Not Magic - 5 Tips To Improve Fuel Consumption - Vol.200
Remember the days when you were able to romp around in your 4-wheel drive truck and SUV and could still fill the tank for under $20? Well, it appears those days are long gone, and it doesn't look like the price is coming down anytime soon. The fact of the matter is that gasoline is expensive. But, fear not, there are some ways that you can improve your fuel consumption, increase the driving you can get out of tank of gas and decrease the burden on your wallet every time you go out for a drive. Next time you are on the road, follow these 5 tips to improve fuel consumption and save yourself when it comes time to go to the pump.
1. Take Your Foot Off the Break
When you are sitting in traffic or you are cruising down the highway, only use the break if you absolutely need it. When you first bought your car, you probably saw that there are different miles per gallon fuel ratings for highway and street use. The reason for this is because when you are on surface streets, you are constantly stopping and starting your vehicle with stoplights and traffic. Highways are expected to be steady cruising speeds that don't over exert your vehicle. Whenever you slam on your break, your car has to do more work to increase the speed of your vehicle back up to its regular cruising speed. Maintain your speed, time out your distance between cars, and keep your foot off the break!
2. Keep Your Tires Filled Up
Keeping all four tires on your vehicle filled up to their maximum levels will decrease the road resistance being placed on the rubber and make your ride feel smoother. Rolling resistance placed on the vehicle can cost you up to 6% in fuel efficiency. Another option you have is to fill your vehicle tires with nitrogen that decrease the potential for tire deflation, wheel rot, and heat build-up, all contributing factors in the maintenance of your vehicle and the improvement of your fuel consumption.
3. Plan Out Your Route
Avoid going back and forth and staying in your car longer than you need to be. If you are out and about running errands or driving around town, plan out where you need to go before you get in the car. That will allow you to determine the shortest order in which to get everything done and the least time spent in the car driving around wasting gas.
4. Use Cruise Control
Use the cruise control when you are driving on highways outside of the city or on clear stretches of road. This will help you to retain a steady speed and decrease the problem associated with tip #1 about hitting the break. Try not to use the cruise control feature when you are driving around the city as it could become potentially hazardous if you aren't paying attention and forget to disengage the feature.
5. Change the Filters
Regularly check and maintain your oil filters and gas filters to make sure that your engine is being treated with the care and attention it needs. If the air filters gets too dirty, it could block the air intake of your engine and force your engine to work harder and use up more gasoline to perform its duties. Clean oil also keeps everything running smoothly and prevents the metal of the engine from generating heat and resulting in more gasoline usage. Changing these two filters can save you as much as 10% in fuel efficiency.