/2018 - 20:44

          The energy to run the lights had to come from somewhere. You get some charging for free when coasting, but all the rest comes out of the petrol in the tank to drive the engine which drives the alternator. No free lunches. Some smart alternators will only charge when there is no load on the engine, but most will charge all the time to fill up the battery while the engine is running, they don't know when a hill or a coasting period is coming up so fill it up immediately.

        • cockneylondoner on 24/01/2018 - 23:13

          @Euphemistic:

          With respect, I do know how an alternator works. For you to suggest that an engine has to run faster to feed back electricity to the battery to replace electricity used by car lights is rediculous. Read what you have written, especially the last part.

        • Euphemistic on 24/01/2018 - 23:28

          @cockneylondoner: the engine doesn’t need to run faster to feed back electricity to the battery, but it still adds a load to the engine to charge the battery. If it doesn’t add a load to the engine where does the electricity come from?

          Try sitting in a car idling, then listen to the motor as you turn on the lights or run your power windows down. The engine note changes briefly as the current draw loads the alternator. Out of 100kw to move the car down the road, getting power from the alternator is only a fraction of the load so it’s hardly noticeable though, but it is there.

          As for the last part, yeah it doesn’t read very well. A smart alternator will turn on and off to maximise fuel economy. ie the computer will tell the alternator not to charge when accelerating or when driving at speed. If you reduce throttle input to zero, the computer will activate the alternator and use the engine braking power to charge the battery.

          Normal alternator will work all the time the engine runs until he battery is charged, wether you are using lots of engine power for driving or coasting.

        • cockneylondoner on 24/01/2018 - 23:45

          @Euphemistic:

          I really don't want to be rude, but frankly, you haven't a clue about what you're writing about and I'm not going to waste time explaining to you where you keep going wrong.
          Let's just say, you're entitled to your reasoning and opinions, and I'm entitled to mine, and we'll leave it there.

        • Euphemistic on 25/01/2018 - 07:01

          @cockneylondoner: I’d prefer to understand how it works, if I’m wrong, please let me know where. I like to know how stuff works which enables me to fix problems with it and I’m interested in cars.

          An alternator spins to provide charge. Where does it get the energy to spin from? All of the energy in a car comes from the fuel. Even coasting down a hill has used fuel energy to get to the top of the hill.

        • Euphemistic on 29/01/2018 - 06:47
          +1

          @cockneylondoner: nothing? I want to know what you think is wrong so I can learn, otherwise it makes me think you don’t know what you are talking about.

  • cloudy on 16/01/2018 - 12:44

    A lot of posters haven’t really tried to help you Op, but I’ll try :) I don’t see the need to judge, just be safe which I believe you have stated so I don’t mind u using a unoccupied lane even if it’s the opposite as long as u do as you say.

    I’ve thought about whether it saves fuel to flip ur side Mirrors in, our car has a auto button to flap them in, and if I’m cruising for hours on a single or double lane highway with no cars in sight I’ve tucked them in to reduce drag. Not sure if it works though! But if I seee a car in the rear mirrors I’ll flip them back .

    As to those who find others annoying for driving slower, that’s a bit much to be annoyed about. People have preferences and rights, so long as. I see nothing wrong with someone driving slower so long as there is no obstruction to another, or there is another reason for it. Too often people rage on the road for little things and it all starts with someone being annoyed coz someone else is a mere 5km or something less than limit. Not enough patience in this world

    • thord on 16/01/2018 - 14:00
      +2

      "annoyed coz someone else is a mere 5km or something less than limit. Not enough patience in this world"

      Perhaps a bit of context can help:

      Say you're on a long 5-6 hour drive, you get stuck behind a bunch of these "patient" drivers doing 5-10 under the speed limit, whereas you were cruising along comfortably at perhaps 5-10% above the limit. If you get stuck behind say, 10 people like that on a long drive where there are no overtaking areas, and the person in front isn't considerate enough to pull over and let you pass, that can add up to an extra 1/2 hour in your travel time. Perhaps that extra time also increases your fatigue and boredom, so you need to take a rest break, and that's another 1/2 hour. Because of slower drivers and people not being considerate and letting others pass, that's an extra hour to someone's already long trip. Not good. Also increases the risk of accidents due to fatigue.

