1) Lighten up!
Aerodynamics can become quite significant at highway speeds. Carrying luggage on the roof of your car or towing equipment can be costly. Any time you do something like that, your fuel economy is going to tank.
When ski season ends, take the rack off your car. Racks produce a lot more aerodynamic drag, so your car has to work harder to slip through the air.
Weight is the biggest pitfall when it comes to maximizing a car’s fuel efficiency. The more weight the car has to move, the harder the engine has to work. If you are carrying around stacks of National Geographic magazines in your trunk, take them to the recycling center. All that extra weight is costing you miles per gallon.
2) There is no magic bullet
When gas prices spike, products claiming to boost fuel efficiency pop up. Avoid them, experts say.
Companies come out of the woodwork and try to sell you gizmos to add to your car to add fuel economy. If there was a magic bullet, then the car companies would use them. When gas prices go up, people prey on greed and fear. Don’t fall prey.
3) Plan your trips
To save on gas, try to run all of your errands in one trip and avoid backtracking. If you take four trips with a cold engine, that takes more gas than when you try to do it all at once with a warm engine.
Drivers can also plan to use gas stations with cheaper prices. There are some great Smart Phone Apps that can help you find cheap gas in your neighborhood such as www.GasBuddy.com
4) Turn on the air conditioning
Drivers with modern cars that recirculate cooled air shouldn’t be afraid to run the air conditioning. When you roll down the windows, you start messing with the aerodynamics of the vehicle, you are not going to get maximum fuel efficiency because it creates new drag.
5) Keep your vehicle maintained
Popular gas-saving advice calls for drivers to mind the speed limit, use cruise control and avoid too much idling. Careful drivers should also make sure to get their engine tuned, check their air filters and use the right motor oil.
Properly inflated tires will somewhat improve fuel economy, and this maintenance is easily accomplished. Check your tires once per month. Underinflated tires compromise your car’s handling and braking, and they also wear faster. If your tires are underinflated, there’s a lot more rolling resistance and the car will have to work harder to roll down the road.
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