Car Care Tips
Improving the Gas Mileage of Your Car
Following these simple steps may improve the gas mileage for your car:
Driving Habits
-
Clean your car regularly. Mud can weigh down the undercarriage of your car, slowing you down.
-
Consolidate your daily trips and errands. Restarting your engine uses a lot of gas, so plan your errands with as few stops as possible.
-
Whenever possible, avoid air conditioning. Keep in mind, however, that driving at higher speeds with windows open creates drag.
-
Change speeds gradually. Sudden stops and speed increases use more gas than gradual changes, so don’t throttle the gas or brake hard.
-
Don’t idle for long periods of time. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait, or you will use more gas than it takes to restart the engine.
-
Limit car warm-ups during the wintertime.
-
Clear unnecessary items from the trunk. More weight results in more drag.
-
Avoid high speeds. Although high speeds are nearly impossible to resist, you can improve your gas mileage by nearly 15 percent by driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph.
-
Use overdrive. If your car is equipped with overdrive gearing, use it as soon as your speed is high enough.
-
Use cruise control. Keeping a steady speed is ideal for improving your gas mileage.
Servicing Your Vehicle
-
Improve your engine’s spark. This will allow the air and fuel mixture to be burnt better.
-
Improve your intake/output system. Efficient intake of gas and output of exhaust will improve your vehicle’s overall performance and gas mileage.
-
Reduce friction. Use high-quality or synthetic motor oil.
-
Check your oil! Low oil levels force your engine to work harder.
-
Change your filters. Dirty filters may increase the amount of fuel your vehicle uses by 10 percent.
-
Keep tires properly inflated and aligned. Check regularly to ensure that your wheels are fully inflated and that your car’s wheels are properly aligned.
-
Get regular engine tune-ups and car maintenance checks. A lot can go wrong with a car, so check for needed repairs on a regular basis. Damaged spark plugs or transmission problems can also contribute to poor gas mileage.