I have a bizarre question that I thought of on the long drive home sometime last week.

Is there a sweet spot in the rpm range that is best overall for mpg, engine wear, no lugging of the engine, and power band?

I know there is for my Cummins engine in our truck (about 1800-2200), so I was just curious about the MINI engine.

Thanks.

 

when i am cruising on the highway i try to keep the rpms right at 3000. Puts me right at 70 mph and returns around 35 mpg

 

I recently took a (longish) trip and was amazed at the different mileages I got at various speeds. 80 mph gave me around 31-32 mpg and 55 mph gave me around 38-39 mpg. Quite a difference. Now if only I could live with doing 55 on the highway for extended periods...

Mark

 

You want good gas milage, don't be the lead car. You don't have to be close to get a good draft in the MINI. 3-4 (regular size) car links behind another vehicle decreases your consumption rate very nicely. Boring driving, but driving cheap! Hooking up with a rig in West Texas at 80 mph is awesome. Plus it reduces the chance of meeting a white tail deer at 80.

 

But it increases the chance of: hitting a pothole or road debris that you don't see in time, or getting a stone kicked up hitting the front of your car or windshield, or being involved in a rear end accident. ..... I'll pay a couple of extra bucks a month for gas and leave the drafting to NASCAR drivers. Just my opinion.

 

I don't get behind any semi that doesn't have decent mud flaps, even then I try to stay back about 3-4 car lengths so I can see the side a bit and so he can see me if I dip over. From the post I don't think 4xAAA was recommending NASCAR style drafting. Nevertheless, one should always exercise good common sense when behind the wheel.

+1 for the white tail deer reference. I'm no hunter so I have no idea what we have in SC but I was about three cars behind a semi when he hit one. WOW, that was a mess. He pulled over and we all got out to check for damage, there was a bit of debris that came out from under the semi. Everyone was good except the semi, messed his front end up quite a bit. He was pissed!

 

I did a 215 mile trip, 70% freeway, 30% twisties. On the freeway I had cruise set at 75. I averaged 38.5 mpg.

 

about the drafting, you dont have to get NASCAR close, just a around 30 feet is good enough for draft.

Mythbusters did an episode on this

 

Yes, but even 30 feet is still an incredibly-close following distance on the interstate, not to mention the fact that it gives you very little reaction time. Even at only 55 MPH, 30 feet is only three-eighths of a second. AT 70 MPH, it's not even a third of a second.

 

<---Pace car