How Fast Do You Drive

Off Topic
21

[quote]analog_kid wrote:
stig wales. wrote:
European cars won’t run on anything under 95, which as far as I know isn’t widely available in US. Also the US Gallon is a fair bit smaller, but you probably know all this anyway. You can buy 98 and 99 octane at the pump readily too. Whilst US petrol is still lots cheaper, its less of a bargain when you compare the weak octane and smaller gallon size.

Smaller gallon size? What? Don’t you guys use the metric system(liters)?

[/quote]

We do and we don’t. In Europe they won’t know what a Gallon is. Our Gallon is 4.54 litres and yours is 3.78 which is roughly 20% smaller take off a few percentage. Also out pint is 568ml.

We used to be purely lbs and oz, although its tradition to quote ones weight in stones, 1 stone is 14lbs. The French and co made us ocnvert out food weighing and stuff to gms and kgs. Fuel is sold in litres but its price by everyone per gallon.

However unlike the rest of europe we drive on the correct side…the Left and out cars are RHD. We also measure speed in mph and distance in miles, they use KMS. (the wankers).

22

[quote]Bauer97 wrote:
Nate Dogg wrote:

And my Passport 8500 X50 is one of my best friends. :wink:

Yes, the X50 is a lifesaver. It can almost get to the point of being annoying with how sensitive it is to picking up radar. A fine investment.[/quote]

Interesting. I’ve heard the valentine one is much better. Either way, I still need one of them haha.

I’ve done 115, but on highways speed limit here is anywhere from 55-65, so I do anywhere between 65-75.

Around town I dont go over 42-43 in a 30.

23

[quote]grey wrote:

A 12 cylinder mercedes 600 sel long. It’s got 411 horsepower with a top speed of 260 kph or 162mph more or less. It could actually go faster but there is a kill switch that limits the speed. I have heard that 300kph is about top speed if you do some modification.
It’s also got the double windows so there is practically no road noise at all. Driving 100kph feels like you’re standing still.
It’s got 280000 clicks on it but I just won’t drive anything else. I feel invincible in it and although the newer models are somewhat sleeker I hate the plastic they are made out of now. I like knowing that there are 3 tons of metal in between me and everything else.
It’s a gas guzzler but I don’t care.
Oh and you’re right about the petrol. It runs on 95 octane.

[/quote]

How old is that ? I am a big Merc Fan first one was an old E class E230 and a few years back I had a 190E 2.3 16v Cosworth which I have taken round the Nurburgring twice. That got replaced with a 99 E55 AMG which I got very cheaply as it was ‘Stolen recovered’ and on what’s known as V car.

Unfortunately I went to the dark side and have a BMW 330D now as main car.

Typically I do about a ton on the motorway when its not busy. Did 155mph in the AMG but it was limited.

24

To be fair, whats the point boasting about how fast you drive? If you were to wind up dead; or cause someone else to, it wouldn’t be so cool. No matter how invincible you feel, you’re not. Anyhow over here in her Majesty’s Kingdom the speed limit is 70mph, except no-one abides by it, anything up to 90 is acceptable. Compared to the rest of Western Europe we don’t have many motorways, so you wont be going anywhere too quickly, and that’s if you make it around the roundabouts.

25

[quote]alstan90 wrote:
To be fair, whats the point boasting about how fast you drive? If you were to wind up dead; or cause someone else to, it wouldn’t be so cool. No matter how invincible you feel, you’re not. Anyhow over here in her Majesty’s Kingdom the speed limit is 70mph, except no-one abides by it, anything up to 90 is acceptable. Compared to the rest of Western Europe we don’t have many motorways, so you wont be going anywhere too quickly, and that’s if you make it around the roundabouts.[/quote]

Rule for allowance is 10% plus 2. So 79mph is all you are likely to get away with if pulled and the copper is intending to issue a ticket. However they would then have to pull everyone if the road was fast moving that day.

I hear the cops play snooker and pull the cars to colour.

Ever noticed how its Merc’s and BMW’s they always seem to pull too ? They think the drivers are likely to be wankers I think.

