stop and start engines...

[Tontsy]

who else has driven a car with the "stop and start" engine ?

what are peoples opinions on it?
i was driving a Mini Cooper D with it not too long ago, for a few days, and i found then it didnt work untill the engine had warmed up to a set temp!

is this the same with all engines with it and such?
who has it?
and can you see its apprent bennifits?

[-Alex-]

These the one's where the engine turns off while at traffic lights ect?

[Tontsy]

These the one's where the engine turns off while at traffic lights ect?

thats the ones...
and start again when the clutch is dipped.

i cant see how it saves fuel, as surely an engine requires that little extra to start and stop from stalling?

and as for the mini in hand, the time it took to warm up, i was at the place i wanted to bloody go!
absolute fail!.... was told its goof dor long distance, who the fuck stops on the motorway?!

[P90PTS]

I learned to drive in one, really weird IMO but i passed first time tho!

If the engine's not running, it's not using any fuel.
The Auto Start Stop function automatically switches off the engine when the car is at a standstill and in neutral, then restarts it as soon as the driver presses the clutch pedal again. Fitted for example to all BMW 1 and 3 Series models with a four-cylinder engine and manual transmission, the Auto Start Stop function helps reduce both fuel consumption and emissions.

[Tontsy]

yes, no fuel is used if the engine is off... but surely, there cant be that much of a difference, if any...from a few moments of idle at lights, to the amout required to start the engine...

[Cal]

It all mounts up though... emissions globally etc.

[P90PTS]

Im thinking the same tbh, but the slowness of the traffic lights in Dundee you save some amount of fuel, but my car does idle at about 400rpm so i hardly use any y0!

[djmartin]

thats the ones...
and start again when the clutch is dipped.

i cant see how it saves fuel, as surely an engine requires that little extra to start and stop from stalling?

and as for the mini in hand, the time it took to warm up, i was at the place i wanted to bloody go!
absolute fail!.... was told its goof dor long distance, who the fuck stops on the motorway?!

yep been in a toyota hybrid from he local dealership near me doinga lil test drive :D (cant remember its name but it was a SUV sort of looking thing)

basicly its rather pointless as you use more fuel starting the engine up, starter motors would fail more often & if it decides not to turn back on when you dip the clutch your then sat at some traffic lights with other drivers frustrated behind you.

I belive in sweden or switzlerland most the cars have this function and you can be fined or something if you dont turn your car off at traffic lights lols!


it would make more sence just to havea hybrid and once your coming upto the traffic lights your flick it over to electric then just before you set off you switch it to petrol. no need to stop and start the vehicle then ;).

[Tontsy]

It all mounts up though... emissions globally etc.

i have one view on emissions and global issues.
by the time it makes any major, life threatening difference, i will be long dead.

so will my children i would imagine, and maybe my children's children!
by that time, i couldn't care less about who is around then.

also, i would like a nice long, hot sunny summer for once.

or am i just being ignorant? lol.

[SaxoJamie]

Don't see the point of this being fitted to these modern cars. Unless your stuck waiting at a level crossing etc for 5 minutes it's not worth switching the engine off then on again for a few seconds it won't make any difference but just wear parts quicker.

[Tontsy]

yep been in a toyota hybrid from he local dealership near me doinga lil test drive :D (cant remember its name but it was a SUV sort of looking thing)

basicly its rather pointless as you use more fuel starting the engine up, starter motors would fail more often & if it decides not to turn back on when you dip the clutch your then sat at some traffic lights with other drivers frustrated behind you.

I belive in sweden or switzlerland most the cars have this function and you can be fined or something if you dont turn your car off at traffic lights lols!


it would make more sence just to havea hybrid and once your coming upto the traffic lights your flick it over to electric then just before you set off you switch it to petrol. no need to stop and start the vehicle then ;).


ive had a few hybrids / electric cars in work...and i HATE driving them.
no noise what so ever, no rev noise, its freaky! and i wouldnt reccomend it to any one imo. lol.

[Cal]

i have one view on emissions and global issues.
by the time it makes any major, life threatening difference, i will be long dead.

so will my children i would imagine, and maybe my children's children!
by that time, i couldn't care less about who is around then.

also, i would like a nice long, hot sunny summer for once.

or am i just being ignorant? lol.Yeah but big companies have to be seen to be trying to be eco friendly... like the Shell renewable energy adverts etc etc.

[AlexR]

I can tell that you're from plymouth ;)

Drive a stop start BMW 3 series from one side of london to the other(no dual carriageways allowed) during a weekday, then drive the same model without stop start, you'd be suprised at the results.

For city and busy town driving where you may stay stationary for several minutes at a time, regularly, it's much better. For other driving it's no worse. Win win. However saying that it can be less economical if you don't stay stationary for long enough, as you say it takes fuel to start it, more than it would to idle for 10s for instance...

[Tontsy]

I can tell that you're from plymouth ;)

Drive a stop start BMW 3 series from one side of london to the other(no dual carriageways allowed) during a weekday, then drive the same model without stop start, you'd be suprised at the results.

For city and busy town driving where you may stay stationary for several minutes at a time, regularly, it's much better. For other driving it's no worse. Win win. However saying that it can be less economical if you don't stay stationary for long enough, as you say it takes fuel to start it, more than it would to idle for 10s for instance...

you can tell?
anywhere outside of the SW is a long ol poke innit!

i can see where you are coming from in the major cities! and places with congestion! and obviously at standstill traffic jams and such too! :n:

not something that i get caught up in most of the time!

[Liam_]

The time and money would be better spent trying to improve our transportation system imo. By reducing congestion, we won't be sitting in traffic for hours on end with the engine running.

I notice they even have signs at bus stations now: 'no idling engines'... they still leave them running anyway. :wacko:

[Predator_R32]

sister has it on the mini cooper clubman

tbh i always thought there was more petrol used on starting the vehicle

maybe ok if your in a motorway jam but at traffic lights i dont think it is any more efficient

[lemon191]

leave the car in first gear and the engine wont turn off simple lol
how long is the waiting time for you to start moving with these cars because i always leave it in first gear and keep the biting point so there is practically no delay for me obviously i do take it out if im clearly going to be waiting ages. i hate it when a light goes green and yu have to wait for the person in front tot take their time moving since it means less cars get through in the space of time meaning more congestion imo

[Mr_P]

The reason they don't turn off until they are up to temp is so that they actually save fuel.

A cold engine requires more energy and fuel to start whereas a warm engine requires little to no extra fuel or energy. It's very little strain on the starter to turn a warm engine.

[potatopete]

Surely there's a lot more strain on the battery, tho, if its having to turn the engine over every couple of minutes?

[ryanmt]

very little, the statermotors only like a big wiper motor.. how often do you use your wipers!

[Aron]

It will save fuel. The engines are built to need very little extra fuel to start up. You really think a company like BMW would use it if it was pointless???

and it will nto do it if the engine is cold as most engine damage happens when its cold.

[Predator_R32]

its to sell the car

how do we all know it actually works until someone actually does a test on it

[potatopete]

Wouldn't mind driving one that does this, actually. Might feel a bit strange at first but would save some fuel.

[claff]

try starting your engine when its already hot from 20 minutes of driving... it is the easiest thing ever and you can tell the motor hardly has to work because the engine is properly warmed up... its a myth that it takes more petrol to start a car, it doesnt use ANY.

th engine will use more petrol just after you cold start it because its not as efficient but after that it doesnt matter.