      Personally I have no issue with people driving at the speed they're comfortable with so long as they're considerate of others around them.

      If someone catches up to you and you hadn't seen them for the past 10kms, OBVIOUSLY they're driving faster than you so let them bloody well pass. So many times (as a driver and passenger) I've seen other drivers be complete asses and try to speed up or have no thought for the person behind them.

      • cloudy on 16/01/2018 - 18:35

        Maybe if you kept reading my post you will see me say “so long as there is no obstruction to another”.

        I completely agree consideration for others on the road is key, but there nothing in this post to suggest we should not be, or that OP is is inconsiderate. Yet he isn’t getting much slack from the community.

      • OzzyOzbourne on 16/01/2018 - 20:09
        +2

        And whilst you are taking that break you get bitten by a snake and end up in hospital. Coming out of the hospital you get kidnapped and tied up in the outback for months until someone finds you. The cops return you back to Melbourne. You have to get your car shipped back before you can start your journey again. Then of course, you're stuck behind the drivers doing 5 under…. Slow drivers could literally add a year to your journey!

      • cockneylondoner on 17/01/2018 - 08:24

        Or all of this could be overcome, or at least reduced, if you just had proper roads, that's roads with more than one lane each way with the occasional 'overtaking' lane, which usually seems to be uphill and just long enough to let two vehicles pass. Then, of course, the roads could have a proper surface that doesn't shake the life out of you, and the vehicle.
        Yes, one can only dream - lol

        • thord on 17/01/2018 - 11:00

          Oh absolutely. Just came back from Europe and was driving a tonne there. Our roads are an embarrassment. In fact, pretty much all infrastructure is embarrassing. God I wish we had a large investment in rail.

        • susmind on 19/01/2018 - 07:59

          We could have proper roads if people paid their proper taxes or if that's just dreamin' then if people got together to crowd fund the roads that they wanted proper …

        • Euphemistic on 19/01/2018 - 20:47

          @susmind: to many kms of roads, not enough population to pay for them. Europe has a much smalle network, and a lot more people.

        • cockneylondoner on 24/01/2018 - 23:36

          @susmind:

          According to my investigations, Excise Duty of around 40c is applied to every litre of petrol sold.
          If all of this was used to finance road building and maintenance you would probably have the finest roads in the World but, if like us in the UK, most of the Duty is plundered to go to other projects then, sadly, you're stuck with what you've got until the purse strings are released.

        • Euphemistic on 25/01/2018 - 08:49

          @cockneylondoner: That's one of the problems with our system. The feds collect the fuel excise, but don't look after many roads. States collect rego and heavy vehcile charges and look after some roads. Local roads are maintained and constructed by local government and that comes out of rates.

          From a few minutes research I could only find the fuel excise revenue from up to 2001, at that time it had risen from $7b to $12b in 10 years. Lets assume it is now at $20b. The west connex upgrade in Sydney is costing around $16b. Doesn't leave a lot of money for gold plating our road system.

    • redvaldez on 16/01/2018 - 16:21
      +1

      Too often people rage on the road for little things and it all starts with someone being annoyed coz someone else is a mere 5km or something less than limit. Not enough patience in this world

      Sitting 5km/h under, in isolation, isn't really the issue. It's more that drivers sitting well below the speed limits tend to exhibit other discourteous behaviour such as fluctuating their speed significantly (e.g. by 10 or 20km/h), accelerating when an overtaking lane comes up with people wanting to pass, or maintaining their highway speed once they get to a lower speed zone such as roadworks or a town. I realise not every "slow driver" does this, but I do notice it a lot.

      • cloudy on 16/01/2018 - 18:39
        +1

        That is ur opinion that slow drivers exhibit other bad behaviour, I find impatient drivers do worse, least of all tail gating and anti social driving. But all in ones opinion.

        I am regularly slow, mostly because I know the roads I drive and I know which lights I will regularly hit no matter how quickly I get there due to natural bottlenecks. But I regularly see drivers driving in anti social manner just to reach the light one car ahead of me. I feel those who choose to accelerate to a light only knowingly needing to stop for the light as a person whom will probably engage in other impatient behaviour.

