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Ways to Improve
Your Gas Mileage |
| Gas prices are soaring, and there seems to be
no end in sight. But there are specific things you can do to improve
your gas mileage, and save money. |
As we all know, the prices of gasoline have been increasing over the
last several years. While there are crusades to boycott buying gas
from certain companies or on certain days, there has been little response.
And while the government investigates collusion between the oil companies,
not much has come out of it.
What are we going to do about it? Walk everywhere? Ride bikes? Take
public transportation? These are all viable and practical solutions,
however they aren't an option for all of us. There are ways that won't
affect your driving, but can help to make your driving more economical
and fuel-efficient.
- Start out slowly. A cold engine can burn up to twice as much
fuel as a warm engine. And hammering on a cold engine could lead
to troubles down the road. Take it easy for the first few minutes
of driving until the engine warms up.
- Give yourself time. Speeding burns gas a lot quicker than steady
driving. Speeding is often a result of being in a hurry to get
somewhere, whether you're late for work, school, a meeting or
an appointment. Allow yourself extra time to get to your destination
and you can drive at a safe and efficient speed. It would help
to listen to traffic reports that can give you an idea of the
conditions you'll face or situations to avoid.
- Consolidate errands. Plan out your day or week and the tasks
you have ahead. Try to take care of all of your errands in one
trip rather than five. Once again, the warmer engine will burn
less fuel than the cold engine.
- Cut down on extraneous weight. If you're hauling that's one
thing. Or if you're carpooling, that's OK too. But if you have
excess cargo in your vehicle, it may help to minimize the weight.
It stands to reason that less weight will amount for less stress
on your engine, which means less fuel burned.
- Use the cruise control. That is, if your vehicle has it. Maintaining
a constant speed puts less strain on the engine to conserve fuel.
Use it when possible.
- Choose a gear. If you have a vehicle with a manual transmission,
finding the optimal gear will save fuel. When your engine is running
quietly, it has found the right gear. Shift til the engine runs
smoothly, usually at an RPM between 1500 and 3000.
- Be cautious with instruments. Some of the instruments in your
vehicle can suck out some of the power. Sparingly use such instruments
as rear window defroster, heater and especially the air conditioner.
Normal headlights running during the day can affect power as well.
- Keep the windows closed. Auto manufacturers aerodynamically
design the body style of every car to displace air for the least
wind resistance. With your windows open, this affects the aerodynamics,
resulting in more wind resistance. This means your engine needs
more power, meaning more fuel burned.
- Start the car and go. Get into your car and take care of all
your pre-drive rituals before starting the car. Letting a cold
engine idle is a waste. Adjust the seat and mirrors, light the
cigarette, read your directions, buckle up the kids, do whatever
you do first. Then start the car and drive. For those in cooler
climates, clear off your windows before starting the car. Again,
a cold, idling engine will guzzle gas.
There are also ways that will affect your driving, but will save you
money down the road. While maintenance of speed is a great way to
conserve your gas, there are more specific ways to drive in order
to save.
One of the best ways to maintain a constant speed is to be aware of
the driving conditions and potential obstacles that lie ahead. For
example, if you see a car merging onto the freeway ahead of you, change
lanes rather than brake suddenly. This keeps a steady speed, and saves
the brakes. Or, if you see a traffic signal or stop sign ahead, taking
your foot off the gas and slow down. Too many drivers hit the gas
then brake abruptly at traffic lights and stop signs. Anticipate the
stop and slow down gradually rather than forcefully. Other thing to
look out for: upcoming turns, faster and slower drivers, and brake
lights ahead.
Stop and go traffic can be a nightmare to you, but it can also be
a burden on your engine. The best way to help your motor when you're
stuck on a freeway parking lot is to find and maintain a constant
roll, a gradual and steady speed that has little or no fluctuation.
By doing so, your engine will burn fuel at a constant rate and won't
burn fuel unnecessarily.
Hills and inclines are also a potential waste of gas. Because your
car is fighting gravity to get up the grade, your engine will burn
more fuel than on normal, level driving conditions. Try not to race
uphill. Instead, maintain a normal speed in a low gear. Other drivers
may honk at you and even get angry, but you can wave to them when
you see them at the filling station at the bottom of the hill. A technique
for driving downhill is to roll in neutral. Giving your car gas while
driving downhill is like tossing quarters out your car window as you
drive. Rolling downhill using gravity rather than gasoline saves you
money.
There are also techniques to use the more militant driver, but they
must be done in a safe manner. Driving slowly can be hazardous on
the freeway if not done correctly. The problem is that if you drive
too slowly, you can become a danger on the road. To keep yourself
safe on freeways, follow slower moving trucks. Other drivers see big
rigs and expect them to drive slower than the flow of traffic. But
don't drive too close behind the truck. Remember, if you can't see
their mirrors, they can't see you!
If there aren't any trucks to follow, make sure you stay in the designated
driving lanes. The left-hand lane is generally regarded as the fast
lane, but it is actually called the passing lane. The lane is for
faster-moving vehicles to use to pass slower-moving vehicles. The
right-hand is called the merging lane and is designed for drivers
to merge onto and off of the highway. All other lanes are called the
driving lanes. These lanes are where you should do most of your driving.
If you intend to drive slowly, stay out of the passing lane and the
merging lane, unless you plan to pass or merge. This will help in
the overall flow of traffic. Also, if your highway is equipped with
a carpool lane, don't drive in it if the flow of traffic is normal.
Driving slowly in the passing lane, merging lane or the carpool lane
makes you a road hazard.
It is important to maintain your vehicle in good working order. There
are a few things to check regularly that will help improve your vehicle's
gas mileage.
- Check your tire pressure. Tires that are low on air take more
power to roll, especially on turns. Keeping your tires at the
proper PSI (pounds per square inch, which is labeled on the tire)
specified by the manufacturer will save fuel. The more experienced
driver may think about increasing the tire pressure. By doing
so, the steering will be lighter, however you will lose on overall
handling.
- Have your vehicle serviced regularly. Servicing your vehicle
insures that it is running in tip-top shape. Make sure the mechanic
checks your filters. A dirty air filter will require more gasoline
to get the right mixture of air and gas, wasting it. A dirty or
clogged fuel filter will increase the burning of gasoline.
- Keep your car clean. It may sound stupid, but even a clean exterior
can improve your gas mileage somewhat, though it may not be very
noticeable. Dirt and other particles can cut down on the aerodynamics
of your vehicle.
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