26

[quote]grey wrote:
In Italy the limit on the highway is almost 90mph but most drive 100 and in Germany there are autobahns where ther is no speed limit Gas in europe is way more expensive than in the states so what’s the point?
[/quote]

A friend of mine, who’s been living in Italy for over 20 years, said that in Italy, speed limits are no more than a suggestion …

Ironically, I just came back from a movie, and went at it at 180 km/hour where 70 is the speed limit.
If the road’s open, and it’s night, it feels really, really good to push down the pedal.
In Belgium(where I live), the bill is pretty high for speeding though, and they can charge 500 ? on average, and the fine increases with ever extra kilometer over the limit.
Fact is, cameras can(usually)be spotted, and since they cost a lot, most city’s don’t have them.

27

[quote]stig wales. wrote:
Grey what sort of car is that with 400 bhp ?
Also GAS or Petrol as we like to call it MUCH higher Octane in Western europe (not necessarily over Poland / Czech way though) unlike the piss weak shit they sell in the US.

European cars won’t run on anything under 95, which as far as I know isn’t widely available in US. Also the US Gallon is a fair bit smaller, but you probably know all this anyway. You can buy 98 and 99 octane at the pump readily too. Whilst US petrol is still lots cheaper, its less of a bargain when you compare the weak octane and smaller gallon size.

[/quote]

…because Higher Octane gas makes your car go faster…

This could be the dumbest thing I’ve heard in relation to cars. Higher compression ratios give higher power output from the engine. The higher compression requires higher octane gas to prevent knocking (detonation). All the higher octane gas does is raise the temperature at which the gas/air mixture ignites. In a higher compression engine, the lower octane gas would ignite under the compression cycle alone with no spark firing and thus: engine knocking. This occurs on hot summer days in older cars when you turn the key to the “off” position and the motor continues to ‘turn’ for another few cycles before dying.

Further, you should know that in the United States there are gas stations that carry up to 94 octane, to be used in high compression engines in hot weather or under extreme driving conditions. I’m so glad I don’t need to pay the extra 20-30 cents a gallon for gas that’s no better in getting me from A to B.

This gas is more frequently used to cut Turbo Blue/Sunoco (110 octane) race gas for motocross bikes so its cheaper as Turbo Blue costs a ton.

28

Further, discussing road conditions on the Autobahn and United States Interstate System it should be noted that the Autobahn uses an 8 layer paving system at great expense whereas the U.S. uses a four layer paving. Further, when a hole develops in the U.S. I. System, the D.O.T. chooses to patch the whole. In contrast, the Autobahn maintainance mandates that the section be replaced in entirety.

Furthermore, so everybody is not led astray from the O.P. generalities:
There are speed limits on the Autobahn.

These speed limits are around metropolitan areas, other sections have a specific signage (circe + diagonal lines) indicating there is no longer a limit.

This would be impossible to implement in the United States as people do not “Drive Right, Pass Left”. They simply drive in whatever the hell lane they please. 64 in the left lane on the interstate? Frequently. 65 in the right lane? I thought the speed limit was 70???

Too many people attempting to “own” the road for this to work now, unless there was a toll system and special licensing which is completely unrealistic.

29

Been cruising at 80 on NYSThruway for a long time. Just picked up a 2003 Camry a few weeks ago, which is so smooth I find myself tickling it above 80 frequently, especially when gettin to he gym at 5:00am. The wife naps peacefully in the passenger’s seat, no matter the speed.

Haven’t had a chance yet to try to bury the needle on a back road.

30

“Drive”? Oh, that’s for things with four wheels, isn’t it?

I used to ride a pretty damn fast vehicle:

But now I’m taking a forced break, due to… um… a mistake in applying the front brake. :slight_smile:

[quote]stig wales. wrote:
Also GAS or Petrol as we like to call it MUCH higher Octane in Western europe (not necessarily over Poland / Czech way though) unlike the piss weak shit they sell in the US.[/quote]

You are falling prey to a fairly common urban myth.

Lower octane does not mean “weaker fuel”. It just means that the mixture of fuel and air explodes under more relaxed conditions (under smaller temperatures and pressures).

If anything, high-octane fuel releases less energy, due to the additives required to make it more stable (less prone to explode in a fuel/air mixture). The difference is pretty small though.

31

[quote]ATOMemphis wrote:
stig wales. wrote:
Grey what sort of car is that with 400 bhp ?
Also GAS or Petrol as we like to call it MUCH higher Octane in Western europe (not necessarily over Poland / Czech way though) unlike the piss weak shit they sell in the US.

European cars won’t run on anything under 95, which as far as I know isn’t widely available in US. Also the US Gallon is a fair bit smaller, but you probably know all this anyway. You can buy 98 and 99 octane at the pump readily too. Whilst US petrol is still lots cheaper, its less of a bargain when you compare the weak octane and smaller gallon size.

