Gasoline prices are on the rise again. With political turmoil and natural disasters happening all over the world, I don’t see the price of gasoline dropping in the near future, if ever again. You may not have control of increased fuel prices, but you do have control of getting better fuel mileage on your existing vehicle.
By following these steps, you can add miles to every gallon with your coupe, sedan, wagon, SUV, minivan, pickup truck, or hybrid. (More on hybrids below).
- Slow Down!Each mph driven over 60 will cost an additional 10 cents per gallon. Rapid acceleration and hard braking can lower your gas mileage by 33% on the highway and 5% in the city driving
- Avoid excessive idling!You get zero miles per gallon when the car it just sitting there idling away (unless you drive a hybrid).
- Minimize air conditioning!In city driving, using the air conditioner in hot weather can increase your fuel consumption more than 20%.
- Are you in alignment?Properly aligned wheels will reduce tire wear, give you better gas mileage, and improve the handling.
- One-stop shopping!Plan your shopping so you can do all your errands in one day. Park the car in a central location and walk between destinations. Several short stop and go errands can use twice as much fuel than a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance.
- Don’t delay your vehicle’s tune-up: A well maintained, tuned-up car may improve gas mileage by about 4 %, which saves you fuel and money, and reduces long-term maintenance costs. There are also many sensors that help keep the engine running smoothly and efficiently. Replacing a failed oxygen sensor could improve your gas mileage by as much as 40%.
- Travel Lightt.Using a roof rack or a carrier decreases fuel efficiency by 5%. Unnecessary items in your trunk that weigh over 100 pounds also reduce an automobile’s fuel efficiency by 1 to 2%. It’s like jogging by yourself versus jogging with a toddler on your back. It takes more time to go the same distance.
- Remember to check your tires for proper inflation!Check your owner’s manual for the correct tire pressure. Low air pressure creates more rolling resistance and burns more fuel. You also get faster tread wear if the air pressure is too low. Some hybrids use two pounds more in the front tires than rear.
- Is your air filter dirty?The engine air filter is very small and gets dirty quickly. The engine is basically a giant air pump that sucks air through the air filter into the combustion chamber and pushes it out the exhaust. So when the filter is clogged, the engine is inefficient & burns more fuel.
Safe and Happy Motoring,
Amy Mattinat
Owner: www.AutoCraftsmen.com
Author: How To Buy A Great Used Car
Automotive Expert Advisor on www.AskPatty.com
Join me: www.facebook.com/autocraftsmen