Some of the best gas-saving tips we could find
Posted
Mar 17 2008, 10:37 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
It seems as though everyone and their uncle have tips for saving on gasoline as prices inch closer to the $4-a-gallon milestone.
Short of getting a car with better gas mileage, there are plenty of ways to use less gas. We've looked at lots and will pass on our favorites in an effort to save you money.
Best possible tip: Drive less. You don't have to pay for gasoline if you don't use it.
We've adopted a practice of pretending we don't have a car, except when distance (we don't have access to public transportation) or circumstances (getting a 50-pound bag of dog food home is one of them) require that we drive, and we combine trips religiously when we do.
Next tip: Find cheaper gas in your area. MSN Autos tracks gas prices, and an article by MSN Money's Liz Pulliam Weston provides more tips for finding the cheapest prices, as well as another good suggestion -- using credit card rewards to reduce the price you pay. And, for goodness' sake, don't use a higher octane unless your owner's manual requires it (unless you're in a part of the country where the "plus" gasoline costs less than regular).
Change the way you drive: No quick starts or stops, or rapid acceleration or deceleration. Don't exceed the speed limit, and drive under it if you can. Coast to a stop if possible. Added bonus: The light might change to green by the time you arrive, saving more gas.
Park so you can drive forward, rather than having to back up. Use cruise control where advisable.
And, remember, it's not true that starting your car uses more gas than idling, so turn off your engine if you face a wait at the bank drive-through (or simply park and walk inside). Or, as our heroes at "Car Talk," the best source of information we could find, put it: "If you're sitting outside a tattoo parlor waiting for your grandmother, and you know it's going to take her a good 15 minutes to get that new Komodo dragon tattooed on her left butt cheek, turn off your engine."
Keep your tires (preferably steel-belted radials for the best gas mileage) inflated at the level recommended by your owner's manual. Proper tire balance and wheel alignment also help, as do changing the air filter and adhering to other regular maintenance.
Driving your car slowly is the best way to warm it up in the winter. Also, remove unnecessary weight from your car. (For more suggestions for significantly increasing your gas mileage, read the excellent "Get 50 mph -- in your own car.")
Tips that have questionable value and/or savings (based on a Snopes review of an e-mail that's been widely circulated): Buy gas in the early morning when the ground is still cold; fill up when your tank is half empty to limit evaporation, and pump gas slowly, minimizing the vapors that are created. Snopes says the value of these suggestions is debatable. For instance, you're likely burning more gas going to the trouble to fill your tank whenever it's half-empty than you're saving by following that advice.