…because Higher Octane gas makes your car go faster…

This could be the dumbest thing I’ve heard in relation to cars. Higher compression ratios give higher power output from the engine. The higher compression requires higher octane gas to prevent knocking (detonation). All the higher octane gas does is raise the temperature at which the gas/air mixture ignites. In a higher compression engine, the lower octane gas would ignite under the compression cycle alone with no spark firing and thus: engine knocking. This occurs on hot summer days in older cars when you turn the key to the “off” position and the motor continues to ‘turn’ for another few cycles before dying.

Further, you should know that in the United States there are gas stations that carry up to 94 octane, to be used in high compression engines in hot weather or under extreme driving conditions. I’m so glad I don’t need to pay the extra 20-30 cents a gallon for gas that’s no better in getting me from A to B.

This gas is more frequently used to cut Turbo Blue/Sunoco (110 octane) race gas for motocross bikes so its cheaper as Turbo Blue costs a ton.[/quote]

Look mate, I never said higher octane petrol makes your car go faster. Please GTF with your putting words in my mouth you nob.

32

In my car, I usually just go 5 or so MPH over what everyone else is doing (for some reason I have to be constantly passing someone). When on my crotch rocket however, it’s a totally different story. All I have to do is think about going fast and before I know it, I’m doing 120 and I still have 2 gears left.

33

[quote]florin wrote:
“Drive”? Oh, that’s for things with four wheels, isn’t it?

I used to ride a pretty damn fast vehicle:

But now I’m taking a forced break, due to… um… a mistake in applying the front brake. :slight_smile:

stig wales. wrote:
Also GAS or Petrol as we like to call it MUCH higher Octane in Western europe (not necessarily over Poland / Czech way though) unlike the piss weak shit they sell in the US.

You are falling prey to a fairly common urban myth.

Lower octane does not mean “weaker fuel”. It just means that the mixture of fuel and air explodes under more relaxed conditions (under smaller temperatures and pressures).

If anything, high-octane fuel releases less energy, due to the additives required to make it more stable (less prone to explode in a fuel/air mixture). The difference is pretty small though.[/quote]

You are needlessly trying to make me look stupid mate.

Eighty-seven-octane petrol the general stuff you get in the US is petrol that contains 87-percent octane and 13-percent heptane (or some other combination of fuels that has the same performance of the 87/13 combination of octane/heptane). 95 octane is therefore in the 95/5 combination meaning LITERALLY is not as WEAK as the 87/13 stuff, i.e the concentration of ocatane to heptane is STRONGER.

34

Yeah yeah. I mean I’d probably go faster if I were going down a hill.

[quote]HvRv wrote:
Natural Nate wrote:
My car isn’t capable of going over 75 mph on a flat surface.

I usually go around 65 on highways . . . everybody passes me.

How about non-flat surfaces. I’ll bet u kill on those… :)[/quote]

35

[quote]stig wales. wrote:
florin wrote:
“Drive”? Oh, that’s for things with four wheels, isn’t it?

I used to ride a pretty damn fast vehicle:

But now I’m taking a forced break, due to… um… a mistake in applying the front brake. :slight_smile:

stig wales. wrote:
Also GAS or Petrol as we like to call it MUCH higher Octane in Western europe (not necessarily over Poland / Czech way though) unlike the piss weak shit they sell in the US.

You are falling prey to a fairly common urban myth.

Lower octane does not mean “weaker fuel”. It just means that the mixture of fuel and air explodes under more relaxed conditions (under smaller temperatures and pressures).

If anything, high-octane fuel releases less energy, due to the additives required to make it more stable (less prone to explode in a fuel/air mixture). The difference is pretty small though.

You are needlessly trying to make me look stupid mate.

Eighty-seven-octane petrol the general stuff you get in the US is petrol that contains 87-percent octane and 13-percent heptane (or some other combination of fuels that has the same performance of the 87/13 combination of octane/heptane). 95 octane is therefore in the 95/5 combination meaning LITERALLY is not as WEAK as the 87/13 stuff, i.e the concentration of ocatane to heptane is STRONGER.

[/quote]

complete nonsense - see above POSTS regarding engines & octane. Car & Driver has done numerous printed studies showing the neglible performance gains & even decreases in Engine power output due to high octane gas. If the car doesn’t require the higher octane fuel, using it is not only wasting money but also contributing to “bogging” on acceleration.

