How high will gas prices go? Learn how to drive to survive $5 gas.
Apr 17 '03 (Updated Jun 21 '08)
The Bottom Line It's easy to beat those gas prices, even if you have an SUV.
With gas prices well over 4 dollars in some states i.e. Northern California, most consumers need to consider saving on their gas expenses; at least if they want to have money for other luxuries in life other than just gasoline.
I have talked about beating gas prices in other reviews, however I can't stress enough how important it is to get as much bang for your buck when buying gas, your sanity depends on it now more than ever.
Without having to buy a new car, here are some ideas (some you might already know of) to help you get better gas mileage which will ultimately save you quite a bit of money.
1. Purchase your gas in the early morning or late at night during summer months. In the heat of the day gas expands at fuel stations so you end up paying more money for less gas. If you wait to fuel-up in the early morning you will get the most bang for your buck.
2. Lose some weight, not you, your car! If you have items in your car that are heavy, such as old batteries in your trunk (you should not have those there anyway) or anything that does not absolutely need to be in your car, store it someplace else. A few pounds of junk here and there all add up and hurt gas mileage. Making your vehicle as light as possible will not only save on gas, it will help keep your car performing the way it's supposed to.
3. Keep your gas cap on tight! Gas evaporates at an alarming rate, if your cap is not screwed down tight (especially during hot summer months) you can lose quite a bit of gas without even driving. According to a recent poll, not screwing down your gas cap is one of the leading causes of unnecessary fuel consumption.
4. While driving 120 MPH may be a fast way to get to your local McDonalds, it's not only careless, it also uses almost double the amount of gas your car would normally use. Even when driving 75 MPH versus 60 MPH your car is using about 15% more gasoline. Driving 60 MPH versus 75 will save you about 30 cents per gallon of gas.. Driving the speed limit not only shows you have a brain, it will also save you a load of cash on fuel costs. As a wise woman once said, "Tell everyone that you have a high IQ without saying a single word; drive the speed limit."
5. Keep your vehicle tuned up! Some of my closest friends complain about how their tiny cars get horrible gas mileage. The problem is usually always the same; lack of maintenance. Change your air filter, spark plugs, oil, etc. etc. regularly. You not only will save money on gas, you will save yourself more than a few trips to the repair shop. Note: if you hate maianting your car I highly suggest going with a K&N air filter and Mobil 1 synthetic oil. You won't have to clean your K&N filter for 30,000 miles and your Mobil 1 is good for 15,000 miles before it needs replaced.
6. Ok, so the big Jack In The Box head might look cool on your car's antenna, however this sort decorative art increases drag, which decreases fuel economy; keep your car as flush as possible. Driving with your windows rolled up will increase fuel economy slightly. Also, if you have a big-ole wing on the back of your economy car, take it off. It has been proven that those things do nothing for a normal car's aerodynamics and look pretty stupid to boot.
7. As if driving in town did not use enough fuel, making jack-rabbit starts from stop signs/stoplights furthers this unnecessary gas consumption. Instead of racing from red stoplight to red stoplight, take it slow and if you have a manual transmission try to upshift as early as possible without lugging your engine.
8. Keep your tires fully inflated and have them checked regularly. A tire that is 10 lbs low on air pressure can mean that you are using over 10% more gas than necessary. This is probably the #1 reason for unnecessary gas consuption.
9. If your car does not require premium gas it will not receive better fuel economy by going with 92 octane, this is a big misconception. You will receive just as good fuel economy going with regular gasoline while also spending less money at the pump. It has even been suggested that the higher the octane the quicker the fuel burns.
10. Don't use your AC unless it is absolutely necessary. I know I advised you to roll up your windows earlier, but if it gets too hot run the vents on cool and unroll your windows. Recent reports say that running your AC uses less gas than having your windows unrolled, however I have not personally found this to be true whatsoever. Running your AC all the time can use up to 16% more gas!
Finally... I recommend buying your gas at the cheapest gas station in your area. I don't mean searching all over the city, but this is very important for two reasons. If a fuel station that has the lowest price is getting more business than other stations, gas prices will be forced to lower. In the long run you are not only helping yourself save on fuel costs, but you are also helping the local economy.
If you liked this review, you might also like my ideas on how to properly maintain your car this can also help you beat those nasty gas prices!
- Happy Fuel Saving!
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.