Money Saving Motoring Tips!

General E30 related discussions -
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Speedtouch
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:45 pm

Have Zoners got any money-saving motoring tips they'd like to share?

Can be serious or silly, eg. leaving indicating until the last second to save on indicator bulb wear, taking your battery back for a refund the day before the warranty expires, etc. :)
///M aurice
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
delphincabby
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:47 pm

dont drive / mot/ tax it :o:
stitch-626
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:47 pm

leave the wife and kids a home to save weight therfore saving money on your fule bills

ian
wanted passenger side rear door for touring.pref dark blue

wanted, toy Bmw's any series, not for me for my 3year old daughter.

I have a rondevous with death, i drive an E30 in scotland
delphincabby
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:47 pm

another money savin tip from mcdonalds
Alex
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:49 pm

Speedtouch wrote:Have Zoners got any money-saving motoring tips they'd like to share?

Can be serious or silly, eg. leaving indicating until the last second to save on indicator bulb wear, taking your battery back for a refund the day before the warranty expires, etc. :)
i was going to do that with my halfords battery last week
dobbie82
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:49 pm

most fuel efficient way is dont brake and dont steer but could be painful

driving at 50mph instead of 60.... dont rest your foot on the accelerator, anticipate corners so you dont need to brake,

buy a diesel vectra :cry:
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march109
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:49 pm

only use the windscreen wipers WITH the windscreen wash even in rain the soapy wash helps lubricate the screen and thus reduces wear on the wiper rubber!

:cool: :mad: :D
325i Tech 1 Touring, breaking.

2.5 high comp. M20, 3.64 LSD, Fully undersealed, Spax springs & Bilstein shocks, s/s exhaust, Alpina rep wheels and more.
Speedtouch
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:53 pm

I once disconnected an injector to get a 320i through an MOT that was failing on high emissions due to a stripped spark plug thread. It ran OK on five cylinders. This makes me wonder if one could run a six pot on four or even three cylinders in times of dire cash-saving need... winkeye
///M aurice
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
HairyScreech
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:02 pm

Speedtouch wrote:I once disconnected an injector to get a 320i through an MOT that was failing on high emissions due to a stripped spark plug thread. It ran OK on five cylinders. This makes me wonder if one could run a six pot on four or even three cylinders in times of dire cash-saving need... winkeye
now thats not actually that stupid, there are ways of shutting down a couple of cylinders or alternatly shutting down cylinders when cruizing to improve mpg that are being developed as we speak.
2.8 development thread http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=170822

m3.3.1 m20 thread - now running, chip needed - any volunteers?
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... =viewtopic&
mr_dink
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:03 pm

Inflate tyres to 50psi for lower rolling resistance.

Fit one of these -
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-TORNADO-FUEL- ... dZViewItem

Apparently gives up to 31% better fuel consumption and up to 35 extra bhp!
Bargain for £4.99!

Alternatively you could invest in a set of fake number plates and steal your petrol.
Chris-W
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:10 pm

Become friends with a farmer and his massive tank of red diesel.
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d6dph
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:13 pm

Fill the car with petrol at night or when it is cold, you get more for your money as it is denser. (well so I read anyway)
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agreen
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:31 pm

(well so I read anyway)
And it was on top gear !
fuzzy
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:39 pm

use the bus instead? buy a diesel banger to commute? but to be honest i didnt whack a big turbo in my touring to bother about saving a few pence per mile :D
Gwynleym10
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:41 pm

Change your Air filter / oil

Use www.petrolprices.com
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Dual wheel carriers -------195litre Fuel Tank
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Speedtouch
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:08 pm

HairyScreech wrote:
Speedtouch wrote:I once disconnected an injector to get a 320i through an MOT that was failing on high emissions due to a stripped spark plug thread. It ran OK on five cylinders. This makes me wonder if one could run a six pot on four or even three cylinders in times of dire cash-saving need... winkeye
now thats not actually that stupid, there are ways of shutting down a couple of cylinders or alternatly shutting down cylinders when cruizing to improve mpg that are being developed as we speak.
Would it be possible to do this with standalone, eg Megasquirt? It'd be handy to flick a switch on the dash to get economy mode.
///M aurice
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
dannyboy759
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:42 pm

Remove the windscreen wipers, door mirrors and tape the bonnet to reduce drag :D
e30topless
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:43 pm

try driving everywhere sideways and/or doing at least 120 in the fast lane up close behind some twat in his porsche 911 and eventually the local constabulary will save you a fortune in fuel/road tax and insurance by keeping your licence for a good few years winkeye (i tried this when i was younger it worked a treat) :cry:
Speedtouch
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:47 pm

I'm considering swopping my Sport's BBS wheels with a VW Beetle's with thinner tyres... winkeye
///M aurice
ECU Upgrade EPROM Chips, £40 posted within the UK. Note these are not Zone chips.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=279421
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steve1066
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:30 pm

Get a divorce She took the lot
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Aleksandar
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:41 pm

Remove all the interior(except for dash, stereo and heat controls), rear seats, carpets, spare wheel, rear carpets and it will get you 15% more mpg AND more speed! AND you can earn by selling all of the removed stuff. :mad:
agreen
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:46 pm

And it will handel better ,

1- Take a dump before driving anywhere

2 -Tell the wife if she wants to come out with you to go on a diet !

