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15 Ways To Improve Your Gas Mileage
By Ellen Daniels, Tue Dec 6th
Whether you are shopping for a new car or just trying tomaintain the one you have, you can take some steps to get thebest mileage out of your gas purchases. On the Road: Drive More Efficiently 1. Stay within posted speed limits. decreasesrapidly at speeds above 60 miles per hour.
2. Stop aggressive driving. You can improve your upto five percent around town if you avoid "jackrabbit" starts andstops by anticipating traffic conditions and driving gently. 3. Avoid unnecessary idling. It wastes fuel, costs you money,and pollutes the air. Turn off the engine if you anticipate await. 4. Combine errands. Several short trips taken from a cold startcan use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the samedistance when the engine is warm. 5. Use overdrive gears and cruise control when appropriate. Theyimprove the fuel economy of your car when you're driving on ahighway. 6. Remove excess weight from the trunk. An extra 100 pounds inthe trunk can reduce a typical car's fuel economy by up to twopercent. Avoid packing items on top of your car. A loaded roofrack or carrier creates wind resistance and can decrease fueleconomy by five percent. At the Garage: Maintain Your Car 7. Keep your engine tuned. Tuning your engine according to yourowner's manual can increase by an average of fourpercent. Increases vary depending on a car's condition. 8. Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. It canincrease up to three percent. 9. Change your oil. According to the U.S. Department of Energy(DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you can improveyour by using the manufacturer's recommended gradeof motor oil. Motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on theperformance symbol of the American Petroleum Institute containsfriction-reducing additives that can improve fuel economy. 10. Check and replace air filters regularly. Replacing cloggedfilters can increase up to ten percent. At the Pump: Use the Octane Level You Need 11. Your owner's manual recommends the most effective octanelevel for your car. For most cars, the recommended gasoline isregular octane. In most cases, using a higher octane gas thanthe manufacturer recommends offers no benefit. Unless yourengine is knocking, buying higher octane gasoline is a waste ofmoney. In Advertising: Check Out Claims About "Gas-Saving" Gadgets 12. Be skeptical of claims for devices that will "boost yourmileage by an extra 6 miles per gallon," "improve your fueleconomy up to 26 percent," or the like. The EPA has tested over100 supposed gas-saving devices -- including mixture "enhancers"and fuel line magnets -- and found that very few provide anyfuel economy benefits. The devices that work provide onlymarginal improvements. Some "gas-saving" devices may damage acar's engine or increase exhaust emissions. In the Showroom: Consider the Alternatives 13. Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) operate on alternativefuels,
such as methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas,liquefied petroleum gas, electricity, and others. Using thesealternative fuels in vehicles may reduce harmful pollutants andexhaust emissions. 14. Government Rules require labels on all new AFVs to give thevehicle's estimated cruising range and general descriptiveinformation. Find out how many miles a new AFV travels on a tankor supply of fuel because, gallon for gallon, some don't travelas far as gasoline-powered vehicles. 15. Hybrid Electric Vehicles offer another option for carbuyers. These vehicles combine the benefits of gasoline enginesand electric motors and can be configured to achieve differentobjectives, such as improved fuel economy and increased power. About the author:Ellen Daniels Learned How to Stop Paying High Prices forGasoline, So Can You. Get Your Free Ebook to Learn How to MakeYour Own Fuel athttp://www.solarpowersecrets.com/Free_Biodiesel_Book.html
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