Here are some tips
to improve your fuel economy
David Williams - May 9th, 2007
As I write this
article gas prices at our local stations hit $3.13 per gallon for
regular unleaded gas (89 octane). With analysts speaking in terms of
$4.00 per gallon by July 4th we're all looking for ways to stretch our
dollar at the gas pumps.
Here are some tips
for better gas mileage that will help you save gas and money.
Driving more
efficiently and maintaining our cars will help us improve the fuel
economy of our cars or trucks by up to 10%.
All
figures below are calculated at my current gas price of $3.15 per
gallon.
 Drive
Sensibly
Aggressive driving
(speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your
gas mileage by 40 percent driving at highway speeds and by 5 percent
driving around town.
Sensible driving is
also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
MotorWeek Video about driving habits and fuel economy. In one
comparison aggressive driving costs one driver 140 miles in range per
tank full (for a 19 gallon tank).
Fuel Economy Benefit: 5-40%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.16 -
$1.26 per gallon!
Slow
Down
While each vehicle
reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of
speeds), gas mileage efficiency usually peaks between 50 - 60 mph and
usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
Typically, you can
assume that for each 5 mph that you drive in excess of 60 mph is like
paying an additional $0.22 per gallon for gas.
Observing the speed limit is also safer, so - again, you may save more
than gas money.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 7-23%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.22 -
$0.73 per gallon!
Reduce
the Load
Relax, nobody said
anything about dieting - we're talking about excess weight in the car.
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones.
An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%.
The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the
vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 1-2%/100 lbs
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.03 -
$0.06 per gallon!
Avoid
Idling
Think about it... Idling your car means you are getting zero (0) mpg /
miles per gallon. Vehicles with larger engines typically waste even more
gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.
The current recommendation is that you should turn the car off if you
will be idling more than two minutes.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 100%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $3.15
per gallon!
Watch
the Dash Lights
Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions
test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though
results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.
Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor,
can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 4%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.13
per gallon!
Check
& Replace Your Air Filter
Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as
much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging
the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter
save gas, it will protect your engine.
Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 10%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: up to
$0.32 per gallon!
Keep
Tires Properly Inflated
Check for a door placard similar to this one just inside the driver's
door for important information about the proper tire size and inflation
(psi) for your vehicle. Be sure to check the tire pressure before you
drive - while the tires are cold.
You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your
tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower
gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four
tires.
Properly inflated tires are also much safer and they will last longer.
Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 3.3%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: up to
$0.10 per gallon!
Regular Oil Changes and Correct Grade
Change your motor oil every 3,000 miles or every 3 months (whichever
comes first. You should also use the recommended Grade of Motor Oil
indicated by the manufacturer (usually printed on your oil fill cap
under the hood).
You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the
manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30
motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage
by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower
your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says
"Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains
friction-reducing additives.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 1-2%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.03 -
$0.06 per gallon!
Plan
Your Trips
You can also save money by planning your trips more carefully. For
example; if you can run several errands in one trip with one vehicle you
can save a significant amount of money by saving steps.
Further, longer journeys are great fun for the family but try to
economize the way you pack. Luggage & Cargo racks can reduce your fuel
economy by 5 to 10 percent.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 5-10%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.16 -
$0.32 per gallon!
By following these few simple steps you can save a significant amount of
money at the gas pumps and keep your car running efficiently.
Source: www.fueleconomy.gov
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