With fuel costs hovering near two dollars a gallon, it behooves each of us to implement strategies that help to improve our fuel mileage. Whether you drive a company car or the family wagon, the following tips can prove effective in bettering your vehicles mileage.
(1.) Service: Keep your vehicle properly serviced and tuned. Depending on your driving conditions (in-town or highway), your service needs will vary accordingly. Spark plugs, air cleaners, PVC valves and proper oil viscosity are items that need your regular attention.
(2.) Tire Inflation: This item is critical for optimizing your fuel and tire mileage. Over-inflation can adversely affect tire wear and traction and under-inflation will decrease fuel mileage and tire wear and can cause overheating and tire failure. Keep tires inflated to the manufacturers specs and check at least twice a month. Don’t forget to check that spare.
(3.) Driving Habits: Driving conditions (city vs. highway) will undoubtedly affect your miles per gallon however; your driving techniques can help improve your mileage. Accelerate smoothly and evenly and when possible, remove your foot from the accelerator and coast up to the next light. Both rapid acceleration and hard braking waste a large amount of fuel.
(4.) Highway speeds: When on the superhighways, you can see all ranges of speed being driven, from 20 mph under the speed limit to 20 mph over it. Today’s vehicles perform best at the 55 to 60 mph range. Driving 75 mph as compared to 55 mph can lower your mileage by up to twenty percent.
(5.) Cruise control: Utilize your cruise control whenever possible. This smooth and steady application of power (especially on long runs) can substantially increase you highway mileage.
(6.) Idling: Do not let your engine idle for periods of over about one minute. Newer fuel injected engines do require a warm up period.
(7.) Air Conditioning: Whenever possible, reduce your air conditioner use. Typically, air conditioner use will reduce your milage by about ten percent. One caveat however. At highway speeds, it may be more efficient to operate your air conditioner than to drive with your windows open creating serious drag.
(8.) Excess Weight: Do not carry uneccessary tools, gear, etc in your trunk or cargo area. Additional weight not only requires more fuel to move each day, it also requires substantially more braking power to stop. In a station wagon or SUV, that excess gear can turn into a dangerous projectile in the event of an accident.
(9.) Combine Trips or Walk: Make a list and combine several errands into one trip. Efficient planning can easily save ten percent on fuel costs. If you live near the corner store or post office, walk. Not only will you save fuel, you’ll feel better.
If you drive 15,000 miles per year, which is about average, saving 10 percent could result in about a $150.00 bonus. A two car family can save twice that amount. Following these few guidelines will not only save you money, they can give you an added edge on safety.
