What is your driving style?

[01rangerxl]

What is everyone's driving style, and how do you maintain your vehicle to reflect it?

I am pretty hard on my truck. It sees 5500 RPM on a fairly regular basis, lots of stop and go driving, and hard cornering. I would definitely call my driving style spirited. I used to just use Havoline or Motorcraft with 3000 mile OCIs, but have switched to PP and Mobil 1 with 5-6000 mile OCIs. Manual trans fluid is changed every 30,000 miles or so, and the full synthetic differential fluid is checked regularly. Tires are rotated every 5000 miles or so (it's free at Firestone). It may be excessive, but this truck has to be problem free for the next four years and is already pushing seven years old. So far, so good. It runs beautifully and has only needed maintenence in 86,000 miles aside from a tailgate handle and tailgate strap. I do need to get an oil analysis done, but want to use PP for a couple more OCIs before I do. The tires seem happy with the frequent rotations since they are still looking pretty good at 30,000 miles.

 

[Titan]

I'd say my style is Renaissance. I'm not frugal, but, I'm also not abusive. I do most all the maintenance, because I know I do a better job than most monkeys, it can also be almost Zen-like (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance comes to mind), it's not very hard if you have a bit of experience and the right tools, and it's fiscally responsible. Yep, I'm a Renaissance-style driver/operator.

 

[HM12460]

Drive it like you stole it!

 

[Warlord]

I drive like a granny and I'm rewarded with great MPG. I almost never shift above 2500rpm and I take forever to come to a stop. I try to drive 60 on the highway and if the road is deserted I'll slow down to 55. If I have a choice between gunning it or waiting for a car to pass I always let it pass.

 

[sprintman]

I should be booked ten times a day. How I get away with it I have no idea. I don't speed in school zones though

 

[01rangerxl]

I used to be that bad, until I actually did get booked.

 

[Gary Allan]

I drive in "aware geezer" mode. I save the gas, the brakes, and the tires. I have no trouble driving fast on the highway ..but just see no reason to hurry on regulated surface streets. There's just no point to rushing around for 30 seconds of time savings. My wife? She doesn't speed so much ..but she can give you hyper tension riding in whatever she's driving. Curves are with just enough brake and the suspension and tires soak up the rest. Acceleration is crisp to the speed limit ..taking the foot off the gas is last second ..as is brake application ...etc..etc. She just doesn't know "relaxed".

Older daughter. Too much gas ..too much brake. Took to the freedom of driving like a duck to water. ya-HOO! YA-HOO! This daughter had to REALLY LOVE the freedom that driving brought. When she had her permit, she stopped at an intersection and waited. I finally said, "Kimmie, that stop sign is never going to turn green.". She just hung her head for a second or two.

Younger daughter (the honors student): Lucky that her understanding of driving and the reality of driving have not been in conflict yet.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I shift at around 3k rpm usually, but if I'm stuck in traffic for too long and see an open stretch, I'll open it up to around 5k rpm before shifting. I plan to do oil changes every 7.5k miles. I've got 38k miles on the odo right now and planning to do tranny and diff fluid changes before I reach 40k.

 

[Anduril]

My current vehicle (2000 Cavalier automatic) rarely sees 3500 rpms. When I had a stick, 4-5k was fairly common.

 

[obbop]

Smooooooooth

 

[Brogy]

I shift around 3000 rpm, come to lights slow, and try to stay out of the way of danger, I dont want to deal with the hassle of getting a new used car! On the highway I set the cruise at 60. Last tank I got around 37mpg, on a 94 accord, I guess its true, the machine only does so much, the rest is up to the driver!

If I have passengers, i'll use more clutch to make the ride smoother, I can usually make it smoother than an automatic. I'll also stay in a lower gear, waste a little more gas, so I dont have to shift.


In traffic ill also stay in a lower gear, so I can engine brake, and ill just tap on the brakes gently, so my brake light comes on and the idiot tailgating me knows to slow down, tailgaters dont usually read traffic.

Around town I also stay in a lower gear, usually second, which has the best range so I dont have to get out of gear unless I come to a stop.

 

[DrinkDuff77]

I'm 29 but I usually drive like a grandpa. My commute is too long to sacrifice gas mileage for fun.

 

[moribundman]

My driving style? It makes women faint and grown men cry.

Preventive maintenance takes care of the wear and tear. A good percentage of components is newer than the 11-year old car. The engine has not been opened (beyond valve covers).

VROOOOOOOOOooooommm!

 

[Benzadmiral]

I used to drive more briskly, revving the MB's 4 cylinders and tossing it around corners. Since gas skyrocketed, I drive much more smoothly, sticking to speed limits and braking carefully on the (poorly) surface(d) streets here, doing about 60-65 with 2 seconds' following distance on the Interstate.

People fly past me as if the Exxon station is giving away gas. Scrooo 'em. My combined (70% city) mileage has gone from 23 a year ago to close to 25. (A transmission fluid and filter change, and checking the tires every week or so, has probably helped.)

 

[TallPaul]

I drive my '95 F150 fairly hard, but not abusively. Love to wind it out, well what can you say about winding out a 300 cid inline six? Winding it out for me is about 3600 rpm. (There's no point in going much beyond that but to make noise I guess. Torque peak is 2000 rpm and hp peak is 3400.) But I do love to stomp that pedal. Just love the kick in the pants feeling I get. I know it's not quick, but you sure can feel the torque.

I run Valvoline in it usually. Just put a weird brew of several different grades and brands, including some Valvoline 20w, in the crankcase. Always run Wix filters.

I wash it....hmmm. Let's see, when was the last time I washed it. You know, I really can't remember the last time I washed it. It's got to have been several years. But anyway, it's a lot of fun to drive with the stick shift and all. And I do like to keep it in tip top shape--mechanically that is.

 

[Lonnie]

My wife is at 100k on the brakes of her Volvo 850 turbo with 40 percent of the thickness left, long commutes 350-375 miles a week and a smooth driver.

 

[Titan]

Quote:

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People fly past me as if the Exxon station is giving away gas. Scrooo 'em.

---

This is a characteristic of our spoiled citizens, who, as a group, complain about fuel prices while feeling entitled to drive like maniacs and wonder why their car doesn't get the EPA posted mileage figures. It always gets worse the more crowded the metro area. Spoiled rotten cry-babies!

IF we are going to drive like that, at least we shouldn't complain about fuel prices.

FTR, I've never had a car that didn't beat the EPA ratings, and there are people that say I drive fast...I do push the limits of what the police allow without handing me a ticket, but, I do so smoothly and without tailgating, swerving, darting back and forth, etc., and I anticipate changing events far, far ahead...which includes getting my foot off the accelerator WAY before a red light, and not using the brakes until really needed. It makes a huge difference in efficiency. Also, I NEVER have complained about fuel prices...gas is still CHEAPER than bottled water that so many of our citizens think they must have.

 

[LAGA]

I like the feel of acceleration. I have owned performance cars and trucks for the last 10 years. It`s one thing to drive hard off of the line and it`s another to beat the heck out of it and abuse it. I have a short commute to work so even at 12 mpg I go through 10 gallons a week.

 

[mechtech2]

98% is very light rolling on of the gas when accelerating, and shifting at rather low RPMs. Put it in neutral when there is a red light ahead, and coast.
But, I also redline it every day, here and there - for fun and need.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I drive like Gary Allen, unless ......

I try to stay off the brakes whenever possible, that means reading what's going on in front of me.