Better Gas Mileage

All of these ideas are small in scope and each only save a few dollars but when you combine them you should be able to achieve the best gas mileage possible.

Stephen Colbert says on his July TV show that there is a sudden significant shortage of the number 4 inserts for gas station price banners. We should not worry because we can get them from him with a small mark-up because he had the foresight to stock up on them. He clearly plans to make a fortune. (Sound familiar?). As fast as prices are rising, I hope he is collecting the number 5 also. As a result everyone seems to be looking for some way to get better gas mileage.

These are some basic common sense tips that will help improve our gas mileage in the vehicles we are currently driving and save us some $$$ at the gas pump without the 25K to 35K that it would take to buy even the least expense hybrid.

The idea of driving more efficiently may seem a bit futile but you can really make some effective changes to achieve better gas mileage. Driving aggressively with sudden accelerations and braking can waste gas. Driving calmly and evenly is not only safer and better for your state of mind but can also save you up to 33% on your gas mileage. That is equal to $1.35 a gallon if the price of gas were $4.08 per gallon. Not bad! And totally doable. Other smaller ways to get better gas mileage are remove excessive weight, use cruise control, use overdrive and avoid idling (idling gets 0 MPG).

Keep your car well tuned and in good repair. A good tune up alone can save you 4% improved gas mileage and a repair issue like a faulty air sensor can save you as much as 40%. Air filters need to be changed. This is better for your cars engine and can save you up to 10% better gas mileage. Keeping your tires inflated properly is safer and your tires will last longer. The improvement will give you a 3% increase in gas mileage. Here is a chart to give you an idea of what your tire pressure should be.

Using your car when its engine is warmed up gives you much better gas mileage. What that means is instead of going out several times to do tasks it is much better to complete as many tasks as possible in one trip while your car is warmed up and running efficiently. Stagger work hours if possible to avoid heavy traffic and excessive idling. Work from home if your business allows and avoid the commute all together. Car pooling and ride sharing programs are available in most cities and can be found online.

The Idea of a more fuel efficient vehicle is probably the first thing most people consider, and it is a good place to look when searching for better gas mileage. The difference between a car that gets 20 mpg and a car that gets 30 mpg is approximately $1,020 a year and that can really help.