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With what gasoline costs today, we are all looking for ways to save our fuel and our wallets. Lots of people have exchanged their gas guzzling cars and SUV's for vehicles that get much better miles per gallon ratings. We are all looking for any tips or tricks to save gasoline that we can fine, hoping to save us a gallon or two.
Conserving fuel helps not only our pockets, but it helps our environment as well. If we use less gasoline, that adds up to less exhaust, less fossil fuel (a non-renewable fuel source) and more money stays in our wallets. Here are a few of the tips to save some money and gasoline I have found.
Don't be a lead foot. Having a heavy foot on the gas pedal, or "putting the metal to the pedal", is not good for your car. More fuel gets used this way than is needed.
Don't floor your gas pedal when your red light turns green. Instead put your foot slowly on the gas pedal and accelerate gently.
And don't be in a rush when your driving either. If you are an aggressive driver you are lowering the number of miles you will go per gallon of gas, and it can make a big difference in the amount of fuel you will save..Somewhere around a 33% difference.
One thing to keep an eye on is your tire pressure. Make sure they are inflated to the proper level. We all know this is an important part of fuel economy when driving, but how often do we ignore the amount of pressure in our tires. Make sure your tires are not under inflated since that will cause your gas mileage to be reduced by 15%. It can also cause unnecessary wear and tear on your tires and that means you will have to replace them sooner than you would need to if you just keep an eye on the pressure.
Pick a nice shady spot when you park your car in the spring or summer when it's hot outside. If your car is parked and sitting in the sun on a hot day it is baking. The fluids in your engine (including gasoline) will be evaporating while you are away. Keep your car parked in your garage if you can. Being in a garage or protected parking area will help your car stay cooler in the warm weather, and warmer in the cold weather. This little tip can help reduce the use of your heat or your air conditioning, every little bit helps save gas.
Keep your car maintained. Look in your owner's manual for the recommended guide to maintenance that your car manufacturer suggests. There should be a schedule to follow to have a tune-up, an oil change and lots of other regular servicing your car needs. Not only will this keep your car fuel efficient, it will also keep it in good running condition.
Check your air filter regularly. If it looks clogged you could be losing 10% of your miles per gallon. The air filter gets pretty gross when it is clogged with dirt, grease, grime, and yes, even bugs.
Whenever possible try to stay away from rush hour traffic. One of the biggest gasoline wasters is stop and go traffic. Some companies allow employees to reset their work hours, so you may be able to beat the rush by commuting when traffic is lighter.
You will save gas. If at all possible, when out driving to the store try to add other chores in. If you plan you can devise a route to do all your driving around in one trip. Yes, that will save you gas too, and maybe a little time.
Keep your trunk clean of clutter and junk. Driving with extra weight in your trunk can reduce your gasoline efficiency by nearly 5%. Keep your roof cleared off to. Don't drive around with anything on your car that you are not planning to use at that time.
Slow down! Fuel efficiency can be increased if you stay at the posted speed limit, or perhaps even drive a few miles under it. If you drive at 65 miles per hour, and not 75 miles per hour, you can lower your gas mileage by 10%.
Don't try to top off your gas tank when your filling it up. Stop when the gas sensor stops the pump. The extra gasoline you force in only splashes out of your car anyway and it is wasted. No topping off, it only wastes the gasoline!
We all know we have to shake our dependence of petroleum products and following these tips will help a little with that. Petroleum is not a renewable resource and before too long, it will be in lesser quantities than we will need...unless we begin to do something about it now.
What we can do is try to save gasoline in small ways, and those small ways will add up. Drive slower, and keep your car maintained are other ways to help in the war against the gas pump. It is a good place to begin.