Gas is getting more and more expensive and if you have a long commute or if you just like to drive, the gas bill can become a burden.
Luckily there are a lot of ways to save gas without investing in a new car or in snake oil add-on kits. I’ll show you seven ways that are commonly available and easy to do.
1. MAINTAIN HIGH ENOUGH TIRE PRESSURE
Driving with under inflated tires is not only dangerous as the tires could overheat, it also uses more gas than inflated tires.
Inflate the tires to the maximum allowed by your cars manuals, and periodically check the pressure using a good pressure gauge.
Many hypermilers inflate their tires more than that, to the maximum pressure printed on the sidewalls of the tires themselves. This is often as much as 50 percent more than what the car manufacturer recommends and it will give additional gas savings due to lesser rolling resistance.
This comes at the cost of a harder more uncomfortable ride though. And I can’t recommend you outright to do this, even if it’s safe, as there is a possibility of uneven tire wear in some conditions.
2. REMOVE ROOF RACKS, SKI BOXES AND TRAILERS
If you thought it’s too much of a hassle to remove the roof rack or ski box when it’s not needed, think again! It’s the same thing if you drive a pick-up truck missing a flatbed cover or if you tow an empty trailer for no reason.
Anything added or tied to the outside of the vehicle disturbs the aerodynamics resulting in reduced fuel economy. Always remove roof racks, bicycle holders, ski boxes and trailers when not needed.
3. TURN OFF THE A/C
Despite what some would say the air conditioning unit is using a lot of energy and that energy is taken directly from your gas tank. If possible, turn it off. If that’s uncomfortable try setting it to a higher temperature as that will make it use less gas.
TIP: Park the car in the shadow, have the doors open for a minute before leaving, drive at night if going for a longer trip in hot weather.
Just keep in mind that driving fast with all windows open is worse for your gas mileage than using the A/C.
4. BECOME A BETTER DRIVER
The way you drive is one of the biggest factors affecting your fuel mileage. Refrain from breaking by letting your vehicle roll to a stop when you’re not in the way of other drivers, maintain a top speed below 60MPH or 100KM/H and don’t push the pedal to the metal when you accelerate.
5. WALK OR BIKE
Often if you’re not going that far, walking or biking is a healthy alternative, and it’s significantly more economic than using the car. Not only will you save fuel but you’ll also avoid the wear and tear on the car that can cost as much as the fuel itself.
6. FIX ANY FUEL LEAKS
Obviously if you have a fuel leak you will spill your hard earned gas on the ground costing you money and polluting the environment. Repair all fuel leaks as soon as you can.
TIP: If your gas cap is missing or broken and you live in a hot environment, especially if you park in the sun and the car gets really hot, a lot of gas will evaporate and escape through the missing or broken cap into the air. The loss can be sizable and the gas vapors harms the environment.
7. CAR POOL
Sharing the vehicle on the way to the job can feel like a fair amount of hassle compared to going by yourself but then you’ll save more using this ritual than using any of the others (except for biking of course).
Joining with just one other person to use the same car for your commute will save you almost half your monthly commuting cost.
MORE FUEL SAVING TIPS
The above tips are some of the easiest, most widely available, low cost ways to save lots of gas. And you don’t have to buy any new gadgets to do it.
There are many additional ways to improve your mpg. You can get a more fuel efficient vehicle (hybrid, diesel, smaller car), improve your driving style, improve your cars aerodynamics, use tires with a low rolling resistance, plan your trip, plan for extreme weather and much more that this article is too short to cover.
There’s also ways you could end up NOT saving fuel, like if you install on of those fuel saving gadgets advertised everywhere. These gadgets rarely saves you enough fuel to even cover the price of the gadget.
To keep track of your actual gas mileage you can use a handy online mpg calculator. You can also use the fuel mileage display of your car if it’s equipped with one.
Simon Byholm is the CEO and founder of MilesGallon.com a site dedicated to improving your fuel economy by giving you gas saving tips and by providing free automotive calculators.