Audi 'Stop-Start' systems... Cougar 'turn-key-stop-start?'

JBunney17

JBunney17

Forum user
Apr 8, 2012
46
17
Gloucester/Cardiff
Was stuck in traffic the other day and an 11 plate Audi A5 crept up beside in the next lane. Their engine cut out as it came to rest. We were then stationary for about another 1-2 minutes, still with no noise coming from the audi whilst my zetec had been running at 800 rpm for the whole duration, with my economy readout down from 38 to 30mpg... and even after 30 more miles of driving out of the traffic, I could only get the mpg up to 32.

So I thought - They must have saved a good mile or twos worth of fuel just then... which isn't much - but after a whole week, it probably adds up.

I know Cougars are over ten years old now but couldn't we, providing that the engine is upto temp, just twist the key when stationary and turn the engine back on again when we actually need the engine to move?
There might be more wear and tear on the engine, starter, battery..etc but would that be that significant with fresh oil every 5k miles or would it just be as bad as starting the car every day with oil thats 12k miles old?
Or what could be modified to make the car more resilient to stop/starting?

..I would just love to be able to go for a fun 5-10 mile blast at the end of every week with the savings :)

Cheers,

Jeff
 
Hmmmm...given the age of our cars and the electronics involved wouldn't have thought this would be a good idea......over to the boffin's to answer this one I think...lol

I personally do switch off if I know I am going to be stationary for more than 5 mins or so (there are the odd level crossings where you may have to sit and wait for up to 10 mins whilst they let 3 or 4 trains through).
 
Cars with stop-start technology have updated starter motors to cope, and beefier batteries too.
Good idea in principle, I switch mine off if I'm expecting to sit for a while, but only when the engines up to temp.
 
Audi have used this system for years now. They had a system on the old Quatro's and 90's iirc, maybe even the 100's. I think it was the indicator stalk which had a button on the end, much like our rear screen wipe button which cut power to the engine. Then to restart you just dip the clutch, which is well thought out imo as it's safe and it's instantly ready for gear selection. This system always used to fascinate me when my cousin had the 90.
 
Just buy a smaller engine. I absolutely hate stop/start. You could change your oil every minute and it still doesn't get around the fact that you're starting up from zero oil pressure every time. It hammers batteries and it hammers the starter motors. You're garunteed to flatten your battery with a relatively low rated alternator like you've got. Also, it's something you can almost get away with when you have direct injection but with indirect you're more likely to just borewash the cylinders with multiple start-ups without any milage in between.

Just fill it with petrol and drive it normally. If that gets too expensive, get a lower value, smaller engined car.
 
Stop start systems on modern cars are a pain in the rear......working for Citroen we have stop start on several models all of which are reliable systems..... But there still horrible to drive.
The PSA range actually restart the engine from a reversible alternator so there's no excessive wear to the starter motor but everything else still wears..... Some what more.
Put stop start on the newer diesel engines with particulate filters and it causes no end of dpf problems as the oil carbons up more from the constant stop.... Start. Plus you have to be extra careful while working on the engines / gearboxes... Leave the ignition on and they have been known to fire up on there own..... the PSA group run a 4 day safety course on safe working practices before you can work on them...... Plus when driving them there is nothing worse then when you pull up to a junction and you want to pull out in to a busy road and the engine stops...... That gap you would normally go for becomes a no go as you lift your foot off the clutch and press the throttle and yes the engine starts instantly but it's still not enough to give you the confidence of pulling out with your engine already running. At least all PSA cars you can switch the system off at a touch of a button.....So every time I get one its switched off immediately .
But that's just my view on them lol
 
I've come to the conclusion that the blasted contraptions cause traffic too. A line of cars that, one by one, have to start their engines to pull away. That delay daisychains down the queue. So many times I've been at lights and pulled away to be greeted by the sound of the starter motor on the car next to me. I'm gone and they're just pulling away from the lights. Another one of those gadgets I wish was never invented.
 
everton2004 said:
I've come to the conclusion that the blasted contraptions cause traffic too. A line of cars that, one by one, have to start their engines to pull away. That delay daisychains down the queue. So many times I've been at lights and pulled away to be greeted by the sound of the starter motor on the car next to me. I'm gone and they're just pulling away from the lights. Another one of those gadgets I wish was never invented.
Click to expand...