      • thord on 17/01/2018 - 11:02
        +1

        "accelerating when an overtaking lane comes up "

        Oh man this drives me nuts. Especially on those long country roads. You get some clown doing 85-90 in a 100 zone because the roads are a little bit bendy and they cannot possibly control their 2010 model car in such condition, then when the road opens up, a straight line overtaking area, oh, now suddenly they'll sit on 110-115, making overtaking either extremely dangerous or not viable.

    • cloudy on 16/01/2018 - 18:45

      Oh yea, another technique I’ve read car companies do to fake fuel efficiency is taping car doors gaps. Which makes sense, since any gaps increases drag. So if u go on a multi hour trip, you can tape any doors you don’t plan on opening.

      As for people who question how much it can save. I believe the difference between someone who cares about fuel efficiency and those who don’t is probably around 50%. I base this on real world test results and car based claimed results of efficiency.

      • OzzyOzbourne on 16/01/2018 - 20:13

        Wow, which car companies do that? You'd think the independent tester would notice the tape all over the car!

        And 50%, that's impressive.

        • cloudy on 16/01/2018 - 21:46

          VW. I thought it was very clever, thou obviously pretty unrealistic, they also removed all removeable parts of the car, like headrests etc to reduce weight. So that did remind me of how important drag and weight is for efficency. If you do go for a long drive like Syd to melb, and u never use ur back doors, why not? That amongst a heap of things can GREATLY change how much petrol you use, so to all those who dont believe small changes dont do much, physics will say otherwise.

    • Euphemistic on 24/01/2018 - 23:34

      Flipping mirrors in probably doesn’t work. They are designed to be as aero as possible in the out position, but flipped in they are designed to be close to the body of the car, and probably not as aero. Notice that modern mirrors are only connected by the base, not the whole height of the mirror like they were in the 80s. That is so the air is less disrupted flowing down the side of the car.

  • John678 on 16/01/2018 - 13:05

    How long the trip take ?

  • Donaldhump on 16/01/2018 - 13:08
    +1

    I propose a top gear episode to prove/disprove the savings

    • cockneylondoner on 17/01/2018 - 08:07

      You'll be lucky. The BBC dumped Clarkson and the other two, thank God, and they can now be found on Amazon should you want to pay to see them. Anyway Top Gear only concentrated on 'gas guzzling' sports cars if I remember correctly.

  • MessyG on 16/01/2018 - 13:21
    +2

    I have to say, I'm finding the responses from the people who've done the trip hundreds of times far more valuable than the dude whose done it once!

  • thord on 16/01/2018 - 13:55
    +2

    I've never found any of the fuel economy tips to have any real worth. It's a pittance that you end up saving for all the effort. Yeah, don't drive like a madman, but you don't have to do as much as you've said. Just drive normally.

    The difference between driving normally and driving ultra economically is probably 5-10% in the real world. What's that equal? A saving of $2.5 - $5.00. Who cares IMO.

    • cloudy on 19/01/2018 - 11:41

      I’m 99% sure you are substantially off the mark. So far in fact car companies got fined (and class actions initiated) because they’re quoted rates of economy were much more than ur 5-10% guesstimate.

      • thord on 22/01/2018 - 12:38

        I'm not talking about manufacturers. I'm talking about the real world.

        I'm saying that in real life, with real drivers, those drivers putting in the extra effort for fuel economy never really creates any significant savings that make it worthwhile.

        • cloudy on 23/01/2018 - 09:46

          The difference between those that try and those that do not are significant in life, and I usef the manufacturers numbers to put in perspective the potential one can achieve.

          Weather it’s worthwhile or not is up to the person, not for me to judge.

          But it’s honestly in the range of 30% fuel savings. As a conservative guess. Just lifting and coasting and slow throttling can save more than your stated 5-10%

  • cmdwedge on 16/01/2018 - 14:16
    +1

    Bugger all of those suggestions. I've been driving for over 20 years and damn it if the AC and CC isn't going on as soon as possible.

    What I will suggest though is pumping up your tyres maybe 4psi over what the manual suggests (or that sticker inside your driver's side door). Harder tyres = less rolling resistance. That means somewhat better fuel economy, significantly less tyre wear, and more responsive handling. If you're just doing 110km/h for a long stretch, you're not going over anything that bumpy.

