ALT-8 What you can do to Save Money on Gas
Trying to save money on gas can drive you crazy at times, pardon the pun, but there are ways to accomplish this feat without too much stress. Everybody pretty much knows that a well-tuned vehicle will give you optimum mileage and performance. To make sure your vehicle is in tune with the best mileage (before going to the mechanic) follows these tips:
- First fill your tank up at the beginning of a normal week for you and write down the odometer mileage. At the end of the week fill it back up again and write down how much gas you had to put in and also write down the mileage, then divide the amount of gas used with the total miles driven. You need a starting point to know exactly what kind of mileage your vehicle is getting per gallon. Once you know what you are using per week then you have a gauge to go by to know if your gas mileage is poor. It would be good to check this at least a couple of weeks and then compare.
- Once you know what kind of mileage you are getting then you can decide whether a tune-up is in order or you just need to adjust your driving habits. Good indications of needing a tune-up are: smoke from tailpipe on start-up and or on acceleration, engine idles rough, vehicle jerks while driving on highway, check engine light is on or flickers, engine is hard to start or starts and dies. These situations are signs of a badly needed tune-up, and will severely hinder your gas mileage results.
- If everything seems fine and your vehicle is running in good order plus your mileage seems to be in good range of what it should be then here are some driving tips to encourage better gas mileage: don't make jackrabbit starts "your not Mario Andretti" ease into the gas, you won't waste unburned fuel that way, don't sit idling in the parking lot while talking to your best friend on the phone (pretty obvious, but we all tend to do it), carpool, take the bus, maybe even ride your bike once in a while if it's close to your destination, use your air conditioner rather than having the windows down, especially on the highway, the negative effects of wind-drag outweigh the extra gas used to run the air conditioner, when shopping - call first to see if they have what you want before you make the trip, you may even be able to order it online and save as long as the shipping is cheap enough.
- Ok so you have some driving tips, now what can you do to your car even if it is running in tip top shape: as everyone knows "CHANGE YOUR OIL!" and that's every 3,000 miles, there are additives and even synthetic oils that let you go longer on an oil change but you will pay a higher price for those and most car manufacturers build their vehicles to use the non-synthetic basic oil you find on the shelf, unless you own a specialty vehicle (like a Viper) then check your owners manual. But there can't be enough said about changing oil regularly. I have worked on vehicles for 20 years and I can always tell when a vehicle has a poor history of oil changes, it wears the engine much faster, clogs up the intake system and continually reduces gas mileage. Your vehicle needs a regular diet of oil changes and that is what will keep the engine healthy and clean to reduce friction and allow the best fuel mixture to enter the intake.
- Some tips you may not know on how to improve your gas mileage: Wash and wax your vehicle. Before we go on a vacation I do my best to wash and wax the family car. It helps with less wind drag and can improve mileage up to 1 or 2 miles per gallon, which is great for long vacations. You should try to wash your vehicle once a month and it's best to hand wash, but if your in a hurry nothings better than the automatic "plus the kids get a kick out of it". Waxing your vehicle two times a year, once in the spring and then in the fall is a good rule of thumb. That gets it clean after the winter and then again ready for a new winter (if you live in the 4 season state like I do). Next make sure your tire pressures are as close to exact as they can be on all four tires. Look on the driver's door or the B-pillar (the part where the door latches to the car) and see what the manufacturer suggests for tire pressure. There may be a different pressure for the front as there is for the back (many times for trucks) so make sure you read it correctly. Low tire pressures create drag on the car and high tire pressures can wear out the tread plus make it unsafe in certain weather conditions. Improper tire pressures can cut your mileage 1-3 miles per gallon, so it's worth it to check them periodically.
- So let's sum up all these tips for easier reference:* Run a gas mileage test (or two) many people don't even know their gas mileage* Make sure your car is in good running condition (in tune)* Take off smoothly (leave the Fast & the Furious to Vin Diesel)* Shut your car off when parked and leave as soon as you start it up* Not everyone likes it but carpooling can be fun at times* Use the air-conditioner over having the windows down (especially on the highway)* When shopping you might be able to call first to see if the store has what you need* Change your oil every 3,000 miles - that is the most common interval* Keep a clean car for less wind-drag, wash and wax it regularly* Check and adjust tire pressures regularly, at least at every oil change
I hope these tips will help you achieve better gas mileage, outside of buying a more fuel efficient vehicle, taking the basic steps mentioned above should give you optimum performance for optimum gas mileage. Take care and drive safely.
