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FreddicGiven the unreliable and dynamic nature of fuel prices, automobile users simply can't depend on the transitory dips in the prices of gas. Perhaps, adopting simple fuel saving tips is the key to prevent the prices from burning a hole in your pocket.
The following tips should help you achieve fuel economy as well as help protect the environment. 1. To begin with, choose the right car for your needs, if just driving around the town is what your needs entail, procure a lighter vehicle (hybrid or gas driven) instead of a big gas-guzzler.
2. Considered as one of the most important factors affecting fuel economy, the need to ensure the right tire pressure for your automobile can't be overemphasized. Check the pressure of the tires at least once a week, remember that even over-inflated tires lead to higher gas consumption.
3.Timely maintenance of your car that covers ensuring the right levels of all essential engine fluids and keeping all the systems in shape can make all the difference.
4.If you keep your car cleaned up, it not only enhances its sheen but also prevents any dirt or snow to create unnecessary drag and frees the engine from working harder.
5.Until it's absolutely necessary don't carry extra baggage in the car's trunk, as it would only increase the weight and force the engine to consume more gas.
6.Drive well within the fuel economy range of your vehicle, if you aren't already used to driving slow enough then you'd need to make some adjustments here, but be assured that the benefits are real. The difference of gas consumption between speeds of 55 and 65mph can be as big as 2MPG.
7.Accelerating your car like a dragster burns up fuel real quickly, whenever you have to step on the gas do it gradually.
8.If possible rest your left foot on the floor than on the brake pedal, as even a slight press on the brakes could significantly increase the drag.
9.Operate the air conditioner wisely and only when you need it. If you can make do just by opening the windows partially for cool air it's good. But remember that on highways opening up windows can backfire by creating more drag, so you're better off with the windows up and the air conditioner on. Further, once the inside weather is cool enough turn down the power of the air conditioner, lest it puts undue pressure on your car's engine.
10.Pick and choose the gas stations with the best prices in your area, there are lots of websites that keep a track of existing prices in different localities/regions.
11.Making good use of the discount gas schemes or gas rebate schemes of credit and club cards makes a lot of sense even if you save just a couple of cents on each visit to the station. Remember the good old quote "a penny saved is a penny earned."
12.After referring to your owner's manual, choose the lowest grade of engine oil available. No need to buy the premium grade unnecessarily.
13.Always shut the gas cap tight enough, or else the fuel could leak or evaporate.
14.If you need to travel just a small distance, prefer to walk. Not only would this help save gas but would also get the necessary physical exercise, so often recommended to live healthy.
15.Try to complete all your shopping on a single trip instead of visiting the market multiple times. Further, choose a shopping center that stocks a myriad of supplies so that you don't have to move from one area to another to shop for different items on your list.
16.Always drive moderately, as driving like you were in a great hurry would only make you brake and accelerate erratically, thus burning up more gas.
17.Cruise control, speed control or Autocruise, no matter which name you call it by, do make use of it when you're on a long trip on a highway.
18.Often not given enough weight though, idling can lead to significant fuel consumption. Avoid your car from idling and you would save quite a lot.
19.Try driving in the highest gear, the lowest gears are meant to get the car moving from the stationary position and cause the engine to consume more power than the higher gears.
20.Imitate truckers while approaching traffic lights. Truckers act wisely by looking ahead to see if the lights are about to turn red and accordingly begin to slow down as stopping is imminent. Further, if the lights are already red and you slowly cruise towards them they might turn green while you're still rolling. Thus you won't have to stop at all.
21.Plan your trip so that you can decide upon the shortest route along several stops to complete the trip.
22.Buy a bicycle to use when the trips are too short to be covered by a car and too long to be completed by walking. Determine the yardsticks for too long and too short based on your own preferences.
23.Use public transportation whenever possible, not only can it save gas, but would also free you of the effort and care it takes to drive yourself.
24.Make use of a fuel catalyst, they can either be poured into the fuel tank at other times they need to be installed. The catalysts increase fuel economy by efficiently burning up the gas.
25.Cleaning, properly maintaining and replacing the air filters when needed also helps to augment the car's efficiency.
26.When you rev up the engine while starting up, and warm up in excess of about 30 - 40 seconds, it leads to undesirable gas consumption. Hence, a warm up of 30 - 40 seconds is just all right for the purpose.
27.Refer to the owner's manual and follow the manufacturer's advice for the maintenance schedule.
28.Use the manufacturer recommended motor oil as much and as often as it has been advised.
29.Get your vehicle refueled in the mornings or late evenings when it's cold. In low temperatures the oil is denser and hence you may get more gas for the same amount of money.
30.Avoid placing luggage on the rooftop unnecessarily as it creates a lot of drag by contorting the car's aerodynamics. In fact the best thing to do is to remove the roof rack completely, as even an empty rack causes sufficient drag.
31.Avoid using tires that are too broad, they might be fancy but certainly are deterrents to good fuel economy, as they create more drag.
32.Carpooling allows for savings not just for you but also for others around you.
33.Use manual transmission, as an automatic transmission still can't match your assessment.
34.Choose a route that's the shortest, has minimum traffic lights and low traffic.
35.Get your car refueled only when the gas is about to run out, this is so as even the weight of the gas can be considered as load that the engine needs to pull, thus leading to a greater gas consumption.
For many more gas saving tips, follow me through the URL below. http://automobilehotspot.blogspot.com/2008/06/63-sweet-tips-to-save-fuel.html
I am a journalist with 7 years of experience. Though, as a professional I've reported on myriad topics, my favorites remain to be the medical and the automobile industry. I blog as it gives me a platform to write about my interests.
