Increased Mileage

If you are going to be buying a new vehicle soon, by all means go to a gas mileage estimates website such as fueleconomy.gov to find the more fuel-efficient vehicles. Whenever you can drive less, do so. The simplest way to use less gas is not to use so much. So when you can, catch a ride with friends, take the bus, ride your bike or hoof it! When it’s practical, try to plan trips when traffic is lighter so you won’t spend as much time in stop-and-go traffic causing you to use more fuel. Before filling up, it’s worth taking a look at a lowest gas prices search engine like Gas Buddy. Plan ahead. Keep in mind that during the cooler parts of the day, gasoline is denser.

You can get more gas by volume by purchasing gasoline at that time. You’ve probably noticed that gas prices soar shortly before an upcoming holiday when many of us travel farther distances to visit family and friends. So try to fill up before that price-jump surprises you! Be sure your gas cap is tight or your gas might be vaporizing into thin air, literally. If your vehicle is in poor running condition it uses more gas. So invest in a tune-up. Replace a dirty air filter because a clogged filter can damage your engine, reducing gas mileage efficiency. Check those spark plugs as well. Under-inflated tires are gas-guzzlers too, so have the air checked. I personally dislike using cruise control because it feels I’m not in control. However, if you don’t have that issue, you should use cruise control, as it does keep your driving speed steady and that does help fuel economy.

Turn off your engine if you’ll be idling for more than thirty seconds. Starting and stopping the engine uses some fuel; sure, but idling the engine for long periods of time uses more. Plan ahead. The less you have to stop the better your gas mileage. So when you see other drivers racing to the red light to beat you they are wasting gas. Better to attempt to catch as many green lights as possible, as the less stopping you have to do, the better gas mileage you’ll get. Accelerate slowly and take more distance and time when you brake.

This way of driving is effective at reducing gas mileage. The more weight you’re carrying with you, the worse gas mileage you’ll get. Attempt to stick to the basics. For safety’s sake too, it’s not a good habit to be lugging around heavy items in the carriage along with passengers. When you must travel with luggage, etc., it’s best to put them in the trunk, as hauling stuff around on a rack messes up aerodynamics and your car’s workload increases.

Lastly, I’ve heard that both running the air conditioning as well as driving with your windows open are going to reduce your fuel economy by as much as 10%. Well, whether you’re hot or just want some fresh air, do whichever you like. There is really no major difference between driving with the windows down or using the AC when it comes to conserving fuel. AC uses a mere 1-mile per gallon. Obviously, you never want to run your AC while windows are down! Let a cool head prevail!

With today’s quickly and steadily increasing gas prices there are many ways individuals are trying to economize. Especially here in the Midwest, we are dependent on our cars for going to work, shopping, going to the doctor, getting the kids to school, etc. We don’ have public transportation available in the small towns so we have to be inventive in helping cut our expenses. One of the best ways to get more MPG (miles per gallon) is to practice good driving habits. These include gradually increasing and decreasing speeds instead of “gunning it” or “slamming on the brakes”. Choosing routes with fewer stop signs and lights. Being sure the tires are properly inflated. Keeping the vehicle tuned up, oil changed regularly and service done timely. While it is important to warm up the car in cold weather, don’t let it idle more than necessary. While it doesn’t help MPG, it does help conserve fuel to plan your errands to make fewer trips and have a route to not backtrack.