|
• |
Walk or bike when you can. The
best way to save on gas is not to buy it. If you live in
town, sometimes you can walk or ride a bike to where you
want to go.
|
|
• |
Avoid traffic If possible,
adjust your work schedule to work at off times so you don’t
get stuck in traffic and can use less fuel.
|
|
• |
Carpool You and a neighbor who
work together can arrange to take turns driving or one of
you can drive while the other helps out with gas.
|
|
• |
Use air conditioning less at slow
speeds On short trips or at low speeds, air conditioners
reduce gas mileage. Drive with your windows down or run the
air at a low setting.
|
|
• |
Use air conditioning more at high
speeds At high speeds, open windows create drag and
reduce your gas mileage, so it’s cheaper to use air
conditioning on highways. Turn it off a few minutes before
you get where you’re going and let the fan circulate the
cool air.
|
|
• |
Keep your car in good shape
Cars in poor running condition use more gas. If you can come
up with the money for a tune-up, it will pay for itself in
better gas mileage.
|
|
• |
Clean or change the air filter
Replacing or cleaning a clogged air filter can improve your
car’s gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
|
|
• |
Clean the spark plugs Dirty
spark plugs waste gas.
|
|
• |
Check your tires The wrong
tire pressure wastes gas and is hard on tires.
|
|
• |
Use the recommended grade of motor
oil Using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor
oil can improve your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent. Look for
motor oil that says “energy conserving” on the API
performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing
additives.
|
|
• |
Use steel-belted radial tires
Radial tires can increase gas mileage by up to 10 percent.
|
|
• |
Drive for fuel efficiency
Aggressive driving (speeding, accelerating and braking too
fast) can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent on the
highway and by 5 percent around town.
|
|
• |
Drive the speed limit Gas
mileage decreases rapidly at speeds more than 60 miles per
hour. Each 5 miles per hour you drive past 60 is like paying
an extra 10 cents per gallon for gas.
|
|
• |
Accelerate slowly A lead foot
on the accelerator can cost you over time. It takes less gas
if you accelerate to higher speeds gradually and
methodically.
|
|
• |
Don’t let your car idle too long
Try not to idle your car engine. Idling gets 0 miles per
gallon. It usually takes less gas to restart the car than to
let it idle for more than two minutes.
|
|
• |
Use cruise control on highways
Cruise control helps you maintain a constant speed and
usually saves you money on gas.
|
|
• |
Don’t top off the tank when you
fill up Some of the gas may expand in the heat and
overflow from the tank.
|
|
• |
Don’t use a higher octane gas than
you need Most cars are built to run on regular unleaded
gas, so it’s like burning money if you use a higher octane.
|
|
• |
Clean out the trunk You need a
spare tire and an emergency kit in your trunk, but check to
see if you’re carrying extra weight you don’t need. Remove
the pet food, kitty litter, chains, school books and other
extras from the trunk to save money. The more weight you
haul, the more it costs.
|
|
• |
Buy a fuel efficient car if you
can Fuel is a big part of the total cost of owning a
car. A fuel efficient car can save you thousands of dollars
over a few years. Even if the car costs a little more, the
gas savings may pay for itself.
|
