More Gas and Better Gas Mileage for Your Money
Do I need to say it? Gas prices are high, with no relief on the horizon. It’s little comfort to know that in many European countries, gas is sold for the equivalent of $6 to $8 American dollars, and that the economic reality is, gas is still a bargain. All that is true, but it still hurts when the price of a tank of gas looks more like a down payment on a small condo.
For now at least, we’re stuck with the high prices. But there are some ways to increase your gas mileage, pay less for fuel, and one way that thousands of Americans have found to get free gas.
Buying tips to improve gas mileage and fuel economy
Fill your gas tank during the coolest hours of the day. As the day grows hotter, the liquid in gas expands, but the active ingredients that make your car run do not. So even though you pay for a whole gallon based on the volume of the liquid, you get slightly less gas mileage if you fill up when the weather is hot.
Check your owner’s manual for the recommended octane to use in your engine. Using a higher-than-recommended octane costs more and does nothing for your engine. More importantly, some gas retailers are willing to admit that most cars run fine on regular grade gas, so stick to lower octane for better fuel economy.
Don’t buy gas near at a station close to a freeway off ramp. These stations often charge more because they count on consumers being in a hurry to get back on the freeway. It shouldn’t be hard to find a cheaper station within a mile or two, and at these prices, the savings will add to your fuel economy.
Don’t buy on a Saturday. In some areas, gas retailers jack up the price a little on Saturdays for those weekend trips. Pay attention to find out if this is true in your area.
Don’t pay with an ATM card. It’s convenient, but almost every place that takes an ATM card adds a fee of around .35 cents, taking a bite off the top of your fuel economy.
Don’t top off your tank. There’s reason to believe that the few extra cents worth of gas you think of as “topping off” either stays in the hose, or evaporates.
Before you hit the road, check out this Web site that will tell you what gas prices are around your town so you can avoid wasting gas while searching for the lowest price. Or worse� filling up and then seeing a better price a block away. http://www.gasbuddy.com/
Tips for car maintenance that improve gas mileage and fuel economy
When you change your oil, don’t use a heavier grade than recommended. Using too heavy a grade adds friction and reduces engine efficiency and cuts gas mileage.
Keep filters changed regularly. Clogged filters reduce airflow, also slashing gas mileage.
Miscellaneous tips for improving gas mileage and fuel economy
Avoid unnecessary warm-up time. Even in cold weather, 30 to 45 seconds is plenty.
Don’t turn the engine on and off more than you need to. Have you ever been waiting in a drive-thru line and noticed people turning their engines on and off every time they pull forward? They may be doing because they think they’re saving gas, but that’s only true if the wait between start-ups is more than a minute. You can idle for a full minute before you burn up the gas it would take to restart your engine.
If your engine is an automatic, let it cool down at long waits (like railroad crossings) by putting it in neutral and your car will get better gas mileage.
Don’t rev the engine, especially just before turning it off. Revving wastes gas and washes oil down from inside the cylinder walls, owing to a loss of oil pressure.
As often as possible, park your car in such a way that, when you leave, you can pull out forward instead of backwards. It takes more gas to drive in reverse, and lowers your fuel economy.
Remove excess weight from the car. If you’re in the habit of carrying a toolbox full of tools, you’re paying for it in gas mileage. Consider carrying only the tools you’d need for a minor breakdown. Get the bowling ball out of the trunk, take that box of old clothes to the Salvation Army, and when you get home from the grocery store, don’t leave the 20 pound bag of dog food in there. Extra weight steals gas mileage.
Tips for improving gas mileage and fuel economy while driving
Plan ahead. Traffic permitting, start coasting in advance when you see a red light down the road. There’s a good chance the light will be green again by the time you get to it. You’ll not only get better gas mileage by avoiding start-stop driving, but you’ll also save your brakes. And if you drive the legal speed limit, you are more likely to hit most of the green lights.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. For optimum performance, accelerate smoothly from a dead stop. Smooth driving can increase your car’s fuel economy by five to ten percent.
If you normally drive to work during rush hour, get better gas mileage and save wear and tear on your nerves by leaving just a few minutes early. If you avoid the rush time, the minutes you save are multiplied. Leaving six or seven minutes earlier than usual can get you there fifteen minutes sooner. You’ll get better fuel economy and maybe have time for a relaxed cup of coffee and a newspaper.
Use cruise control when possible. Maintaining an even speed improves gas mileage.
Drive the speed limit. Cars get optimal gas mileage at 60 mph. For every five mph you drive above that, you’re sacrificing mileage.
Free Gas
Here’s a legitimate and easy way to get free gas that you should check out. Don’t worry, this is not a scheme. It’s made national news as a great way to slash your gas bills. Here’s how it works: If you qualify, you could receive free gas cards just for placing a magnetic advertisement on your car. You must have a cosmetically appealing car (that doesn’t mean new and expensive. TV news featured one guy who does this using his 2000 Sienna van) and you must drive a minimum of 1,000 per month. For regular commuters, this is a snap. Log onto http://www.freegashelp.com/
A word of warning: Despite claims of manufacturers, the EPA has not found any gasoline additives that are effective at improving gas mileage. So save your money and just change your driving habits.
