| Real Money-Saving Steps | | | | improve your fuel economy by 5 to 10 percent. In city |
| There are numerous no- or low-cost steps you can | | | | driving, nearly 50 percent of the energy needed to |
| take to combat rising gas prices. | | | | power your car goes to acceleration. Go easy on the |
| Most cars can run on regular unleaded - 87 octane. | | | | gas pedal and brakes. "Jack-rabbit" starts and sudden |
| High performance vehicles will usually require 91 octane | | | | stops are wasteful. Let off the gas early when |
| or higher. Check your owner's manual to determine the | | | | approaching yellow and red lights, stop signs etc... Most |
| right octane level for your car. It's also usually written | | | | fuel-injected cars will cut off the fuel supply to the |
| inside your gas lid, door panel, and sometimes right on | | | | engine while you slow down saving you even more |
| your dashboard under the fuel gauge. It will say | | | | gas. |
| something like "Premium Unleaded Only" which means | | | | -- Combine errands. Several short trips taken from a |
| 91 octane or higher. All gas pumps must post the | | | | cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip |
| octane rating. | | | | covering the same distance when the engine is warm. |
| Gas Cards | | | | It takes about 15 to 20 minutes for a car to reach |
| Check out gas card offers from gas stations and | | | | normal operating temperature. Until then, your car is |
| credit card companies. The can save you an additional | | | | using almost twice as much fuel to keep the engine |
| 1% to 5% off every gallon or earn you free gas. One | | | | running! |
| of the best cards out there right now can be found | | | | -- Remove excess weight from the trunk. Avoid |
| If you put 20 gallons in your car at $3.00 per gallon, | | | | carrying unneeded items, especially heavy ones. An |
| that's $60. A 5% cash back would save you $3.00 | | | | extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car's |
| making your effective cost per gallon just $2.85. It's like | | | | fuel economy by one to two percent. |
| getting a free gallon of gas with every fill up! | | | | Maintain your car |
| Drive more efficiently: | | | | Keep your engine tuned. Studies have shown that a |
| -- Stay within posted speed limits. The faster you drive, | | | | poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by |
| the more fuel you use. For example, driving at 65 miles | | | | as much as 10 to 20 percent depending on a car's |
| per hour (mph), rather than 55 mph, increases fuel | | | | condition. Follow the recommended maintenance |
| consumption by 20 percent. Driving at 75 mph, rather | | | | schedule in your owner's manual; you'll save fuel and |
| than 65 mph, increases fuel consumption by another | | | | your car will run better and last longer. |
| 25 percent. This is caused by the amount of energy it | | | | -- Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. Under |
| takes to push your car through the air and the amount | | | | inflated tires on a car is like running on the beach with |
| of drag created by your cars body. | | | | no shoes. Car manufacturers must place a label in the |
| So if your car gets 25-mpg highway at 55 mph, driving | | | | car stating the correct tire pressure. The label usually is |
| 65mph will drop it down to 20 mpg! Driving 75 mph | | | | on the edge of the door or doorjamb, in the glove box, |
| drops it down to just 16 mpg! | | | | or on the inside of the gas cap cover. If the label lists a |
| My personal experience with my 98 VW Beetle: I | | | | psi (pounds per square inch) range, use the higher |
| drove to New York at the posted speed limits | | | | number to maximize your fuel efficiency. Under inflated |
| between 55 and 65 mph. I got about 35mpg and 450 | | | | tires cause fuel consumption to increase by 6%. |
| miles on one tank!!! When I drove to Florida the posted | | | | -- Change your oil. Clean oil reduces wear caused by |
| speed limits were between 55 - 70 mph. I actually | | | | friction between moving parts and removes harmful |
| drove about 75 mph most of the way. I only got 27 | | | | substances from the engine. Change your oil as |
| mpg and about 350 miles on one tank. I lost almost 100 | | | | recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. |
| miles distant per tank! I couldn't believe it. | | | | -- Check and replace air filters regularly. Your car's air |
| -- Use overdrive gears. Overdrive gears improve the | | | | filter keeps impurities in the air from damaging internal |
| fuel economy of your car during highway driving. Your | | | | engine components. Not only will replacing a dirty air |
| car's engine speed decreases when you use | | | | filter improve your fuel economy, it also will protect |
| overdrive. This reduces both fuel consumption and | | | | your engine. Clogged filters can cause up to a 10% |
| engine wear. Most automatic transmission cars will | | | | increase in fuel consumption. Imagine running up a flight |
| have an overdrive button right on the gearshift. Look | | | | of stairs with only using one nostril in your nose to |
| for a "D" and/or "O/D". You will see a light on the dash | | | | breath. |
| indicating weather it's on or off. Check your owner's | | | | Gas Cards |
| manual to be sure. If your car has a tachometer, you | | | | Check out gas card offers from gas stations and |
| should be able to tell by watching your engine's rpm | | | | credit card companies. The can save you an additional |
| speed on the highway. Buy switching the overdrive on, | | | | 1% to 5% off every gallon or earn you free gas. One |
| your rpm's should drop significantly. | | | | of the best cards out there right now can be found |
| -- Use cruise control. For longer trips using cruise | | | | If you put 20 gallons in your car at $3.00 per gallon, |
| control can help you maintain a constant speed and, in | | | | that's $60. A 5% cash back would save you $3.00 |
| most cases, reduce your fuel consumption. Set it to 55 | | | | making your effective cost per gallon just $2.85. It's like |
| mph on highways. | | | | getting a free gallon of gas with every fill up! |
| -- Avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, and | | | | |