Does Stop / Start really work?

We run a small test to see if the hullabaloo about Start/Stop technology actually saves you money.

Fuel price are at record levels. It now costs nearly £70 to fill up the average car, that’s almost 20% than it did 2 years ago. The stack of fuel saving gizmos advertised on the internet which range from, ECU remaps, magnets that sit on the fuel lines and even gadgets that you plug into the cigarette lighter, look more tempting than ever.

However, it’s always the simplest ideas that are the best. When an engine is turned off it can’t use any fuel at all which is why more and more car manufacturers across Europe are fitting their cars with systems known as Stop/Start.



So how does Stop/Start work? Well, when your car comes to a halt, at traffic lights for example, the engine automatically shuts itself off. Then when you press the accelerator or clutch the starter motor kicks the engine back into life.

Renault claims that the Stop/Start system fitted to their Megane will save the car buyer between 10-12% off their annual fuel costs. This means that if you do around10k miles a year then you should save about £110 – well that’s if it actually works.



To find out whether the Stop/Start system is something you should look for when buying your next used car we have put it to a test. We drained a Renault Megane completely of fuel and refuelled it with exactly 1 litre of diesel. We then drove it around the streets of Birmingham until it ran out - with the Stop/Start system turned off. We then recorded the mileage and repeated the experiment over again but with the Stop/Start system switched on. We used the same roads, the same conditions and fundamentally, the same car.

So what happened? Well, the Megane managed 12.8 miles with the Stop/Start system turned off. However, when we turned it and ran the test again the car returned 14.2 miles. So, in conclusion to this little test the Megane had made a significant difference in increasing fuel economy from 58mpg to 67 mpg with the Stop/Start system on. So there you go!

We have a wide range of used cars with Stop/Start technology to help save your annual running costs. Start your search with DesperateSeller.co.uk!