What can you do to get better gas mileage?

Answer 1

The single greatest impact on the gas mileage of the car are the habits of the driver. Some simple things the driver can do to improve their technique: - Don't accellerate quickly. In an automatic transmission car, press on the footfeed only enough to get the car moving smoothly. Let the transmission upshift as early as possible. In a manual transmission car, upshift at the earliest possible speed that will keep the engine from lugging in the higher gear. - Plan ahead. Be looking at traffic lights in front of you. If a light turns yellow, immediately let off the footfeed and let the car coast. Ideally the driver will "time" the lights so that s/he won't have to brake at all. You'll feel a lot smarter than all of the other drivers who raced ahead just to jam on their brakes and wait for the red light to change. Plus your brakes will last a lot longer and you will feel less stressed. - Use speed judiciously. On long trips, higher speeds can save considerable time. But the average work commute will use a much larger amount of fuel to save a minute or two. Driving slower makes the commute a more relaxing experience instead of doing an impression of "Deathrace 2000" Next is vehicle choice: - Trading in a car before you normally would just to "improve gas mileage" is a false economy. If you figure out the cost per month savings by switching to a more economical vehicle, you will find out in most cases that it won't pay for the increased payment or time/value of the money you'll spend for the replacement vehicle. Instead, the next time you must replace your vehicle, choose the most economical option available. That doesn't automatically mean buying the hybrid. In some driving situations, diesels are as or more economical than hybrids. Vehicle maintenance is also important: - Purchase the proper grade of fuel. At present, I get 8% more mileage out of premium than regular in my car. However, in my area, premium fuel only costs 4% more. I actually save money by purchasing premium. You should get the average mileage over several tanks of each and then make the wisest choice. Of course, if your vehicle is "missing" or "pinging" on the lower grade fuel, then you'll need to put the higher octane fuel in it. - Keep the car maintained. I have had good luck with synthetic oils with both reduced fuel consumption and increased engine longevity. Do a online search with your oil and compare independent test results with synthetics. Follow the manufacturer's maintenance recommendations. Air the tires to the maximum tire pressure allowed by the tire manufacturer (this may be higher than the recommendations by the automaker and may result in a firmer ride, but the fuel savings will be greater) Finally, the first question any driver should ask is if the trip was necessary in the first place. Can that trip be delayed until I have other errands to run? Can I walk instead and maybe wear off some blubber instead? The most economical trip is the one that is never taken