3 -Buy a two door chrome bumper car in the first place as they are lighter i think ?

4- Cut cat out from exhaust and sell it to a pikey for £20 = fuel !!!

5- Finally lasbut not least the best way to save fuel is to nick some elses plate stick them on fill her and the tank in the boot to the bring and do one council style !!!
jaistanley
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:36 am

Buy a micra.
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Sanchez
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:39 am

stitch-626 wrote:leave the wife and kids a home to save weight therfore saving money on your fule bills

ian
That will save loads of money on shopping to spend on the motorsport!!!!!!! winkeye winkeye winkeye winkeye
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Brianmoooore
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:52 am

d6dph wrote:Fill the car with petrol at night or when it is cold, you get more for your money as it is denser. (well so I read anyway)
This definitely works with LPG (as long as it's stored in above ground tanks).
Fill first thing in the morning, after a cold winter's night.
Brings me to the most effective E30 money saving motoring tip of the lot: Run it on LPG!
Alyman
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:08 pm

I once heard that if you are heading into a petrol station and you see the tanker there as if it's just filled up, drive on til the next one - the theory is that when they are pumping petrol into the underground tanks a lot of silt gets chucked up by the motion and takes a while to settle again...

...so you'd get some extra milage out of your fuel filter :mad:
tomtomtom
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:41 pm

my dads started doin a good trick, when he needs tyres he goes on ebay and buys a set of wheels and tyres, then puts the tyres on his car and sells the wheels, last night he won a set of 16" bmw 1 series alloys for my mum with pirelli run flats on with 5mm tread left, a set of 4 for £122! he'll sell the wheels for 80 quid or so probably so thats £10.50 per tyre! run flats are a bomb as well!
CONTACT ADMIN ASAP
dimebag_from_hell
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:00 pm

Buy a derv heap, run it on red diesel and parafin :twisted:
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JohnnyBlazE
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:54 pm

My (late) mate's dad has an S600 AMG... got like 2mpg... ate tyres like crazy... £100 of fuel (2-3 years ago) got him nowhere... since then LPG converted and disabled some cylinders... 0-60 in 4.6 all gone :( 6 litre V12 gone to waste!
JohnnyBlazE

1990 E30 318is mit 2.5 M20 conversion.

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HairyScreech
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:50 pm

you wouldnt be able to permenantly disable cylinders as this would lead to massive pumping losses and hot/cold spots that would ruin heads and cranks.

as for doing it on stand alone you would need some hooky sequential injection so that the cylinder could have its fueling shut and preferably some form of air shut off to get the cylinder close to a vacuum for a couple of rotations to limit the pumping losses, also you would have to alternate cylinders to prevent the above happening.

think the best way of shutting off cylinders would be {edit - Removed untill i find out if im onto somthing good.}
2.8 development thread http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=170822

m3.3.1 m20 thread - now running, chip needed - any volunteers?
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... =viewtopic&
Benho
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:07 pm

to be honest the best thing to do is to walk? aha

even a bike would be quicker.

best thing tho, you and a mate hijack a petrol tanker transporting petrol, stash it somewhere and go halves on the fuel. should last about a year in all honesty, them things carry shit loads of fuel!
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HairyScreech
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:13 pm

150,000 liters iirc.

edit - maybe 15,000 as thats about 13 tons of fuel.
2.8 development thread http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=170822

m3.3.1 m20 thread - now running, chip needed - any volunteers?
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... =viewtopic&
suchy
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:42 pm

was skint as a teenager so used to syphon(?) fuel out of older cars with a pipe and a jerry can- free petrol winkeye saved me a shitload of £Â£ :D
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Brianmoooore
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:21 pm

Brother in law, amongst other jobs, deals in artic truck units. They often come in with full tanks, but they rarely go out again in the same condition! Those tanks hold a LOT of fuel.
jazmxpro
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Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:02 pm

When your commuting during the week fit a throttle stop under the accelerator pedal & wind it right up, so you can't give into temptation! Also follow traffic ahead of you really closely as to create a slipstream effect, big things like lorries or buses are best as they create a bigger stream for you to cruise in! winkeye
Only drawbacks are that you can't see past them, so effectively your driving blind, also it usually pisses people off & is actually illegal known as tail gating, which can carry a hefty fine if court doing by the smarmy government revenue increasing unit's out on the roads today! :mad:
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