I can't help but wonder whether the timing on lights will be changed to accomodate this eventually.
 
I had a Jetta hire car earlier in the year and have to say it worked really well on that, seems to have some intelligence built into the system and doesn't stop when you don't want it to.
I'd hate to think what it will be like in fifteen years time when the car is on its last legs and badly maintained, can you imagine sitting at lights in a clapped out 61 plate car with the engine cranking over for ages at every set of lights....
 
Funny thing with the PSA ones is there is no cranking...... Just instantaneous engine fire up from the drivebelt driving the engine from the alternator.....
Very clever and in all honesty good to drive...... If that's what you like.... Electric hybrids are just as bad but that a whole different story.
 
I've noticed the traffic light delay too. It's ironic really that a system designed to make the car cheaper to run actually just generates more congestion by allowing 2 or 3 vehicles less through a set of lights than old fashioned vehicles, adding journey time and burning more fuel.

Running a car is an expensive luxury. You can pay now or you can pay later with expensive repair bills etc, but one way or another, you're going to pay.
 
I drove a 1 series BMW with it and it worked very well to be honest didn't interfere with the driving or journey and very strange how it just instantly fires up too. I would like to see it linked to the handbrake though to encourage people to not sit with the brakes held on or riding the clutch when stationary.


JJ
 
spjmorris said:
I had a Jetta hire car earlier in the year and have to say it worked really well on that, seems to have some intelligence built into the system and doesn't stop when you don't want it to.
I'd hate to think what it will be like in fifteen years time when the car is on its last legs and badly maintained, can you imagine sitting at lights in a clapped out 61 plate car with the engine cranking over for ages at every set of lights....
Click to expand...

:LOL::LOL:
 
It's ok - there will probably be a compulsary scrappage scheme for cars over 7 years old by then anyway so we can all get transported from A to B by driverless cars.
 
spjmorris said:
I'd hate to think what it will be like in fifteen years time when the car is on its last legs and badly maintained, can you imagine sitting at lights in a clapped out 61 plate car with the engine cranking over for ages at every set of lights....
Click to expand...

To be fair, the stop-start thing is configurable (on VAG cars at least...for the moment) through the dash. My brother-in-law is a sales manager for them in one of the MK dealers and the first thing he does when he gets his new company cars is switch the system off.

everton2004 said:
Stop it, that's just depressing :(
Click to expand...

I don't think he went far enough.

Not only will the cars be subject to compulsory scrappage, you'll have to justify why you need a new one. A hair-shirt-wearing quango-employed inspector will evaluate your daily usage - which you won't have to provide records for because they'll have unfettered access to the ANPR databases - to see if your normal journeys could be completed by train and bus. If your journey to work by public transport would be less than 2.5 hours*, you will be denied a car.

A pool of milk floats will be provided for your weekly trip to the supermarket, where there will be recharging points. The cost of the electricity will be added to your shopping bill and you will later have to return the car to the pool and go home by bus.

Assuming you do qualify for a car, one of the line items on the bill of sale will be a Renewable Energy Tax. This will be at least £3000 and will be the equivalent of the "victim surcharge" that is paid by muggers, thieves, etc. They'll justify this by saying that your car - a dismal, charmless little 950cc box-on-wheels delivering 95MPG - is an anti-social menace which uses scant resources that others can't afford.

Tax-funded adverts will start to appear on the TV; "STOP! THINK! Do you really need to make that journey???". Children will be indoctrinated in schools to see the car driver as selfish and greedy. Petrol stations will start to disappear as more plug-in cars hit the road. Anyone still lucky enough to own a car will be forced to fit a charging station at home. Fuel poverty will take on new meaning.

And through all of this, the Americans, Chinese, Brasilians, Russians Indians and African nations will be looking at us and wondering why the hell we like to punish ourselves so much.

[/wild hyperbole]

* If that number seems oddly specific, it's because that's how long mine would take if I used the train and busses. By car? 25 minutes. From MK to Northampton. Seriously.
 
Here you go mate

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