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Friday, August 8, 2008

Gas Saving Tips

Gasoline is very expensive these days. Here are some some tips to save money on gas.

Don't top off:
Don't bother topping off when filling your car's gas tank. 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.

Pump up your tires:
Don't get caught driving on underinflated tires. Underinflated tires wear down more quickly and they also lower your car's gas mileage.
Your car's gas mileage may plummet by as much as 15 percent. Driving on underinflated tires may also reduce the life of your tires by 15 percent or more.

Keep your engine in tune:
Fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can boost gas mileage by about 4 percent. So be sure to give your car regular tune-ups. You'll also want to watch out for worn spark plugs. A misfiring spark plug can reduce a car's fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.

Remove weight:
Remove excess weigh from trunk or inside of car - extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.

Avoid rough roads:
Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.

Windows:
Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.

Drive steadily:
Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly.

Hang with the trucks:
Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum -- important to those who have to wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions -- but it also aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel (and aggravation).

Air filters:
Replace your air filter when you need to, or your mix won't be right. However don't replace it every time the mechanics tell you to (they make money with it). Try to find out how often you need a new filter.

Combine Trips:
Try to combine trips. If you live outside of town, try to go into town only once and get everything you need done.

Fill your tank at the coolest time of day:
Fuel is denser when it's cool in the early morning or late night.. Your engine consumes fuel by weight but gas pumps dispense fuel by volume. The colder the fuel is when you pump it, the more of it you get for the same money.

Plan your route to avoid traffic jams:
Because you can't avoid excessive idling, braking and acceleration while in a traffic, traffic is usually responsible for a big chunk of your gas consumed. You might avoid jams sometimes however, if you learn traffic patterns in your area and use them to your advantage.

Carpooling:
Sure, it's inconvenient sometimes, but it's the single most efficient way to save money on your daily commute.

Use discount cards:
use it for all your fuel purchases and guarantee yourself an automatic 5% savings.

Lowest gas prices online:
A great site for tracking the lowest gas prices in your area is GasBuddy.com

Walk or bike:
Walk or ride a bike instead of driving your car to school, work, or nearby destinations, if you're able to.

Stop Aggressive Driving:
In their road tests this was the most important factor in saving gas. They found up to a 37% savings with an average of 31% savings. That is like getting $4.00 gas for $2.69. If you slowed your 0-to-60-mph acceleration time down from your current 10 seconds to a more normal city pace of 15 seconds, you’ll feel the savings immediately.


This article is a reprint from widgia site
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