EcoRoute HD

There are several threads on this. Check:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/29743

It's generally not very accurate but you can see a continuous readout that help you keep a lighter foot. Smooth acceleration up to the highest gear is the key.

I found it very distracting when driving. It's read all the numbers from car ECU and need plugin to OBDII ports .

I used it to determine optimal speed for fuel economy and plan to do the same when towing my RV. Much cheaper and more useful than a code scanner.

I would be interested in the check engine light codes. After the car was out of warranty it would help to keep the mechanics honest as to what was wrong if you got a check engine light. I remember a few years back using the handheld scanners you had to have a different scanner for GM, Chrysler, and Ford. They must have standardized that now.

It gives a description of the fault and the ability to clear the fault, which turns off the check engine light. Of course that doesn't fix the problem but is good for minor or intermittent problems.

If you have a VW diesel you maybe surprised to find that the ecoRoutes HD device does not have an MPG read out. Not sure why but it doesn't exist with my 2.0 TDI. No big deal for me as the trip computer has this information but it's something else to look out for.

My only complaint is that MPG isn't one of the guages. There is a separate MPG screen.

sorry, pls disregard

i still dont know how to use the EcoRoute HD to improve my fuel economy?

also, i i cant figure out how to match up the Ecoroute mpg to my paper/pencil method (miles divided by gallons on fillup).

THe ecoroute hd has MPG for the last 5hrs driving which does not equate to fillups.
so i have no idea if what mpg the ecoroute HD reports is accurate or not.

It shows you digitally why you need to accelerate and brake slowly.

it seems like it doesnt matter how fast or slow i accelerate. the leaf # drops ALOT on any acceleration.

that going downhill without much regard to the grade, if the car just coasts (not in cruse control) I can consistently get the instantanious mpg rating into the 40-100 range.....

Cruise control is nice, but it seems not to retard the engine quite enough and it wants to throw fule into the system.

I'm driving a 2000 CVPI and around town I can get upwards of 19-20 mpg and on the highway, I can approach 28 or more depending where I'm going.

Also, depending on the map dashboard you are using, you can have the instantanious mpg reading show up.

I started to learn how to drive this car most effeciently by watching the gauges; rpm, engine load, timing advance and the such. Now that I know the engine sounds I know where I am for the most part.

Of course, if and when I have to put my foot into it for any reason, it drinks about 13 gallons / hour... Bet you can guess I don't do that very often.

Yes, acceleration is the killer and next is driving at fast speeds. It tends to make you drive like you have a body in the back of hearse but it does save fuel.

I think Garmin really need to increase their support of it to make it easier to connect, and to use. Perhaps have more information on the FAQ page too.

When navigating by default it does not show MPG. That may be useful. But where it shows Time of arrival, journey time, speed etc, if you tap there you can customise what information is shown. Instant MPG is one of them.

I have found that in my Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI I have gone from 43 mpg to over 50 mpg. If i'm not in a rush I can easily get over 60 mpg by accelerating slowly and keeping highway speeds to around 60 mph and using cruise control. Range has increased from over 600 to 750 miles. Journey times don't increase as much as you think. My brakes and clutch are probably having an easier life too. It will soon pay for itself.

The daily score seems to be less reliable since I used the Ecoroute HD hardware rather than relying on the built in software.

Some may query the empirical accuracy of the mpg figures but use them comparatively and you will reap benefits. It is amazingly easy to see the difference to fuel consumption that driving at 80 mph makes compared to driving at 60 mph.

On a recent round trip of 1 200 miles to the Black Forest and the Vosges from London the ecoroute HD gave a reading of within 0.15 m.p.g of that calculated from fuel upload and odometer reading. I'd say that is pretty accurate.

Go to tools, then ecoroute and in there see mileage report; there will be a breakdown of trips and the fuel consumption. For my latest trip (1 200 miles) there were 30 hours worth of data.

You can make one of your dashboard units an MPG display. Mine is set up from left to right: Time, Arrival Time, Speed, MPG.

I just wish I could get my ecorouteHD to work all the time. Being that it connects via bluetooth, mine is sporadic. It will work for a month and then not connect for a week.

Thought it would be nice to have. It gives me a rough idea of the mileage I get from my vehicle, but otherwise I don't think it gives me all that much bang for my buck.

My EcoRoute HD will work for a few days, then my Nuvi will pop up with "New Vehicle Detected!" and graciously allow me to set up my EcoRoute HD -- again.

And again, and again, and again -- it will stay set up for a few days to a week, and then I'll be out of the car for ten minutes visiting a store, get in and start things up, and it wants to be set up. Or I'll get in the car in the morning, and it wants to be set up.

Oh, this isn't an OBDII connection issue -- the connector is secured and does NOT come loose. The issue is with the Bluetooth connection between the EcoRoute HD and the Nuvi.

If you want this kind of information reliably, get a wired device such as the ScanGauge II, which you can configure to show MPG, and much more. It's not as pretty as the color screen of a Nuvi, but it is reliable. That's what I used before deciding to try the EcoRoute HD; and trying it has been...

My Mini Cooper S can display current MPG or average MPG. And yes, you get better mileage by accelerating and decelerating slowly.

But that's not quite why you get a Mini Cooper S...

I have an Ultra Gauge, which is a wired device with many of the same functions as the ScanGauge II, but considerably cheaper. I have had it for a couple of years and have been quite happy with it.

http://www.ultra-gauge.com

If you have an android or iphone you can run a "free" program you can also pay $5 for to get all the features. You also need a OBD2 to bluetooth device but those are around $25. So for $30 you can have the gauges, error codes (including resetting) and mpg features of ecoroute. I've run it on my 7 inch tablet. It is interesting but I haven't found a convenient way to mount the tablet and I don't need the additional information that bad. The ability to use the Garmin screen for display is a definite advantage but I haven't decided it's enough to spend roughly $100 for the Garmin device.

If your vehicle has a center cupholder you may want to check Amazon for a cupholder tablet mount.

I second that comment. That is how I mount my Nexus 7 tablet.

With best wishes,
- Tom

I like the ecoroute HD and it does help you to determine an optimal cruising speed under different conditions (e.g. pulling a trailer). It does sensitize you to the impact of acceleration, but that is about it.

I wish Garmin would update the firmware to allow voice commands to get to the ecoroute HD options. Maybe in the next upgrade (please).

I have been using the Scangauge for about 6 years and it gives a lot of info, about 40 different gauges and 4 gauges shown at any one time. Also is capable of setting up several customized gauges for example the transmission temperature. If religiously applied at fill up time, it will tell you almost exactly how much fuel you will need next fill-up. For Diesel and gas engines. Uses the OBD port and is always connected!!!

http://www.scangauge.com/

To the ScanGauge II from the Ecoroute HD, as the Garmin thing just isn't reliable. Yes, it's another thing for me to watch, but I did that for a few years before trying the EcoRoute HD.

I do not know about any other similar products, but the Scangauge can always be updated to the newest and current software for $ 25.00. Just send it in and get yours returned as a current model.

The Valentine One Radar Locator has an upgrade policy although it's a physical unit swap and costs substantially more than $25 for the upgrade:

New unit $399
Unit upgrade $279 (includes new accessories)

The only car to give the S Jaguar a run for it self. I am assuming the 1300cc engine.