Now I'm curious... about overdrive and cruise control.
For 14 years I drove a Winn 20' 4cyl Toyota engine Weight 5600 lbs. I learned to drive using the cc and the od and averaged 55 all the time. Regardless of wind or weather or terrain I'd set cc at about 62, over drive OFF. As the engine labored starting a hill climb and the speedometer dropped to 55, I'd turn on the OD. Reaching the top, the engine would tell me by it's sound, and I'd OFF the OD. On average, I'd climb the hills at 55 without any further loss in speed. And this is with that tiny 4 cyl engine. I got 15-17 mpg consistently. If I didn't use this method and relied on driving without the OD I'd have to labor up the hills at 30.
Now I have to ask. I read elsewhere that OD should be left on all the time, as it lessens the revolutions of the engine and thereby saves one's gas consumption. Would anyone reading this care to comment about cc and od use and explain it to me. My method never harmed my engine because in 14 years I didn't have any engine problems. Other than normal tune-ups and belt replacements, this little rig didn't owe me anything when I sold it, but I was always curious about the use of cc and OD.
Nowadays one doesn't even have to think about it. I test drove a Ford 250 diesel yesterday and am told that OD and such is all automatic and kicks in when needed.
My goodness, what a nice vehicle that is to drive... Wish I'd win the lottery
I don't intend to test drive a Dodge or a GMC because it's too easy to like them too much and I'm looking for a used tow vehicle. The only reason (knowing I wouldn't buy it) I tested the Ford was that the salesman insisted, and I was curious to see if I could drive anything that big (after my little Toyota 4 cyl). It was N I C E .
Trying to identify used vehicles, those that have been used by 'sports' that go off-road for fun is tough. Cleaned and washed and shined they look so innocent, til you read on what the guys do to them while off-roading.