Sounds like a Volvo-specific problem to me. Anyone shifting manually into neutral should know better than to abuse their transmission on startup with a big "clunk."

Hey, I'm all for people testing it but I'd definitely preface it with a stern warning because transmission failure is definitely a serious matter and some people can't afford to have that happen to a newer vehicle.

I don't own an AT, and I don't drive my wife's car enough to cause transmission problems. But there are plenty of hypermilers on all the websites who've done it for years without issues. I see their posts daily. And they don't all drive Hondas or GMs. AFAIK, only Volvo owners have had problems with premature transmission failures.

Still, your advice is well-taken. AT owners have to weigh benefits against potential risk.

Any changes in driving style, especially the abnormal techniques practiced by folks like us trying to save gas, require one to weigh the potential benefits against the risk.

you can block off the top grill with no ill affects (none so far for me) and it seems to help some.

I was helping a buddy haul some wood and got a solid 26 mpg. I was hauling wood in the cab so there was no trailer involved but it was a solid 45 minute drive. we loaded up and only stopped to unload, reload, and unload again. I figure we exceeded the weight limit of the thing but we got it done.

driving style has a lot to do with it.

there are pics of my grill block in my garage if you want an idea for it. it's in the garage for ellie mae. it's my wifes so I don't keep a gas log or do much with it.

thanks for the input guys! I just took a 6-7 hour trip to santa monica and mojave for the 4th of july weekend, the best mileage I got was on the drive down at 2am, a crazy 26mpg, which is way better than usual for my lunchbox.
I stopped using the gas on the military base where I work and I have noticed there is a definate difference in the milage I get. Cheap gas may not exactly be good gas.

Well not that you mention it, drivers of the 2007+ Camrys and ES350s should take notice that their transmissions are prone to failure and we may start seeing those transmissions fail at 100K+. The transmission in my Dad's ES350 is already acting a little finicky and he has 40K miles on it.

slokine,

one thing we have noticed is that you get better mileage using regular gas and not E-10 gas. several places have mandated the use of E-10 (or ethanol enriched gas). this gasoline has up to 10% ethanol.

I happen to live in a place that you can still get regular gas (that doesn't contain ethanol) that may be your issue.

it may be something to think about.

You guys wanna see transmission failures the 98-02 accords are plagued with tranny failures. My car has 82k and the tranny has issues already. A new tranny from honda is 3k not cheap at all. 3yr/36k warranty. So id research a little bit on the history of the car before trying to coast in neutral. Ill pass on the neutral thing im sure it works but i cant afford a new one now =(

if this is in fact a common issue for those vehicles i'd replace the tranny w/ a reman from jasper. besides a 3yr/100k warranty, you get a labor warranty and best of all, they correct the factory flaw. pricey tho.