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And so it's everywhere. Video of hypermilers and their techniques can be found on CNN, local news affiliate sites, and YouTube (if you still don't know what hypermiling is, search Google and be prepared to be amazed). People are claiming they can get more than 100 mpg from their Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, and other hybrid vehicles.

However, has any normal drivers out there tried this? If so, have you experienced any car problems caused by turning the engine on and off?

CNN story - http://youtube.com/watch?v=hGeCL2RSuHs
Local Fox story - http://youtube.com/watch?v=XghsOrSSbPw&feature=related

 

cleanmpg.com is the home of the hypermilers.  "xcel" is Wayne Gerdes, the guy CNN picked up.  The "Articles" section is particularly good - with "GaryG"s posts on getting 70 mpg in a stock Ford Escape Hybrid (AKA "FEH") particularly interesting.  This is a whole new world to descend into and the acronyms will kill you.  Buckle up for major car tech geekdom.  Garys' figured out how the Ford system works and how you can optimally keep it in battery mode.  The moto press has completely missed how cool the technology of the FEH is, and what that vehicle can do.

I have a TJ Rubi which is a gas pig (33" tires, 3" lift, etc).  Driving what I thought was mildly (60mph on hwy, etc), all I got was 15.0 mpg over 5 years - like clockwork.  EPA is 15/17 for the TJ.

As recommended by The Wayner, got a Scangauge ("SCII")and began working on how to improve the mileage.  It really helps.  I'm up to 19 mpg per tank (+27%) without working too hard (real hypermilling is very aggressive, tiring and probably hard on the starter (bendix) gear.  I only shutdown (FAS - "forced auto stop") at long lights or on coasts to red lights.  Shutting down at lights makes a .5mpg diff per light on my 8 mi commute.  I live in a rural area and don't get too aggressive if traffic is behind - basically stick to speed limits like your 89 yr old granny.

Some notes:

The scan guage gives quicker readouts of mileage than stock computers and it shows manifold pressure and throttle position; either give good guidance.  Basically, an old fashioned MP guage would do it - just try to keep it around 8"MP or lower.

I've found with the TJ that mileage gets absolutely crushed over 50mph (other cars we have do much better - the TJ is a brick), so I take the local road to work, instead of the highway which takes a couple minutes longer.  At 45, I can get 21+ steady states, which raises the avg for the tank.  Sharp, quick acceleration from a stoplight to cruise works best for the TJ.

Short, local trips are death.  Surprising to me is how much better hot engine mileage is than cold.  It takes about 5 miles to get up to peak mileage.  

Fooling around like this saves $15 a week (one lunch) and provides some entertainment on the run to work.  
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Graduate, Rodan School of Automotive Design