Thats a good excuse - rates up there with the "but the dial only says
30mph" (looking at the tach.)
My to-be-disposed-of-tomorrow Lexus RX300 seems to purr along nicely at
55mph, but any faster (or slower), and its gas mileage drops off hugely.
Very noticable driving I5 to LA. You can either drive 55 and make it to
the mountains without stopping, or 85 and fill up at Harris Ranch. I
usually take the latter approach.
And anyway, I can't autocross a RX300, so what use is it? Now, when my new
audi allroad is broken in.....
Which leads to another point. What class would the allroad be in? I'm
guessing AS, same as the S4? (It has the 2.7turbo) Hopelessly uncompetitive
of course, due to its weight, but at least it can get across the sand at
Marina!
Giles
On Fri, 9 Feb 2001, Pat Kelly wrote:
> I sort of feel like the 55mph deal was an excuse for the govt to rake
> in more bucks from tickets. Yes, it was in response to the fuel problem
> (crisis), and the other argument was it made the freeways safer because
> of the lower speeds. Since then, part 2 has been proven incorrect, since
> the deaths per mile have dropped significantly since the speed limits
> were raised. As for part 1, since then, the automobiles themselves have
> become far more efficient, and probably burn less gas at 70 mph than the
> 70s cars did at 55.
> Remember the cars that were built in the late 70s that had speedometers
> that pegged at 85 mph? So you could be toodling down the freeway at an
> indicated 85mph and really be going much faster. :) "Officer, the speedo
> read 85."
> --Pat Kelly
>
> Giles Douglas wrote:
> >
> > Doesn't it depend on the car (and more importantly, its weight and drag
> > coeffecient?) But in general, I thought it was like 55mph (or used to be),
> > which is why the US speed limits were set at that during the 70s oil
> > crisis.
> >
> > Giles
> >
> > On Fri, 9 Feb 2001, Phil Esra wrote:
> >
> > > miscellaneous musing:
> > >
> > > I was just wondering, and thought maybe someone here would know. What is
>the
> > > most fuel efficient speed to drive at? My guess is that it would be at
> > > whatever speed you're in your highest gear with the engine turning as
>slowly
> > > as possible. But is wind resistance great enough that that's not true? Any
> > > thoughts?
> > >
> > > phil
> > >
> > > (ps--got the bearing replaced, thanks for all the advice--made it home
>over
> > > the bridge with no drama--had to replace the hub too, $492, ouch...)
> > > _________________________________________________________________
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