13. Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle When buying a new vehicle examine the vehicles rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission (if you can find one) will provide you with great fuel economy.
14. Don't make jackrabbit starts. It will take a couple extra minutes, but you'll save another couple mpg. In a comparison between jackrabbit vs. turtle accelerating. There turned out to be a two-mile per gallon difference in accelerating quickly vs. taking the slow and easy approach. Result: 2-mpg savings being a turtle, not a jackrabbit.
15. If you want to buy the most gasoline for the buck buy it during the coolest time of the day. That is when gasoline is the densest. Gas is sold by volume, not density.
16. Don't top off your tank. When you hear that first click of the fuel nozzle it's time to stop.
17. Travel at the speed limit and use cruise control whenever you can. Cruise control is the best, but not practical in stop and go traffic. Stick with the speed limit and shift to the higher gear.
18. Look ahead. If there is a hill coming up, accelerate on the downside, engaging the engine, instead of accelerating on the upswing.
19. Keep a steady speed in the city. Most signal lights are set to the speed limit stated. If you stop and idle, put your automatic transmission in neutral. This will reduce the strain on the transmission and allow cooling.
20. Get regular tune-ups and make sure to change the air filter. If your air filter is dirty it decreases your gas flow. Watch your wheel alignment as well; going in a straight line, instead of wobbling will save gas.
21. Going forward takes less gas than going in reverse. When parking in shopping lots, etc., take this into account.
22. Keep pace with the trucks Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum -- important to those who have to wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions -- but it also aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel.
23. Change your tires If you live in an area where you have to use snow tires. Also, check tour tires for maximum tire pressure every three months, as you get your oil changed perhaps. Spin and balance your tires and ask which tires are best fuel savers for your vehicle. Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by around 3.3 percent. And under inflation is the leading cause of tire failures/blowouts.
24. Turn off what you can. Anything you can turn off, do so. Radios, fans, all these new great technologies put a load on your engine, which decreases your gas mileage.
1. Check your air filter A clean air filter is the key to good fuel economy. A dirty air filter restricts the flow of air into the engine, which harms performance and economy. Air filters are easy to check and change; remove the filter and hold it up to the sun. If you can't see light coming through it, you need a new one. I use K&N filters which is cleaned rather than changed; they are much less restrictive (better air flow) than throw-away paper filters, plus they're better for the environment.
2. Get back to nature Consider shutting off the air conditioner, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you'll save fuel. That said, at higher speeds the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof.
3. Use the correct tires for your vehicle New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can certainly improve handling. But if they are wider than the stock tires, chances are they'll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy. If you upgrade your wheels and tires, keep the old ones. For long road trips, the stock wheels give a smoother ride and better economy.
4. Drive only when you have to Not a popular thing to say on a car site, I know, but the fact is that if you can avoid driving, you'll save gas. Take the train, carpool, and consolidate your shopping trips. Walking or biking is good for your wallet and your health. And before you get in your car, always ask yourself: "Is this trip really necessary?"
5. Avoid High Speeds As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) Vs 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.
6. Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.
7. Use A/C Sparingly When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.
8. Keep Windows Closed Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.
9. Service Vehicle Regularly Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.
10. Use Cruise Control. Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas. It can save you up to 4 MPG.
11. Avoid Heavy Loads and get the junk out of your trunk. Remove the sandbags (junk) from your trunk and pack lightly for long trips. The rule of thumb is, for every extra 100 pounds you lose 1 mpg. Remove the weight and save gas.
12. Avoid Long Idles If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.
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