Would you want to spend less on gasoline than you currently do? Sure you would—such a trick question, right? We can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t! Did you know that there are a number of things that you can do to your vehicle and to your driving habits that can give you a major increase in gas mileage?
1) Clean out your car regularly. Things like gulf clubs or tennis balls rolling around can add weight to your car. If you car is cleaned out it will increase your fuel economy a little bit!
2) Check the air filter – Studies have found that nearly one in every four vehicles on the road needs an air filter replacement. Gross air filters prevent air from flowing freely into your engine and can reduce a car’s gas mileage by up to 10%.
3) Check your tire alignment – Bad alignment not only causes tires to wear out quickly, but also forces your engine to work hard. Align your car’s tires and save up to 10% in gas mileage.
4) Tighten the gas cap – Believe it or not, a loose gas cap will cost you money due to gasoline evaporating from your tank. This could rob you of 30 gallons of gas per year!
5) Keep the tires inflated – This is a big one. More than one-quarter of vehicles are driving on deflated tires. The average under-inflation of 7 1/2 pounds causes a loss of 5% in fuel efficiency.
6) Drive smooth – This is an easy one. Avoid jack-rabbit starts and you’ll improve your fuel economy. In particular, feathering the gas pedal when you leave stop lights and signs can save you up to 10% in mileage.
7) Don’t idle – Besides causing air pollution, idling wastes fuel. If stopped for over 30 seconds, turn off the engine, and, unless it is super cold out, don’t bother to “warm up” your car before driving. This is a tip we received from the Service Manager at East Hills Chevrolet, a full-service car dealer in Douglaston, NY.
8) Use the lowest octane gas – Don’t use a higher octane gas than what the vehicle really needs. Higher octane gas is only required for high compression engines. For many cars it simply isn’t necessary. Check your owner’s manual for the grade of gas that you should be using and go with that.
9) Combine errands into one trip – It is simply amazing how few people do this. It is possible to save a lot of money by simply combining errands into a tiny number of trips. Try it and reap the savings!
10) Slow down – For each 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you may reduce fuel consumption by 7%. That’s right 7%! This is especially true for vehicles with large, frontal surfaces such as trucks and vans. Most drivers don’t realize this.
Incorporate these tips into your life and you could easily cut your monthly gasoline bill by 20% or more, and with little effort!
Earthgarage – Greener Car. Fatter Wallet.