Lower octane gas is actually “STRONGER” because it ignites easier, i.e. it is ‘more explosive’. Higher octane gas is ‘less explosive’ as its detonation requires a higher temperature. One might think that the higher temperature would equate to greater performance via the Carnot Engine function for efficiency but the change is neglible and the computers in a car regulating the fuel/air mixture ratio are calibrated for the lowest (cheapest) octane gas possible for the compression ratio.

To quote Triple T (Terry Tate): “don’t bring that weak-ass stuff up in this humpy bumpy!”

i’m all over some thermo & engine performance.

36

[quote]stig wales. wrote:
You are needlessly trying to make me look stupid mate.[/quote]

No. I merely pointed out an error. Even intelligent people make errors.
You said that lower-octane fuel is weaker (i.e. produces less energy), which I said is a common error.
It is not weaker, it produces the same amount of energy like high-octane. It merely explodes easier than high octane when mixed with air.

http://www.repairfaq.org/filipg/AUTO/F_Gasoline6.html#GASOLINE_014

Quote:
If you are already using the proper octane fuel, you will not obtain more power from higher octane fuels. The engine will be already operating at optimum settings, and a higher octane should have no effect on the management system. Your driveability and fuel economy will remain the same. The higher octane fuel costs more, so you are just throwing money away.

37

[quote]ATOMemphis wrote:
stig wales. wrote:
florin wrote:
“Drive”? Oh, that’s for things with four wheels, isn’t it?

I used to ride a pretty damn fast vehicle:

But now I’m taking a forced break, due to… um… a mistake in applying the front brake. :slight_smile:

stig wales. wrote:
Also GAS or Petrol as we like to call it MUCH higher Octane in Western europe (not necessarily over Poland / Czech way though) unlike the piss weak shit they sell in the US.

You are falling prey to a fairly common urban myth.

Lower octane does not mean “weaker fuel”. It just means that the mixture of fuel and air explodes under more relaxed conditions (under smaller temperatures and pressures).

If anything, high-octane fuel releases less energy, due to the additives required to make it more stable (less prone to explode in a fuel/air mixture). The difference is pretty small though.

You are needlessly trying to make me look stupid mate.

Eighty-seven-octane petrol the general stuff you get in the US is petrol that contains 87-percent octane and 13-percent heptane (or some other combination of fuels that has the same performance of the 87/13 combination of octane/heptane). 95 octane is therefore in the 95/5 combination meaning LITERALLY is not as WEAK as the 87/13 stuff, i.e the concentration of ocatane to heptane is STRONGER.

complete nonsense - see above POSTS regarding engines & octane. Car & Driver has done numerous printed studies showing the neglible performance gains & even decreases in Engine power output due to high octane gas. If the car doesn’t require the higher octane fuel, using it is not only wasting money but also contributing to “bogging” on acceleration.

Lower octane gas is actually “STRONGER” because it ignites easier, i.e. it is ‘more explosive’. Higher octane gas is ‘less explosive’ as its detonation requires a higher temperature. One might think that the higher temperature would equate to greater performance via the Carnot Engine function for efficiency but the change is neglible and the computers in a car regulating the fuel/air mixture ratio are calibrated for the lowest (cheapest) octane gas possible for the compression ratio.

To quote Triple T (Terry Tate): “don’t bring that weak-ass stuff up in this humpy bumpy!”

i’m all over some thermo & engine performance.
[/quote]

Once again misreading / misquoting me. I’ll leave you to your subjective dilemma mate.

38

[quote]florin wrote:
stig wales. wrote:
You are needlessly trying to make me look stupid mate.

No. I merely pointed out an error. Even intelligent people make errors.
You said that lower-octane fuel is weaker (i.e. produces less energy), which I said is a common error.
It is not weaker, it produces the same amount of energy like high-octane. It merely explodes easier than high octane when mixed with air.

http://www.repairfaq.org/filipg/AUTO/F_Gasoline6.html#GASOLINE_014

Quote:
If you are already using the proper octane fuel, you will not obtain more power from higher octane fuels. The engine will be already operating at optimum settings, and a higher octane should have no effect on the management system. Your driveability and fuel economy will remain the same. The higher octane fuel costs more, so you are just throwing money away.[/quote]

So when did I say we should be putting higher ocatane pertrol in out cars ‘just because’ ? I said Euro cars are designed to run on at least 95, get over yourself. You saying that I am saying 87 fuel gives less power than 95 never happened, if it does or it doesn’t. I realise petrol is a sensitive issue for Americans, just get over yourself.

