better MPG with seats up?

None of my business, but why do you usually drive with the seats down? If this is to haul a few hundred pounds of your work gear, that might explain the difference .. I am just being facetious

It has now occurred to me that passenger-less cars are always loaded more on one side, and in the case of a small car a 220 lb driver contributes 7-8% of the total vehicle weight. Is this known to affect the mpg and the tread wear in any measurable way?

 

how do you measure it against a driverless car?

 

Google cars are used

 

there you go.

 

Not driverless, but with the same load in the driver's and front passenger's seat (e.g. a petite driver, accompanied by five friendly Norske Skogkatter)

 

I have previosuly posted GM's approximation equation for MPG impact of weight.
Suffice it so say if my wife gets 50 MPG alone, it could be closer to 48 with me and my wife.

Brings up a question, we ought to normalize Fuelly MPG for passenger wieghts, but nobody want to go there I guess.

 

it would be an interesting study. i would think most vehicles put the majority of mileage on with one driver. and we know must green car drivers are lightweights.

 

This thread was a riot to read. I have nothing to add but the sound of me LOL as i read post after post!

Sorry to the OP, he was serious. I am inclined to believe his observation of mpg vs seat position has to do with some correlation vs cause and effect. Kind of like I've noticed I tend to get more drunk sitting on a bar stool than any other chair style.

 

i noticed that when i drive with the bonnet (hood) up that my mpg goes right down. also, the twice ive done it, I've crashed as I couldn't see where I was going!

My question is, should I drive with the bonnet open due tot he effect it has on my mpg?

 

I don't know about the mpg, but someone called Tony would sure look rather cute in a bonnet

 

Try reverse maybe???

 

Remove the bonnet, problem solved!

 

Cheers lads. I will try reversing everywhere first as removing the hood/bonnet might be a bit drastic. Maybe I should remove the boot/trunk door to improve visibility? The lengths we go to improve our mpgs!

 

And if you turned your seat to face rearward, then it would be like you're going forward!!!

 

Cheers lads. I will try reversing everywhere first as removing the hood/bonnet might be a bit drastic. Maybe I should remove the boot/trunk door to improve visibility? The lengths we go to improve our mpgs!

 

Indeed he is...

 

Indeed he is

 

...put the seats down and now you got a pick-up truck