    • cloudy on 16/01/2018 - 18:48

      You ca get uneven tyre wear.

    • cockneylondoner on 17/01/2018 - 08:00
      +2

      Wow - How ill informed are you. Do a search on the internet and see what others who have tried the same have concluded.
      Harder tyres = less 'footprint' so less grip in the wet so you can kiss goodbye to 'more responsive handling' in a skid or if you aquaplane and actually you will find that you'll get more tyre wear not less (but if you potter around doing 5k a year then you'd probably not notice). I don't know how the law stands in Australia but in the UK you can be prosecuted for having the wrong tyre pressures and the insurance companies are not too happy either when there's an accident involved.

  • bryans on 16/01/2018 - 14:23

    As the servo recommend splashing a bucket of water over your bonnet/front bumper/windscreen to get rid of bug splatter. Makes the car washing easier when you're back home.

    • redvaldez on 16/01/2018 - 16:35

      I wouldn't recommend this as tap water, when left to try naturally on car paintwork, can cause water spotting which is a bitch to remove.

      Keeping your car waxed makes bugs a lot easier to remove and is my go-to. Most bugs will just wash off with a trigger gun.

      Otherwise I believe there are some bug removal sprays from Autobarn, Supercheap etc that can be used without the whole car being washed.

      Glass is also susceptible to water spotting, but using the windscreen squeegee will be fine as you're drying it off straight away.

  • montorola on 16/01/2018 - 14:28

    Rofl - no offense those tips sound way over the top just to shave off a couple of dollars.

    I'd rather just go in comfort and not be worried about drag forces/weight chewing up fuel etc lol

    • bryans on 16/01/2018 - 14:31

      If you really want to reduce drag, drive in the slip stream of a a vehicle in front of you, but then you'd be breaking the 3 second rule.

  • Abcxyztpg on 16/01/2018 - 15:58
    +3

    I thought it was a joke thread. never mind

  • m0nkeycheese on 16/01/2018 - 18:27
    +1

    Sorry but most of this is bad advice

  • Froot Loops on 16/01/2018 - 18:41

    Isn't it cheap / less likely to piss people off to get the train? Just saying

  • DiscoJango on 16/01/2018 - 19:15

    hold the accelerator 100% flat from start to destination. 0 f's y0

    • montorola on 16/01/2018 - 22:03

      This guy drives

  • jace88 on 16/01/2018 - 19:22

    I recently did the Syd-Melb return trip. I didn't really follow what Op said but then I had a turbo diesel car which is reasonably fuel efficient with active cruise control+steer on (averaged 5.5L/100km on a 65L tank over my return trip including driving around Melb).

    my tips:

    1. Use decent bathrooms when you see them - don't hold out as some of the ones in between at the rest stops are shocking.

    2. If possible (and you have stamina), drive at night. It's a lot quieter, more comfortable, and as long as you're very alert, it's a nice relaxing drive with music on.

    3. Similar to #1, stop at every Maccas/Hungry Jacks on the motorway (in addition to a couple of other rest stops) - they are the nicer places to stop, grab a bit of food, etc. It makes the drive a lot better IMO to be munching on something hot (although bringing snacks/drinks and plenty of water is good too).

    4. Keep Waze running in background on phone - it alerted me when there was a truck parked on the side of the road up ahead (although I could see it from afar, it kept me alert).

    EDIT: On a side note, I did notice that in some instances, fuel consumption went up significantly from just a very insignificant change in speed (eg. 110km/h vs. 115km/h indicated).

    • Rizzy on 18/01/2018 - 17:56

      Don't drive at night.

      Too many wild animals on the roads - kangaroos, wombats, foxes and deer to name a few.

      They'll come out of nowhere and can be fatal.

      Drive off peak times or leave early (6amish in summer).

      I found my turbo diesel engine is very effecient between 115 to 120km/h. Climbs all hills like a hot knife through butter.

