[feistl]

Hey guys,

Just got back from a trip to Balarat and back. Managed to use 14.42L and traveled 368.2kms

Apart from the usual tricks to increase fuel economy, i set behind one of the big trucks (B doubles?) both ways. Was sitting close behind so the wind resistance was minimal, if anything i was actually getting sucked along. The thermofans had to come on every 8 minutes or so. At one state i didn't touch the accelerator for over 50kms. It was only on the uphill sections i had to touch it, on the flat and downhill it was just idling/ticking over.

So there ya go, to hell with the toyota prius, go get yourself a VR commodore and a large truck

[stocky]

is that a readout from the level 3 dash, or did you actually go and fill your car up after the trip?

[feistl]

Originally Posted by stocky

is that a readout from the level 3 dash, or did you actually go and fill your car up after the trip?

Filled the car to the brim before i left, and again when i returned. So unless Mobiles fuel gauge is out (and giving out free petrol), then its correct.

Hard to beleive i know, but it did 3.9L/100km.

Bloody tiring though, almost 4 hours and the only thing you can stare at is the trucks brake lights.

[Morton]

Originally Posted by feistl

At one state i didn't touch the accelerator for over 50kms.

I knew it was a bit of a hole, but I never knew Ballarat was that far downhill ^___^

[greenfoam]

It does work tho, if you get close enough there almost no wind resistance at all. I've drafted B doubles over long distances before. You have to get within a totally illegal distance to do it but trucks never follow you at a legal distance and they stop half as fast so it's all fair square :d

[immortality]

Originally Posted by TWOJZ

I never believe any fuel consumption figured that commodore owners claim, as its a well known fact that they lack the mental capacity to even count their own fingers, let alone calculate their fuel consumption correctly.

so i can assume with that statement you are alluding to your own intelligence level

Originally Posted by greenfoam

It does work tho, if you get close enough there almost no wind resistance at all. I've drafted B doubles over long distances before. You have to get within a totally illegal distance to do it but trucks never follow you at a legal distance and they stop half as fast so it's all fair square :d

tail gating (or drafting) does reduce fuel consumption, it says so on 'days of thunder', Cole Trickle says so "he'll pull you around the track" thats good enough for me

[kniever]

Originally Posted by TWOJZ

I never believe any fuel consumption figured that commodore owners claim, as its a well known fact that they lack the mental capacity to even count their own fingers, let alone calculate their fuel consumption correctly.

lol you are such a tool, why even buy or own a commodore if you are so negative towards them? in a few of your posts all you ever try to do is put everyone down, if you know so much as you claim then theres no need to even come on this forum

[Emackulation]

Originally Posted by kniever

lol you are such a tool, why even buy or own a commodore if you are so negative towards them? in a few of your posts all you ever try to do is put everyone down, if you know so much as you claim then theres no need to even come on this forum

Don't worry about him lol, he drives a VL, explains it all

[DannyboyDS]

Originally Posted by Mack

Don't worry about him lol, he drives a VL, explains it all

Hey I like VL's

Ignore people who try to troll others around the forums, like bad smells they do tend to get bored and drift away. Personally though if he knows allot as someone stated above thats no reason NOT to come here, it's a good reason to come and share and help.

[88GreenVN]

You also probable found the fornt of the car can "wobble" a bit as the wind rips of the back or the truck. When trucks were made to travel at 80kph you had to pass heaps of trucks and the RX4 I had really shook its head at times as you sat behind them ready to pass.

PS Greenfoams latest tune in the VN wagon has returned 10.6 L/100 over 1,650 kms of city driving. This is by far the best return yet. Highway stuff should drop it into the 8's non wind assisted (or B-double)

The V8 ain't fairing so well - lots to do with my bad driving and cold short runs to work. It's currently getting 16 L/100. but at 100 kph instant reading drops to around the 9's.

[Troy5L]

very gud, will have to try this on me next trip, but ill have to find a truck first

[needwork2-4fillhabbit]

It works well, dunno bout the 3.8 litres but wow if it did. I do it regurlarly when i drive out to the misses's work. Follow the truck route all the way there catch a big truck and draft it... slow up hills but lol. This has been proven on myth busters, 40mtrs down to 10 mtrs works best any closer and you will increase your usage and put yourself in danger. But i did have a mate with a hilux who set up with a mate to drive his hilux bumper touching the float and just cruised behind without having to steer.

And from the site:

Drafting behind a big rig will improve your car’s fuel efficiency.

confirmed

To test this myth, the build team procured a car, a big rig, and a device that could measure a car’s fuel efficiency. They then drove the car behind a moving big rig at various distances ranging from 100 to 2 feet and measured the amount of fuel the car consumed. The Build Team discovered that the closer the car was to the big rig, the less drag is produced, thus the more fuel saved. At just ten feet, the car managed to increase its fuel efficiency by 40%. Drafting at two feet was slightly lower than the ten foot distance, mainly because Grant had to keep working the car pedal to maintain distance from the truck. However, that did not dispute the fact that drafting actually can increase your car’s fuel efficiency. However, the Build Team has warned that drafting is incredibly dangerous because the truck driver may not able to see you and you may not be able to react in time if the truck were to make a sudden stop.

