Here’s a few tips I put together on how to increase the gas mileage of your car. I’ve limited this to things that actually work and that are practical to actually do. None of this is magic or requires buying expensive equipment that will never pay for itself.
Tires
Next time you buy tires, get tires that are rated to have low rolling resistance. Different tires take different amounts of energy to push down the road. Several tire companies are responding to the demand for efficiency by making “green tires” (which are actually still black.) And if you’re buying new tires you might want to get the wheel alignment checked. Especially if you live in a state like California where they spend more money decorating the median than paving the roads.
Another thing you can do is to over-inflate your tires a little. But this does reduce your traction a little and causes more center tire wear. However if your tires are under-inflated you are wasting gas and wearing out your tires on the edges. So check your tire inflation and save some gas.
Drive Slower
Another free trick to save gas is to drive slower. Do you get out on the highway and drive 80 when the speed limit is 65 or 70? If you actually slow down to the speed limit you can save a lot of gas by not pushing air to 80mph. Dropping your speed from 80 to 65 will save you a lot of money and will probably only add a few minutes to your trip.
Other Tricks
I’m sure there’s other tricks so if you know a way to save gas that works feel free to add your comments here.
Thank you JimR. Great tips.
No Matter !!! We’ll all be using FRED FLINTSTONE DRIVE soon enough !!! Isn’t the Bush/Cheney “Energy Policy” just FABULOUS ??? Mobil/EXXON GOUGING IN ALL DIRECTIONS !!! Profits that would have made John D. Rockefeller blush, and Teddy Roosevelt’s blood boil !!! Where are the TRUST-BUSTERS when we need them ???
Run over a congressman or senator that has consistently hamstrung the US from drilling for more oil is the best advice for getting better gas mileage.
#1 Had a few great ideas if this was the 70′.
Change air filter WHY??? (my car does not have a carb). You ment to say that new cars (made after late 80’s) have a MAF sensor that makes sure the proper amount of fuel is added to the current amount of air MAKING IT THOUGH THE DIRTY AIR FILTER.
Set timing how? (I do not have a distributor to adjust.
#10 part A
Less complicated = more efficient (hohoho that was funny).
Cars give the best mileage with the window open.
Oh yeah you must be pushing and steering through the window…hehehe
Get a running start for any hills….
Put the tailgate of your pickup truck down. Or if you don’t believe that myth, leave it up.
Drive when its cooler and leave off the ac anytime you can stand it.
Drive slow and easy.
Don’t drive unless you have to. Do you really need that movie or that fast food? How bad do you need to go to the grocery store. Keep a list of things and go when its worth it.
Think about this folks, using math. 15,000 miles per year average car use, and with 12 MPG or 24MPG or 48MPG, with $5 or $10 per gallon gas. So what do you save?
At $5 per gallon you save about $3125 per year between the 12MPG and 24MPG car. Same for difference between 24MPG and 48MPG car.
Not an incredible burden too many families.
At $10 per gallon you save about $6250 per year as above.
The 48MPG car hybred has lithium batteries that are DEAD at 10 years old; which is BIG expense. The well cared for wonderful reliability gasolene 10 year old car with 30MPG or better is still around and running cheap.
I took all that heavy crap out of the front of my car. The car weighs practically nothing now, and you won’t believe my mileage!
I think that “rule of thumb applies here”… I drive Honda Accord DX 5 speed manual 2004 and I average 28 – 38 mpg. How do I do it? Easily:
1) I never try to accelerate so much that I will be the first out of the green light and first on red lights.
2) I do not drive more than 65 miles on interstate. In order to learn that try to drive through the Virginia – “the great police state” where the cops are on every corner on interstate. (I do not live in Virginia). When I drive through the Virginia I average 35 – 38 mpg thanks to the speed limit imposed by state law.
3) Plan you trips. If you go and buy 1 gallon of milk at local gas station with your Hummer than you are either a) stupid or b) extremely rich.
4) Shop for the gas. I shop of r my gas when my tank is usually 2/3 empty. This will save you bunch of money because you will be not put in position to “buy it when you need it most.” I usually buy my gas at Costco which in my area (GA) is usually 10 cents cheaper than any other gas station or than I choose Murphy with Wal-Mart pre-paid cash card (since it is next to my house).
5) Let your “road anger” stay at home, let that idiot in Chevy of Ford truck pass you as fast as he can. Next time it will be him or her who cries gas station, not you.
6) Use “neutral” on your car when you go downhill or before stop. Again this saves bunch of money.
7) Don’t run A/C system in cold weather.
8) Maintain your car, change oil between 3000 – 5000 miles. Rotate and balance tires every 6000 miles and keep them inflated properly.
If you do all of this above you will see a great difference in your wallet.
4)
Accelerating quickly up to cruising speed from standstill is the most economical way to do it.
Decellerate gently though.
I think it was Kastanza or Mr. T who told me a little acetone goes a long way. Has anyone else heard this?
Best way is to drive up next to a moving truck, put your arm out the window and hold onto the trucks bumper, the way cyclists do to cars.
Now turn off your engine and get your free ride,(corners can get interesting here..) of course your brakes wont work now so you would have to have a strong arm if you don’t want to die or have it ripped off.
Alternatively only ever driving down hill will save gas, but leave you engine in neutral to avoid said braking issues. but you have to sell you car every time you get to the bottom and then bus it back to the top before buying another one
Another trick is look out for fuel stations that don’t padlock their main valve that the trucks use to fill the underground tanks, a stealthy night mission with a hand pump and long hose get a considerable amount of untaxed gas, however if you feel guilty feel free to top it up with some urine or lit matches afterward.
Going 55mph on the highway will increase your mileage dramatically. Too bad most highways are 70mph and people get pretty miffed if you do that.
I lived though the first gas crisis and 55mph, it wasn’t so bad to drive slower.