  • gimme on 16/01/2018 - 20:33
    +4

    Pretty rubbish advice from the OP apart from cheap fuel. Done the trip 20+ times.. lol @ don't use cruise control

  • [Deactivated] on 16/01/2018 - 23:20
    +1

    "Take your corners. Like you are a race car, switch lanes to take the best line through each corner you reasonably can. It might not sound like much, but over such a long distance, it can really add up and shave of the kms"

    Theres nothing I enjoy more than someone taking an extra wide right turn at 10km while I'm trying to pass them. I'm super happy they've made approx 0.5c in savings on their brakes and excess fuel while sacrificing mine and their own safety.

    On another note though, you are super right about air-con. There was a mythbusters episode about it and it chews a tonne of fuel ~15% https://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/air-co…

  • sunnyc on 17/01/2018 - 00:17

    1.Sydney to melbourne isn't a long distance, reducing weight of 1 person would save you up to $10.(Avg $4)
    2. Drive slow doesn't mean you save fuel. Cars have optimal speeds, find it and drive it. If I drive 85 in a 90 zone, I burn more fuel than if i drive 100 in a 90 zone.
    3.No argument, better if you bring jerry cans, I stock up during the lows and keep it and use it up before the next low. So when you leave, carry additional jerry cans up to 2 and it should be more than fine to get to the next large city.
    4-6 no argument there.

    • jace88 on 17/01/2018 - 09:31

      I wonder if Op would calculate the fuel cost of carrying those jerry cans of fuel… and also factor in the heightened risk in an accident of having jerry cans of fuel in the boot.

      • sunnyc on 17/01/2018 - 09:34

        As in OP me or J furter? It's up to you if you accept the additional risk. If the car is well built, it shouldn't burst into flames easily.

        • jace88 on 17/01/2018 - 15:40

          Sorry, meant the original poster up above who was coming up with ways to save money on the journey.

          That being said, carrying petrol in a can in the boot isn’t something I’d want to do. I know it’s not that dangerous but an accident at 100km/h can only get worse by having more flammable liquids in the boot.

  • CI on 17/01/2018 - 02:06
    +3

    Your trip just sounds depressing af

    • gimme on 17/01/2018 - 07:50
      +1

      Replace trip with life lol

  • picklewizard on 17/01/2018 - 08:50
    +1

    Don't use cruise control. A well trained human will always beat cruise control for fuel efficiency. You can see a hill crest coming and back off ready to coast down etc

    This is flat out wrong. I see what your logic is, but it's flawed. Cruise control is controlled heavily by engine load, and it knows when it's going up a hill and will adjust throttle for peak efficiency.

    • jace88 on 17/01/2018 - 09:34
      +1

      I think what Op meant is if you are going towards a hill and can see an upcoming dip, cruise control would increase throttle to go up the hill and maintain the speed whereas the driver could just let the car coast (and slow down slightly) but then the car would pick up momentum again on the downhill. Shrug.

      For me, I personally disable CC when I see it starting to push hard towards an upcoming hill if I know it’s about to dip down moments later.

      • picklewizard on 17/01/2018 - 10:57
        +1

        Yeah, I see what you're saying - you might then achieve a miniscule saving from that, but guaranteed savings would not be measurable.

        The real savings are had in consistently driving at 90km/h rather than 100. 90, in my experience, is about where your peak efficiency is had.

        • jace88 on 17/01/2018 - 15:39

          I think on a straight/flat road I’d agree but it’s the inclines which make it hard to maintain the fuel economy… such as on the Syd to Melb drive. That being said, I’d bet that leaving active cruise control on for the whole journey would be more fuel efficient than even the most savvy of fuel-sipping drivers can manage over such a long distance/time.

        • frostman on 17/01/2018 - 20:51
          -2

          The real savings are had in consistently driving at 90km/h rather than 100. 90, in my experience, is about where your peak efficiency is had.

          Just shut up, no one wants to drive under the speed limit on a massive highway of 800KM, I don't give a toss if it's 20 Lanes.

          Plus it's not about a sweet-spot speed limit for fuel efficiency, you know shit about cars.

          The fuel is consumed at higher revs, so a Suzuki Swift 1.4L will be hitting higher RPMs than a Falcon V6. This is when the Swift driving at 100km/h may use more fuel than 90km/h. However the same can't be said for higher powered cars, so a V12 CLS Merc would be cruising on 3-4K RPM hitting 140km/h

        • picklewizard on 18/01/2018 - 15:52

          @frostman: Good for you. Feel better now?