And source MythBusters Episode 80: "Big Rig Myths"

Ehehe i can see alot of commodores now sitting behind trucks...

[jas98]

Originally Posted by VRSLT323

very gud, will have to try this on me next trip, but ill have to find a truck first

Truck...check
Commodore...check
really ****ed off truckie when you hit the rear of his truck....check


seriously it is a really interesting thing but i will rather not smash up my car and kill myself......saying that dont mean i aint gonna try it though with fuel prices the way they are lol

[needwork2-4fillhabbit]

Originally Posted by jas98

Truck...check
Commodore...check
really ****ed off truckie when you hit the rear of his truck....check


seriously it is a really interesting thing but i will rather not smash up my car and kill myself......saying that dont mean i aint gonna try it though with fuel prices the way they are lol

Truckie would only notice if he saw your entangled wreck fly out the back lol.

[needwork2-4fillhabbit]

AHAHA heres a better way to increase mileage ahaha

YouTube - MythBusters:Big Rig Myth: Bike drafting

[stocky]

Originally Posted by jas98

Truck...check
Commodore...check
really ****ed off truckie when you hit the rear of his truck....check


seriously it is a really interesting thing but i will rather not smash up my car and kill myself......saying that dont mean i aint gonna try it though with fuel prices the way they are lol

you would probably only kill yourself if youre a crap driver. im sure youre car can brake faster than a truck

[immortality]

why not just move it up against the rear bar of the truck/trialer. then when he brakes he slows you down too

[coasty]

i can get 6.1 out of the wifes vt berlina with the family and a weekend of sleeping gear in it. thats not drafting just driving normally.

[jas98]

Originally Posted by needwork2-4fillhabbit

Truckie would only notice if he saw your entangled wreck fly out the back lol.

haha yeh thorght of that after i posted.....truck wouldn't even feel it

[jas98]

Originally Posted by stocky

you would probably only kill yourself if youre a crap driver. im sure youre car can brake faster than a truck

lol yeh well worst case scenario would be not using the brakes but i darn hell hope i have brakes lol .

but if the truck hits a massive solid object all of a sudden (aka...a cliff face) then i dont know if i will stop in time lol jks

[Chirpstr]

Bloody nice work feistl! I might give it a shot next time, although i've had too many bad experiences sitting behind trucks with rocks flicking up and what not and also them swaying onto the edge of the road like their way of saying ''pass me, pass me'' Although sometimes I probably just imagine it when they don't mean too lol. I try not to sit behind the mongrels these days and just pass them soon as safe to do so. But hey, maybe a nice road I'll do it but prob not the country roads...

[betts]

another problem is if there is some sort of obstacle on the road, the truckie will see it and aviod it, but you wont, until its right in front of you, giving you a very small reaction time. but hey, fuel is expensive, i reckon its worth the risk

[coasty]

Originally Posted by betts

another problem is if there is some sort of obstacle on the road, the truckie will see it and aviod it, but you wont, until its right in front of you, giving you a very small reaction time. but hey, fuel is expensive, i reckon its worth the risk

mmmm know it well. had an eb falcon . it was so low i had to cut 2 inches off the mudflaps so i could drive it. following a truck out west, it straddled a big dead roo on the road. the poor old ford launched with 3 adults and 2 kids in it.
still kept going , but it was a write off due to a bent front cross member, auto pan , floor panels, radiator support,air con,sump , exhaust and both bumpers.
also blood everywhere.

[Chirpstr]

Originally Posted by coasty

mmmm know it well. had an eb falcon . it was so low i had to cut 2 inches off the mudflaps so i could drive it. following a truck out west, it straddled a big dead roo on the road. the poor old ford launched with 3 adults and 2 kids in it.
still kept going , but it was a write off due to a bent front cross member, auto pan , floor panels, radiator support,air con,sump , exhaust and both bumpers.
also blood everywhere.

omg lol. I bet the exhaust stunk too. hahaha

[feistl]

Well i have been able to get 7.5L/100km in the past under normal driving, so 40% save would be almost right.

Yeah i was worried about rocks and stuff but this particular truck have a very low/flat back.

As to running into it, well yeah but you wouldnt do much damage.

Think about it, say he starts braking really hard... He might drop from 80 to 75 before you run into him... So thats the same as you driving into the back of a parked truck at 5kph. Not really going to do much damage.

In fact, its probably better to be very close and run into the truck as there would be very little speed difference. Whereas if you have a 10m gap and manage to hit him, there would probably be a much bigger speed difference and bigger impact.

Not really practical though, as it takes a LOT of concentration and takes ages to get anywhere. But yeah, interesting results.