Fuel for Thought: 11 Tips to Save on Gas

October 12, 2005

By Mark Schwed

With a gallon of gas creeping toward the $3 mark, filling up your vehicle has become as painful as paying taxes. Those banking on the traditional post-Labor Day reprieve can forget it. Hurricane Katrina blew that by cutting a swath through the oil rigs and refineries in the Gulf. Experts predict gasoline prices will surge in the coming days and weeks.

Short of swapping your Hummer for a hybrid, there are steps you can take to drastically and immediately cut gas bills.

1. Slow down. Putting pedal to the metal is like pouring gas down the drain. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. (Each 5 mph over 60 is like paying 15 cents more per gallon.)

2. Don't jack-rabbit. When the light turns green, gradually increase your speed until you hit the posted speed limit. Anticipate the light ahead of you. Don't race from stoplight to stop sign. Aggressive driving can cut gas mileage by 33 percent on the highways and 5 percent on city streets. A recent study showed that aggressive driving cut travel time by 4 percent (2 1/2 minutes out of an hour drive) and hiked fuel consumption by 39 percent. Are you really in that much of a hurry?

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3. Lighten your load. Empty your trunk, leave the golf clubs in the garage, do anything to cut the weight. The heavier the car, the more gas it guzzles. An extra 100 pounds can decrease fuel economy by 2 percent, or 1 mile per gallon (mpg) -- more for smaller cars. But if you must carry something, don't put it on the roof rack. Wind resistance cuts fuel economy by 5 percent.

4. Tune your engine. Savings: 4 percent when you fix a car that is out of tune; 40 percent when you fix a faulty oxygen sensor.

5. Properly inflate and align your tires. Pump an extra 2 psi [pressure gauge] over your recommended settings, but never above 35 psi. Savings: 3 percent.

6. Use the manufacturer-recommended oil and change it regularly. Savings: 1 to 2 percent.

7. Check and replace air filters regularly. Savings: 10 percent, or 25 cents per gallon.

8. Shut off the air conditioner at low speeds. When driving over 40 mph, using the air conditioner consumes less fuel than having the windows open, which increases drag.

9. Avoid idling. You get 0 mpg when standing still. Shut the engine off if you're going to be there for a while.

10. Buy the right gas. Most cars take regular. Pumping premium when regular is recommended won't get increase gas mileage, but it will cost an extra 15 cents or more per gallon.

11. Forget fuel additives and miracle products that promise to boost fuel economy. They don't work. The Environmental Protection Agency has tested more than 100 of them and found that benefits are from zero to marginal. Some damage engines and increase emissions.

These steps should boost your miles per gallon significantly. Lower costs per mile means more money in your wallet.

If you're ready to buy a new car, check www.fueleconomy.gov<http://www.fueleconomy.gov/> or www.greenercars.com<http://www.greenercars.com/> for information on fuel-efficient vehicles. Compact car rates range from 21 to 48 mpg. Check out www.electricdrive.org<http://www.electricdrive.org/> to learn about electric-drive vehicles.

How much can you save? Buying a car that gets 30 mpg instead of 20 mpg saves $600 or more a year in fuel charges.

If gas prices hit $3 a gallon, you'll save even more.

Source: Palm Beach Post. Powered by Yellowbrix.

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