As are most people in America, our community is really feeling the squeeze right now with higher gas prices. It often feels like we are choosing between fuel, food, and other necessities. Of course we are chugging along day-to-day, but many are turning to anything to relieve the pressure. Most people know that their MPG (miles per gallon) changes slightly from day-to-day. However, many people do NOT know how much of that fluctuation is in our control. Here are a few tips to utilize to get the most from your fuel and can overall improve your car’s health.

What Are Some Ways to Save Gas?

Driving Habits

A major way to get the most mileage from your money is by being mindful of your driving habits. Suggestions like smooth accelerating and braking, using cruise control at high speeds, and avoiding extreme speeding. So, how do each of these items help save you gas?

• Smooth Accelerating and Braking

  • Constantly pushing the brake and then the gas both hard can cause more fuel to be used at a time to accelerate faster rather than just slowly adding fuel to the engine. Getting into the habit of accelerating at a smooth and consistent rate will help you avoid dumping large amounts of fuel at a time.

• Using Cruise Control

  • Using the cruise control function of your vehicle will help hold the speed steady, which can avoid the driver getting “lead-footed,” which is where the driver constantly speeds up and then has to slow down to maintain a legal speed limit.

• Avoid extreme speeding

  • In many cars, fuel efficiency is at its best from around 45-60 mph and drastically decreases above that, so unless you are on a road marked with a limit above that, it is not only illegal to go that fast, but it can actually save you fuel in the long run, too.

Car Maintenance

Another common way you can directly affect your MPG is by ensuring your car has been properly maintained. Some common maintenance items that you should be aware of are keeping tires properly inflated, making sure all air filters are clean and changed regularly, staying on top of oil changes, and fixing any engine issues that arise ASAP.

• Tire Pressure

  • The biggest, easiest, and cheapest maintenance tip for saving gas is to make sure your tires are properly inflated at all times to ensure that your car drives at peak performance. Both overinflation and underinflation can cause dips in your MPG, especially if the pressures are off by a large margin.

• Air Filters

  • Clean and new air filters (both engine and cabin) can reduce any blocking of the air flow as it moves through your car, which affects its aerodynamics. Poor aerodynamics can often lower MPG.

• Oil Changes

  • When oil becomes dirty and old, it becomes thicker. Thick oil creates more friction in the engine, which, in turn, can make it work harder to reach the same RPMs as it needs to, which will cause the engine to burn more fuel for the same result.

• Fix Engine Issues

  • Many engine issues can cause extra strain on your engine, which can also make it work harder. Burnt spark plugs or worn components can drastically reduce your MPG.

Weight and Drag

Another common mistake drivers can make is leaving a lot of stuff in their vehicle that is not necessary, which can slow it down due to the added weight. A full trunk, or a roof rack, can carry hundreds of extra pounds, and when you add any passengers, that amount can accumulate fast. This added weight causes the engine to have to push harder to achieve the same results.

Also, always keep windows rolled up when traveling at fast speeds. The extra drag added by the wind going in the cabin can significantly slow down the car. This is an extra burden on the engine. It’s best to leave windows up over 40 mph.

AC Usage

We know it gets hot, and everyone loves to crank their A/C to cool down. This is great, but it does use more gas, especially when the A/C is all the way up and your speed is slow. So when using it, be careful of when and how.

Trip Planning 

Try to get all of your errands done in one area, in one trip. Avoid driving extra miles when it is possible. While it may not be possible all of the time, it can help to be mindful of trips and how often/how far you have to go.

What Are Some Common Misconceptions About Gas Mileage?

• Premium Gas = Better Mileage

  • If your car is designed to use regular gas, it is best to do what the owner’s manual tells you to. If your car requires premium fuel, then you should absolutely use it. Premium does not ensure you more MPG and is usually just a waste of extra money in a time when we are already paying more at the pump.

• Highway speeds always give better mileage.

  • That may be true for a ‘sweet spot’ of speed (45-60 MPG), but super-fast speeds can eat through gasoline just as quickly as slow speeds.

• Idling doesn’t use much gas

  • Idling your car too long can absolutely waste a significant amount of fuel. Turning off your engine when you are sitting at a stop for a prolonged amount of time will save you gas and is better for the environment.

• Never use A/C if you want good gas mileage

  • A good rule of thumb is low speeds = windows down and high speeds = use A/C because at low speeds A/C does use more gas, and at high speeds, open windows create a great deal of drag.

Do These Things Actually Make a Difference?

While doing only one or two of these things won’t make too much of a difference, following all of them will absolutely make a large impact on your gas mileage and save you some money as we move through these higher prices. Remember these tips when you set out on the road, and stay safe out there.

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