          Note the words "in my experience"

  • djones145 on 17/01/2018 - 09:08

    WHAT no cruise control
    but it makes driving so simple

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29ToNp1MY3c

  • PleasureMe on 17/01/2018 - 10:38

    OP, if you are so focused on saving money to the extent that you are going to make your journey more difficult, then why don't you just fly to Sydney?!! Seriously, buy a ticket when the sales are on and it will cost you less to fly there than it would to drive, even with all your stupid money saving ideas.

    • ssyl9 on 17/01/2018 - 14:35

      or hitch hike..

      I mean OP is obviously making the trip very uneasy to save a few bucks… why not go the full extent?

  • p3nf0ld on 17/01/2018 - 14:10

    Braking is one of the worst offenders for increasing fuel consumption. I therefore recommend not to brake and endorse my "save a drop by refusing to stop" campaign.

    • picklewizard on 17/01/2018 - 14:30

      This guy gets it.

      The things that save fuel are reduction of forces working against you. #1 is wind resistance, #2 is braking. Drive slower and brake less, it's that simple.

      Weight of the vehicle plays into it somewhat, but is more apparent during acceleration rather than coasting.

  • Winston100s on 17/01/2018 - 14:30

    Some of these tips you are giving out are absolute BS.
    1. Agreed, but would a 5 cent saving make any difference?
    2. That is not correct. You want your car engine the optimal torque/ RPM. Car manufacturers give the fuel consumption specs at 90km/h.
    3. Cheap fuel can mean expensive repairs, especially on diesel particle filters. On the same trip, same load and driving conditions, using 7/11 diesel which I used a spoofing app to lock in the cheapest diesel(I have a Peugeot 407 2.0 HDI) averages at 5.4l/100km. Using Caltex it averages at 4.7l/100km. That is 600grams less per 100km. What this means is that even you think you are making a saving you are spending more, and potentially damaging the injectors because such a difference in fuel consumption means that there are more water particles in the cheaper fuel, it hasn't been refined up to standard.
    4. Take corners like a formula 1 driver and after 10.000km spend $650 on new tires.
    5. What is this BS you are talking about? Cruise control DOES NOT use more fuel than using the acceleration pedal yourself. If your point is that the car would stay at the same speed when going up hill hence using more fuel, what about when it goes downhill and doesn't use any fuel at all? Even if you were to drive slower you would be traveling more time so you better know what you are talking about instead of giving out ridiculous information like this.
    6. A/C agreed. Adds 10-20% on fuel consumption.

    • picklewizard on 17/01/2018 - 14:33

      This guy also gets it, though #2 I agree with the OP. Each vehicle will be different, but peak engine torque/RPM doesn't factor in wind resistance.

      Your peak torque/power is NOT going to be your cruising speed on the highway, anyway.

      • Winston100s on 17/01/2018 - 15:01

        Yes you are correct, that's why I said optimal :) An example would be not driving 110km/h in third gear

    • Euphemistic on 19/01/2018 - 20:55

      Does AC really add that much on a modern car? It did in the 80s, but then you could feel the engine power getting drained when the AC kicked in, I can't say I've felt the same in a car for a few year, despite running the AC pretty much any time it's warm. I haven't noticed a difference in fuel consumption between winter and summer either.

      • Winston100s on 19/01/2018 - 23:16

        With newer AC systems you are correct that fuel consumption to run the AC has been lowered but still it does affect the average consumption by at least 10% which is no more than 6-700grams on new cars per 100km. Australia does not have cold winters, that is why there is not much difference in between seasons. The car would use richer richer fuel mixtures until it reaches normal operating temperature and then go back to normal. Higher fuel consumption of at least 2% until optimal engine working temperature is quite evident in cold winters with bellow zero temperatures. I can confirm this as I am European and no matter how gently you press on the gas pedal to accelerate the cold weather will have it's impact.

        • Euphemistic on 20/01/2018 - 06:56

          My point about the difference between the seasons is that I don't usually use the AC in winter, but maybe the extra fuel for warming the engine makes the difference.

        • Winston100s on 20/01/2018 - 15:08

          @Euphemistic: AC only works for cooling not heating. It is not the same as the AC system you have at home. The heating in winter works when the water in the engine gets warmed and passes through a radiator in the cabin where air is blown into by the fan.