39

[quote]stiggg wrote:
florin wrote:
stig wales. wrote:
You are needlessly trying to make me look stupid mate.

No. I merely pointed out an error. Even intelligent people make errors.
You said that lower-octane fuel is weaker (i.e. produces less energy), which I said is a common error.
It is not weaker, it produces the same amount of energy like high-octane. It merely explodes easier than high octane when mixed with air.

http://www.repairfaq.org/filipg/AUTO/F_Gasoline6.html#GASOLINE_014

Quote:
If you are already using the proper octane fuel, you will not obtain more power from higher octane fuels. The engine will be already operating at optimum settings, and a higher octane should have no effect on the management system. Your driveability and fuel economy will remain the same. The higher octane fuel costs more, so you are just throwing money away.

So when did I say we should be putting higher ocatane pertrol in out cars ‘just because’ ? I said Euro cars are designed to run on at least 95, get over yourself. You saying that I am saying 87 fuel gives less power than 95 never happened, if it does or it doesn’t. I realise petrol is a sensitive issue for Americans, just get over yourself.[/quote]

Most European cars are manufactured with a higher cylinder compression ratio. With the higher compression ratio a standard octane gas here in the States, 87 octane, would cause the cylinders to ignite prematurely and have an adverse effect on engine reliability and performance.

Any engine runnning a high compression ratio benefits from higher octane gasoline, if not you have to retard the timing to compensate for the lower octane gasolines fatser burn rate.

You can quote car and driver all you like but, nothing simplifies it better than first hand experience.

I have built racing engine that had a 12.1 compression ratio that ran like shit on regular 87 and 93 octane gas. the only time they would run correctly and not misfire was when I would either cut the 93 octane fuel with 110 octane Sunoco, or retard the timing.

Now, on my standard daily driver it wouldn’t be cost effective for me to run the higher octane gasoline, due to the fact the original equipment manufatures specification for fuel call for at least 87 octane, and it has a static compression ratio of 9.5 to 10.1, the slower burn rate of the higher octane fuel would be unnecessary in this situation.

Bullpup

40

[quote]bullpup wrote:
stiggg wrote:
florin wrote:
stig wales. wrote:
You are needlessly trying to make me look stupid mate.

No. I merely pointed out an error. Even intelligent people make errors.
You said that lower-octane fuel is weaker (i.e. produces less energy), which I said is a common error.
It is not weaker, it produces the same amount of energy like high-octane. It merely explodes easier than high octane when mixed with air.

http://www.repairfaq.org/filipg/AUTO/F_Gasoline6.html#GASOLINE_014

Quote:
If you are already using the proper octane fuel, you will not obtain more power from higher octane fuels. The engine will be already operating at optimum settings, and a higher octane should have no effect on the management system. Your driveability and fuel economy will remain the same. The higher octane fuel costs more, so you are just throwing money away.

So when did I say we should be putting higher ocatane pertrol in out cars ‘just because’ ? I said Euro cars are designed to run on at least 95, get over yourself. You saying that I am saying 87 fuel gives less power than 95 never happened, if it does or it doesn’t. I realise petrol is a sensitive issue for Americans, just get over yourself.

Most European cars are manufactured with a higher cylinder compression ratio. With the higher compression ratio a standard octane gas here in the States, 87 octane, would cause the cylinders to ignite prematurely and have an adverse effect on engine reliability and performance.

Any engine runnning a high compression ratio benefits from higher octane gasoline, if not you have to retard the timing to compensate for the lower octane gasolines fatser burn rate.

You can quote car and driver all you like but, nothing simplifies it better than first hand experience.

I have built racing engine that had a 12.1 compression ratio that ran like shit on regular 87 and 93 octane gas. the only time they would run correctly and not misfire was when I would either cut the 93 octane fuel with 110 octane Sunoco, or retard the timing.

Now, on my standard daily driver it wouldn’t be cost effective for me to run the higher octane gasoline, due to the fact the original equipment manufatures specification for fuel call for at least 87 octane, and it has a static compression ratio of 9.5 to 10.1, the slower burn rate of the higher octane fuel would be unnecessary in this situation.

Bullpup

[/quote]

Watch out, they’ll be along to misconstrue, misquote and misunderstandwhat you just said shortly just for the hell of it.