Make your Car More Fuel Efficient |
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Can't stand gas prices that are over
$3.00 per gallon and likely to rise in the
future?
Get the most out of your money by utilizing
these driving tips for improving your car's fuel
economy. Most of these tips will give you a very
slight increase in MPG
-- but use several together and the increased gas mileage
will really add up!
Also, check out 5 ways to cut your car's carbon emissions
by keeping up with some of these simple
maintenance procedures.
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Keep
It Slow |
One of the best ways to save gas is to simply
reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel
economy decreases exponentially.
In highway travel, exceeding the speed limit by
a mere five mph results in an average fuel
economy loss of six percent. If
you're one of the "ten-over on the freeway" set,
try driving the speed limit for a few days.
You'll save a lot of fuel and your journey won't
take much longer. (Just be sure you keep to the
right, so you won't impede the less-enlightened.)
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Don't be an American idle |
Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more
gas and emits more global warming pollution
than restarting your car! Also, the best way
to warm up a car in winter months is to
drive it. When the temperature is below
freezing, give it 30 seconds—that's all you
need.
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Don't be Tune Deaf |
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Keeping your engine properly tuned can save
you up to 165 gallons of gas per year.
Checking spark plugs, oxygen sensors, air
filters, hoses and belts are a few examples
of maintenance that can result in potential
savings of over $400.
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Check your Tire Pressure |
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Under-inflated tires are one of the most
commonly ignored causes of crummy MPG. Tires
lose air due to time (about 1 psi per month) and
temperature (1 psi for every 10 degree drop);
under-inflated tires have more rolling
resistance, which means you need to burn more
gas to keep your car moving. Buy a reliable tire
gauge and check your tires at least once a
month. Be sure to check them when they are cold,
since driving the car warms up the tires along
with the air inside them, which increases
pressure and gives a falsely high reading. Use
the inflation pressures shown in the owner's
manual or on the data plate in the driver's door
jamb.
Low tire pressure wastes over two million
gallons of gasoline in the United States—every
day! Save about a tank of gas a year by keeping
your tires properly inflated. And make sure to
have your tires correctly aligned to maximize
fuel economy.
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Check your Air Filter |
A dirty air filter restricts the flow of air
into the engine, which harms performance and
economy. Air filters are easy to check and
change; remove the filter and hold it up to the
sun. If you can't see light coming through it,
you need a new one. Consider a
"permanent" filter which is cleaned rather than
changed; they are much less restrictive than
throw-away paper filters, plus they're better
for the environment.
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Go Grease Lightning |
Thicker than required oil will reduce your
gas mileage, because it takes more energy to
push through thick oil than it does through
thinner oil. Check your owner's manual for
the recommended viscosity, and ask for it
specifically when you get your oil changed.
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Accelerate With Care |
Jack-rabbit starts are an obvious
fuel-waster -- but that doesn't mean you
should crawl away from every light. If you
drive an automatic, accelerate moderately so
the transmission can shift up into the
higher gears. Stick-shifters should shift
early to keep the revs down, but don't lug
the engine -- downshift if you need to
accelerate. Keep an eye well down the road
for potential slowdowns. If you accelerate
to speed then have to brake right away,
that's wasted fuel.
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Take it Easy! |
Nine out of 10 doctors and engineers
agree—aggressive driving wastes fuel, not to
mention increases stress and accidents!
Rapid acceleration and braking reduces gas
mileage and can burn an extra 125 gallons of
gas per year. Even if the person driving in
front of you hasn't seen our tips list, hold
your horsepower and keep your cool.
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Hang With The Trucks |
Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem
to constantly speed up and slow down, while
trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely
pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a
minimum -- important to those who have to
wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions
-- but it also aids economy, as it takes much
more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it
does to keep it moving. Rolling with the
big rigs saves fuel (and aggravation).
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Get Back to Nature |
Consider shutting off the air conditioner,
opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It
may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you'll
save fuel. That said, at higher speeds the A/C
may be more efficient than the wind resistance
from open windows and sunroof. If I'm going
someplace where arriving sweaty and smelly could
be a problem, I bring an extra shirt and leave
early so I'll have time for a quick change.
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Hot
Fun in the Summer Time |
Air conditioning can decrease your fuel
efficiency by as much as 12 percent in
stop-and-go traffic, so consider cracking
the windows. But at high speeds, driving
with the windows open can decrease the
overall efficiency of the vehicle. At higher
speeds, you can use the vents to get a good
air flow. On the hottest days keep your AC
on low.
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Back Off
the Bling |
New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can
certainly improve handling. But if they are
wider than the stock tires, chances are they'll
create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel
economy. If you upgrade your wheels and tires,
keep the old ones. For long road
trips, the stock wheels give a smoother ride and
better economy.
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Clean Out Your Car – Lighten Up! |
If you're the type who takes a leisurely
attitude towards car cleanliness, go
periodically through your car and see what
can be tossed out or brought into the house.
It doesn't take much to acquire an extra 40
or 50 lbs. of stuff, and the more weight
your car has to lug around, the more fuel it
burns.
Carrying around an extra 100 pounds in your
car reduces your fuel economy by up to two
percent. Take with you only what you need
and be sure to place luggage inside instead
of in the trunk or on the roof to minimize
drag and maximize your mileage.
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Downsize |
If you're shopping for a new car, it's time to
re-evaluate how much car you really need.
Smaller cars are inherently more fuel-efficient,
and today's small cars are roomier than ever.
Worried about crash protection? The automakers
are designing their small cars to survive
crashes with bigger vehicles, and safety
features like side-curtain airbags and
electronic stability control are becoming
commonplace in smaller cars.
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Don't Drive |
Not a popular thing to say but the fact is that if you can avoid
driving, you'll save gas. Take the train,
carpool, and consolidate your shopping trips.
Walking or biking is good for your wallet and
your health. And before you get in your car,
always ask yourself: "Is this trip really
necessary?"
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Just Park It.
And Keep It There. |
If you’re going to several stores in the
same strip mall, don’t move your car. Walk.
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Combine
Trips/Wholesale Sales |
Buy in bulk when shopping, instead of making
frequent smaller trips.
Cutting a 20 mile trip out of your schedule
each week can reduce your global warming
pollution by more than 1,200 pounds a year
and save you over $100 in gas expenses.
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