Gas prices are on the rise again and that means it is time for all of us to start thinking of ways to save a few cents per mile. Of course there is always checking the fuel pump and fuel level sender on the fuel pump assembly but there are lots of other tricks to help get some extra mileage out of our cars. The efficiency of a vehicle is based on the way it is drive and the weight it has to haul around.
First take a look at what is in the car besides you because anything that adds weight is something that losses mileage due to added weight. With a trunk full of stuff or a back seat full of clutter can add a good 100 lbs to the car and that will cost you over time. Under inflated tires can cost money over time, the change in resistance from the tire against the road surface changes the efficiency. Every vehicle on the road has been designed to be as efficient as possible with the fuel it was designed for. While many people believe they will get better mileage by using premium gas, it is simply not true. If your car was designed to use 89 octane and it will run worse with 91 or 93, and vise versa. Use the correct fuel in your vehicle to reach maximum efficiency.
There is a common saying in the gear head world and it works well for fuel savings as well. Don’t upgrade the car, upgrade the nut behind the wheel. Basically it means if you would like to save gas change the way the car is driven. While it may be fun to stop the gas and take off like a rocket at every light, it is sure as hell not the most efficient. Conversely extremely slow acceleration will waste gas as well due to the time that the engine is in an advanced rev range. The best thing to do is find a gradual acceleration point which uses the lease gas and still gets the car safely to travel speed. Never sacrifice safety in the quest for gas savings but a few extra thoughts about it are enough to save hundreds over the course of the year.
