Quote:
Originally Posted by EarlyPorsche
The whole ECO stop/start thing is mostly just a crowd pleaser for those who don't understand cars. Lots of people out there who think "this option saves the world and my pocket book." When in reality the resources required to fix the issues the vehicle could have prematurely (starter, ring gear, oil cooked top end and rings) outweigh the small fuel savings. Its sort of how people think battery powered cars "save."
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Full disclosure - I have a car with this and I think it is great. I'm not an environmental activist, but I think that hours of idling pumping crud into the air at stop lights is bad, so stopping the engine is good.
However, the primary driver is the increase in fuel economy - I believe the EPA standard includes about 18% of idle time, so if you shut the engine off, it increases mileage and reduces emissions ratings which is important for fleet rating and consumer appeal.
That being said, I don't intend to own the car without a warranty. So I don't care if it causes premature wear on said drivetrain components - certainly within the factory warranty lifetime there should not be excessive wear or the numbers would not pencil out. YMMV.