        • Euphemistic on 20/01/2018 - 21:19

          @Winston100s: which is the main reason I said I don’t use it in winter. I do understand how the engine and cooling system work, I’ve rebuilt and repaired quite a few engines, and cooling systems. . Of course in the climate I live in there are the occasional warm days in winter where the AC is handy to bring down the temp of the car if it’s been sitting in the sun.

          However, using the AC in conjunction with the heat mode is very good for dehumidifying the air and helping demise the windscreen.

  • ssyl9 on 17/01/2018 - 14:30

    All these seems very inconvenient and is actually impeding your enjoyment of the trip by a lot or increasing risk to save a few bucks

    1.Pack light. You pay for every extra kilo in the car, and it really does add up over such a huge distance.

    And then when you reach the end of the trip and found you need something that you didn't bring… More $$ and hassle to get that particular item

    2.Drive slow. 5km less than the posted limit (no less, its illegal). This will reduce your drag - and the side effect is that you'll enjoy the drive more, just remember to stay in the left lane (excepting see 4)

    You save max of like $5 per tank… for longer drives, higher possibility of fatigue and animal encounters (since driving long hours may need you to drive in sunrise/sunset times where roos runs rampant) - not worth the risk for $5

    3.Purchase fuel in town not on the highway. Usually about 4-6c cheaper in towns rather than the freeway. Goulburn was 15c cheaper in town.

    Only tip I can get behind.. also carry vouchers as town petrol stations are often the big brand ones.

    4.Take your corners. Like you are a race car, switch lanes to take the best line through each corner you reasonably can. It might not sound like much, but over such a long distance, it can really add up and shave of the kms

    This is too dangerous to save like $2…. keep in your effing lane.

    5.Don't use cruise control. A well trained human will always beat cruise control for fuel efficiency. You can see a hill crest coming and back off ready to coast down etc

    If you think A well trained human will always beat cruise control controlled by a well trained human for fuel efficiency, you might not be that well trained or need better cruise control.

    6.Easy on the A/C. I'd say never use it, but sometimes the temperature can get to a snoozy high, the A/C will keep you fresh and alert, just remember to turn it off when you are not at the sleepy temp.

    Too much hassle and uneasiness in driving to save that extra ~$10. Fatigue is really hard to fight while driving long distance and I say spending ~$10 per tank to combat fatigue beats the risk of not having aircon on… Might be feasible if not driving in summer.

    We trip to have fun… not suffer

    Might as well as hitchhike. Cost you nothing,

  • frostman on 17/01/2018 - 15:27
    +4

    Folks, this guy MUST be a runner up in the 2018 DUMBEST POSTS on OZB

    1.Pack light. You pay for every extra kilo in the car, and it really does add up over such a huge distance.

    Pack light and then go buy shit that you need at the new location, seems great idea to save $10 on fuel over 10 hours

    2.Drive slow. 5km less than the posted limit (no less, its illegal). This will reduce your drag - and the side effect is that you'll enjoy the drive more

    Sorry what's your background? Please stay off our roads, last thing we need are people driving SLOWER than the limit. The road limits on Highways were 120 and they've been reduced to 110, that's slow enough on a 850km trip to Melbourne.

    5.Don't use cruise control. A well trained human will always beat cruise control for fuel efficiency. You can see a hill crest coming and back off ready to coast down etc

    Absolute and pure rubbish

    • picklewizard on 17/01/2018 - 15:43
      -6

      No harm in doing 10 under in the left of a multi-lane road.

      We need less angry people like you on our roads, not less slow drivers. It's the aggressive ones that cause accidents.

      • PleasureMe on 17/01/2018 - 20:16
        +1

        total BS! Just shutup pickleface

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 17/01/2018 - 15:41
    +2

    1. Pack light? Taking this further - just drive naked, before you drive - make sure you go to the bathroom and do #1 and #2, that can save some more weight.

    2. Drive slow, like 5km/hr slower than sign posted? Nahhh, the faster you drive, the faster the car cuts through the air like butter.

