That was the tale of a couple of unlikely characters making their way from the top of the country to the bottom in a Mini.
On this trip, veteran motoring journalist Paul Owen and Ecodriver founder and trainer Mark Whittaker will be keeping their bright red, diesel-powered Mini Cooper D well within the law.
Travelling the more than 2000km on State Highway 1 from Cape Reinga to Bluff - at speeds rarely exceeding 80kmh - they are attempting to use less than two tanks of fuel to show that eco-driving is a way of reducing New Zealand's transport-related emissions.
It helps they are driving a car which shares the title of the country's most fuel efficient vehicle with the Toyota Prius hybrid.
The pair travelled from Christchurch to Dunedin yesterday, having spent just $40 on fuel - filling up once in Wellington.
Just north of Oamaru, the trip computer calculated they had 740km worth of diesel left, with about 360km left to travel to their final destination today..
"We are easily going to knock off the South Island with 30 litres," Mr Owen said - an irony not lost on a man who has made a living test driving the latest and fastest cars.
Especially when partnered with Mr Whittaker - an ex-rally service crewman from an era when "service crews raced each other to stages".
They had become "very in-tune" with the car, even noticing a slight fuel economy rise if they travelled in the slipstream of a large truck, Mr Owen said.
Being aware of carrying momentum down and up hills was a vital technique, he added"We've gone from being lead foots to light foots."
