Increased Mileage

There seems to be no chance at all that gasoline prices will ever return to the levels prior to the current conflicts in the Middle East; therefore, we ought to keep in mind the ONLY thing that we can really control: our own gas mileage. These may not seem new to readers, but most are worth repeating and thinking about:

1. Buy a good used sub-compact car that gets great mileage and use it for the daily commutes to work and store, etc.

2. Car-pooling and sharing the cost of gas or charging per passenger, per ride, will reduce your own costs.

3. The tried and true mechanic’s advice: Tune-up and keep the tire pressures at optimum.

4. Driving habits we can recall from drivers ed: Reduce speed, accelerate gradually, slow down before traffic signals require you to brake.

5. Maximize each trip efficiency: Do more things each trip and plan your route in advance.

6. Don’t carry extra weight around in the car – ditch the spouse and kids!

There are a couple things that I do to get better gas mileage. Firstly, I drive the speed limit. A lead foot isn’t going to do your gas mileage any favors; obey the speed limit and you’ll save money on gas. I also try to make sure that I don’t have a lot of crap in my car that’s adding extra weight. The more unnecessary weight you have in your car, the more gas it’s going to take to transport it. One thing I’ve read is that having your air conditioning on cuts into your gas mileage. However, I read one article that studied the matter and found that while having your air conditioning on has very little effect on your gas mileage.

It has virtually no noticeable effect when driving on the highway, and while it’s a little more noticeable when it comes to city driving, it may not be worth the discomfort if it’s a particularly hot day. Another thing I try to do is avoid breaking abruptly. Breaking gradually is better for your mileage. Hopefully these tips will help you save some gas money!

Improve your gas mileage by filling up the gasoline tank in your car in the summer. Don’t overfill your tank. Spilling gasoline on the ground just doesn’t improve gas mileage. Gasoline includes liquid gasoline and gasoline vapors.

In the summer time it is possible for some of the liquid gasoline to turn into vapors inside your gas tank. To avoid this fill the tank to the normal full level and try to keep it there. This reduces the amount of space available for gasoline vapors and actually increases gasoline mileage.

You can also improve gasoline mileage by keeping the tires of your vehicle full of air. Check the tires before you have traveled a long distance or before it gets to warm during the day. Warm air expands in the tires and may give a slightly false reading. Keeping the tires full with air may save up to 5 per cent on your total gas mileage.