    3. Purchase fuel in town? Nahh, buy jerry cans in the City, fill cans, no need to ever buy fuel along the way.

    4. Take corners like a race car? Wow, drive faster (cuts like butter remember) and corner like you are on train lines.

    5. Don't use cruise control? Exactly, you need to have a heavy right feet so you can accelerate like a bullet train.

    6. Don't use Air Con? That's fine because you will be driving naked and not need any cooling - maybe use your in-seat cooling (to cool your bottom) if your car is fitted with those functions.

  • jace88 on 17/01/2018 - 15:42

    I’m surprised no one has pointed out that you could also just buy a really fuel efficient car (based on highway cycle). I’m pretty happy doing the Syd-Melb trip a few times and thanks to the diesel fuel economy, I can easily do each way with less than a full tank (65L).

  • auMouth on 17/01/2018 - 16:07

    Use Fuel Map Australia app - http://fuelmap.com.au/ - to see the best prices in areas/towns

    Fuel Map (Smartphone app) is a crowd-sourced database of petrol stations and fuel prices from all across Australia. All station information is added and edit by users like yourself. You can also add current fuel prices which are then shared with other users of Fuel Map. WA fuel prices are updated automatically using FuelWatch.

    Locations of petrol stations are shown on the map as a branded pin with the last known fuel price displayed above.

    The slide-in site list makes it easy to find the cheapest petrol station near-by in seconds.

    Fuel Map also comes with a handy fuel log so you can keep track of your fuel purchases, as well as your vehicle's fuel economy.

  • mitcheo on 17/01/2018 - 16:12
    +3

    stopped reading as soon as you said 'drive under the speed limit' have some respect for everyone on the road and dont be an idiot driving under the speed limit

    • frostman on 17/01/2018 - 20:46

      Reminds me of these morons doing 40k in a 60k zone for no reason.
      Then they drive uphill and brake when they think they're over-stepping it.

  • nobarginsarehere on 17/01/2018 - 16:55

    This has to be a troll post

  • 00 on 17/01/2018 - 18:59

    Drive a Tesla

  • dufflover on 17/01/2018 - 21:40
    +1

    1. Drive a red car, they go faster

    2. Mod the car; add fins to lower wind resistance

    3. Use an $80,000 car; being such a good investment vehicle it'll help cover your journey costs

    4. You don't need to use the A/C at all, just use Xiaomi fans powered by Powerbanks and eneloops

  • AustriaBargain on 17/01/2018 - 21:45

    Why not fly and just rent a car, to make your holiday feel less like work and more like a holiday.

  • peterw1 on 17/01/2018 - 22:59

    I also recently did the trip, averaged 5l/100km, in a Prius, fully loaded with a/c, cruise and 3 pax. Filled up in coburg and next in Bankstown. Great car for travelling, battery boost for uphills and overtaking. No special driving techniques needed

  • peterw1 on 17/01/2018 - 23:00

    Some people say using 98 Ron is worth it for long distance due to efficiency, despite the extra cost. Anyone tried this?

    • adu25 on 18/01/2018 - 03:18

      im not sure about long distance but my mother has told me that she gets better fuel efficiency with her suv when filled with 98ron instead of 91ron. Granted, this is only for urban driving with lots of traffic from work commuting

  • skimp on 18/01/2018 - 00:35
    +1

    There is science behind some of what OP has suggested. According to research driving slower than 110kph provides increasing fuel efficiency of up to double-digit % gains until reaching the optimum speed of around 90kph. This is based on the energy required for any object to counter air resistance.

    The other suggestion of avoiding cruise control when encountering hills may also be true. By easing off the speed when going uphill a saving in kinetic energy is made and converted to potential energy to be spent when going downhill. A cruise control would not be able to make such an adjustment during a hill climb.

    I personally employ these methods on long trips, and found the most practical approach to be following a truck about 5sec behind, not for drafting (obviously), but that trucks tend to maintain the above driving characteristics due to their size and weight and because they are limited to 100kph. This avoids me upsetting other road users because most have decided to overtake the truck long before approaching me. Going by the science if I can achieve a modest 10% fuel efficiency gain it is much more valuable than a 4c docket.

    References for those interested:
    http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/efficiency/transportation/cars…
    http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a6827/6-driving-tactics…
    http://www.mpgforspeed.com/
    http://eartheasy.com/move_fuel_efficient_driving.html

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