Gas For Less Money

Here are some estimates of just how much you will save by using some of the techniques listed throughout this website:

Slow down - 10% and up. Drive the speed limit or at a slow, moderate rate. This is one of the biggest factors in saving gas. Gas mileage decreases rapidly above 60 mph. Use cruise control on highways. Driving at 55 gets you much better gas mileage than 65. Driving at 75 can cost you an extra five miles per gallon compared to 65. Drag force is twice as high at 85 mph than it is at 60 mph and four times higher than at 40 mph.

• Mellow out - up to 33%. Avoiding fast starts & stops and aggressive driving can reduce your gas mileage by 5 percent in the city, and a whopping 33 percent on the highway.

• Lighten your load - 1% and up. For every extra 50 lbs. you can remove from a typical car, you will improve your fuel economy by 1percent. Remove any unnecessary items from your trunk and clean out your back seat!

• Tighten it up - 1% and up. Make sure your gas cap is on tight and is not damaged. Nearly 1 out of 6 cars and trucks on U.S. highways have either misused or missing gas caps, causing 147 million gallons of gas a year to vaporize into the atmosphere.

• Lube it up - 1 to 2%. Using the right grade of motor oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer can improve your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent.

• Fix it up - 4.1%. Regular vehicle maintenance can improve gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent. Most important to mileage is a properly working oxygen sensor, which can increase or decrease your efficiency by as much as 40 percent.

• Clear the air - 10%. Replacing a clogged or dirty air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. It will also help protect your engine by keeping harmful impurities out.

• Blow it up - 3.3%. Check your tire pressure at least once a month. You can improve gas mileage by more than 3 percent simply by keeping your tires properly inflated. A 3.3 percent improvement in gas mileage translates to nearly 10 more miles per fill-up. For a typical 15-gallon fuel tank, that comes out to $2 per fill-up, more as the price of gas goes up.

• Don’t be such a drag - 21%. Reduce wind resistance (drag) by removing luggage, carriers and related items from your car’s roof. Luggage on a roof rack, with cruise control set to 65, can reduce fuel economy by 21 percent.

• Quit idling - ?%. When your car is stopped with the engine running, you are getting zero miles per gallon. Turn off your engine if you expect to sit for more than 30 seconds.

• Don’t be stuck up - 10% and up. Avoid buying higher-priced premium fuel unless your vehicle absolutely requires it. Using lower octane fuel can save you hundreds of dollars a year. About 6 percent of all vehicles on the road require premium fuel, yet premium fuel accounts for 20 percent of gasoline sales, according to AAA.

• Cash on the barrel - ?%. Pay cash at stations that charge extra for credit cards.