Auto Trends

There are a record number of advice columns on how to save gas, discussing even the most minuet details that might offer one or two extra droplets at best. Some of us have tried every one of these tips, short of hanging outside the drivers side window holding onto a semi truck while in neutral.

But the cold hard facts are coming in and there is really only a few sure fire ways to save any worthwhile gas amounts and we break them down into nice and simple Do and Don’t rules to live by:

Do’s

• Do Drive at a reasonable constant speed. It has been found that driving 55 not only keeps you alive, but saves you as much as 5 to 10 mpg. Cruise control will prove to be a great ally in this effort.
• Do drive with your window down and air conditioner off when you are cruising at low speeds (20-30 mph) around town. This move is usually good for about 1 mpg.
• Do take those sand bags out of the trunk/truck bed in the summertime. Excessive weight decreases fuel economy.
• Do store items in your vehicle or garage rather than on top of your cargo rack whenever possible. The drag coefficient of items on a rack can drag your fuel economy down anywhere from 1 to 4 mpg.
• Do buy a more economical car. There really is no better way to save on gas, than to buy a vehicle that was made to do just that.

Don’ts

• Don’t bother getting gas in the late evening or early morning. The gas is stored in underground tanks, so there is little to no difference in temperature, which means you really are getting about the same amount of gas any time of the day.
• Don’t accelerate and brake heavily in traffic. This wastes energy and inertia and destroys your fuel economy by as much as 40 percent. Remember, the slow and steady turtle always wins the race when it comes to fuel economy… always!
• Don’t overinflate your tires. There is a limit where your safety outdoes any small amount of gas savings you would achieve from overinflated tires.
• Don’t turn off your air conditioner and role down your windows on the highway (40 mph and above) thinking you are saving gas. The negative effect in aerodynamics from the open window outdoes any of the gas saving effects of turning off your air conditioner.
• Don’t bother over zealously changing your air filter. In reality no matter how dirty your filters get, your fuel economy is always the same. Your vehicles computer compensates for the lack of air by reducing the amount of gas going into the engine. Follow the recommended tune-up procedure laid out by your manufacturer. That is all you should need to maintain your vehicles fuel efficiency.