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SUVs Ford Freestyle Improving Ford Freestyle Gas Mileage
34 messages, Last post on Jul 01, 2008 at 7:49 AM
You are in the Ford Freestyle Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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I had no idea what the CVT meant in terms of how to drive... Do I get it right that even though I get off the gas pedal the speed stays the same or increases instead of - as I remember with my Windstar - going down? I also don't quite understand the term "coast" as in cartsenb's "Also release the gas pedal once you're at speed and coast". stevedebi and carstenb, thank you for your suggestions and barnstormer, should you end up behind me, I will let you pass 
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Replying to: manyqx (May 17, 2008 5:46 am) with coasting i meant that the CVT is programmed such that there's very little engine brake when driving on the flats. thus you can let the Freestyle drive without any fuel consumption for long. it pays off to look (and think) ahead as you can often release the gas pedal long before you need to come to a stop. the CVT kicks in the engine brake only on real declines where you will see the rpms going up although you don't even touch the gas pedal. i never understood why quick acceleration is so important here in the US. i grew up on the German autobahn without speed limits (back then) and my regular ride are motorcycles since 30 years. so i am well used to high speeds and 0-60mph in 4 seconds. it just doesn't make any sense to me to be 3 seconds earlier at the low max speed here. compared to the time i loose when driving at 70mph on open freeways for hours where i could be twice as fast it just isn't worth the additional fuel i waste.
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Replying to: carstenb (May 17, 2008 6:11 am) You must have really LONG acceleration lanes where you live. The problem around here is that the acceleration lanes are typically short. You're supposed to be at highway speed BEFORE you get to the first point where you could merge into freeway traffic. That way, you can THEN make the decision whether to speed up or slow down to make the safest merge. Too many idiots around here (especially now, trying to conserve gas) end up at only 40mph on the acceleration lane with the freeway speed of 65mph right next to them, and too short of an acceleration lane. So, they have no way to merge safely if there's traffic present. This makes everybody behind them on the acceleration lane have to slow down, too. Plus, people behind them on the freeway also have to slow down to let them merge. NONE of this saves any gasoline (in the aggregate sense of all vehicles involved in the area). |
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Replying to: barnstormer64 (May 17, 2008 9:21 am)  But i agree, in most cases there's someone ahead who isn't capable of using the potential of his or her V8 and thus i can still keep the Freestyle at 2000-2500rpm to safely merge in. But compared to the safety hazard from using cell phones while driving that behaviour is nothing...
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Replying to: carstenb (May 17, 2008 8:27 pm) It's not a huge safety hazard if you know WHEN it's safe to do so and when it's not. |
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Replying to: barnstormer64 (May 17, 2008 9:21 am)
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Replying to: carstenb (May 17, 2008 6:11 am) It did. I am from Germany too and there you have to accelerate presto on the autobahn as well as in the city or you're dead meat. I have to unlearn that driving style, I guess...
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Replying to: bobw3 (May 18, 2008 6:13 am) Is this due to the CVT or is the FS just a rather noisy vehicle? I guess what I want to find out is if this is normal or if there is anything wrong with the transmission.
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Replying to: manyqx (May 18, 2008 7:40 am) Is this due to the CVT or is the FS just a rather noisy vehicle? Describe the noise. It's probably just the engine. At what rpm's is the noise most objectionable? |
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Replying to: manyqx (May 18, 2008 7:33 am) Yes, that's VERY annoying. I am from Germany too and there you have to accelerate presto on the autobahn as well as in the city or you're dead meat. I have to unlearn that driving style, I guess... Why unlearn good, SAFE driving habits? A couple mpg savings isn't worth it if you're screwing up traffic (which, BTW, causes OTHERS to get poorer gas mileage).
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