Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Practical tips on how to conserve fuel
As the price of gas goes up, there are many things you can do as a driver and consumer to lower your gasoline and diesel consumption – and the hit your family’s budget has been taking.
Here are 20 tips to help you save gas and save money:
1. Shop around. But don’t drive around looking for cheap gas – it defeats the purpose. Instead, go to many online sites where you can check for almost real-time prices. On most sites, you merely need to punch in your ZIP code or other location information and the site will show you the lowest prices. Check out:
2. Are you a “Lead-Foot Louie?” Ease up on that pedal a little bit. Gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. It’s estimated that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional 20 cents per gallon for gas. And 60 mph is a much more safe speed to travel than 80 mph. Save gas, money and lives all at the same time just by cutting your speed.
3. Aggressive driving not only raises your blood pressure but your gas consumption as well – and it’s a safety hazard. Speeding and rapid acceleration and braking can lower gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and by 5 percent in the city.
4. Got junk in the trunk? Lose it. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle reduces mpg by 2 percent. Smaller vehicles are more adversely affected by additional weight than larger ones.
5. Avoid idling. You go nowhere and get 0 mpg.
6. Use your cruise control when it is safe to do so. Keeping a constant speed helps save gas.
7. Go into overdrive. In overdrive gear, the vehicle’s engine speed drops, saving fuel and reducing engine wear.
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8. Buy the lowest grade or octane of gasoline that is appropriate for your car. Unless your car requires premium gasoline, filling up your car with high-octane fuel is a waste of money. Passing on pricey premium gasoline could save you hundreds of dollars a year.
9. Don't top off. Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out. Why waste your money paying for gas your car won't use? Stop pumping at the first indication that your tank is full when the automatic nozzle clicks off.
10. Tighten up that gas cap. Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year, according to the Car Care Council.
11. Keep the tires properly inflated. This one is simple and a potential lifesaver. Under-inflated tires waste fuel and wear out the tire tread and are a safety hazard. Also, check tires regularly for alignment and balance.
12. Combine errands into one trip and plan your stops for the most efficient route. You'll save yourself time and money.
13. Do not rest your left foot on the brake while moving. The slightest pressure could cause a drag that will demand additional gas use – and wear out the brakes sooner.
14. Buy a fuel-efficient car. When pricing cars, consider long-term fuel costs. Keep in mind that sunroofs add to wind resistance, lowering the mileage per gallon. UAW members make a number of highly fuel-efficient vehicles, including:
- Toyota Corolla (32 mpg city, 41 highway)
- Ford Focus station wagon (27 mpg city, 37 highway)
- Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder (22 mpg city, 29 highway)
- Chevrolet Cobalt (25 mpg city, 34 highway)
- Dodge Caliber (28 mpg city, 32 highway)
- Saturn Ion (24 mpg city, 32 highway)
- Chrysler Sebring (24 mpg city, 32 highway)
And then there are hybrids like the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, Saturn Aura and Saturn Vue and flex-fuel vehicles. For a list of UAW-built vehicles, go to the UAW Vehicle Buying Guide.
15. Use air conditioning wisely. On the highway, closed windows decrease air resistance, so run the air conditioner. But in stop-and-go traffic, shutting off the air conditioning and opening the windows can lighten your fuel use. Air conditioning can lower your fuel economy by 10 percent to 20 percent.
16. Remove snow tires in good weather. Deep tread and big tires use more fuel.
17. Keep your engine properly tuned. Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.
18. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.
19. You can improve your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1 to 1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says “Energy Conserving” on the American Petroleum Institute performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.
20. A roof rack or carrier provides additional cargo space and may allow you to meet your needs with a smaller car. However, a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent. Reduce aerodynamic drag and improve your fuel economy by placing items inside the trunk whenever possible.
Sources: The U.S. Department of Energy's site on Fuel Economy and Bankrate.com's "Fifteen Ways to Save Money on Gas.”