How to Figure Your Gas Mileage

Many new cars come with a digital readout of your gas mileage. If you have a car that does not have this option, you may wonder if those numbers on the window sticker are correct. You may just be curious has to how much usage you are getting out of a gallon of gasoline. Knowing how many miles per gallon of gas you can drive can be important. Low gas mileage could indicate a number of things.

You may have a vehicle with a Hemi or other large engine. If so, you will undoubtedly get less distance from each gallon of fuel. If you have an average sized engine, and do not have the digital readout, you can check your mileage by using simple math.

The next time you fill up your car reset your trip odometer to zero before you leave the pump. After you have driven the car forty or fifty miles, stop and top off your tank. Make sure you note the number of gallons that you used. Divide the number of gallons of gas into the number of miles on your trip odometer. This will give you an approximate MPG (miles per gallon reading).

This is not completely accurate; several factors play a part in the inaccuracy. First, did you use the same gas station as before? When the pump stopped, did you keep squeezing the handle to get to the next even dollar amount? The temperature can be another factor in causing variances. If you filled up your tank the first time in the morning, and it was cooler, you may have been able to pump more fuel into the tank. If, when you topped off your tank it was warmer, heat causes expansion, and the fuel that was inside the tank could have potentially taken up more space.

This method is by no means scientific, as there are too many factors that can sway the numbers. However, with this method, you will have an approximate figure to work with. If you have a newer vehicle, with a normal sized engine and you are not getting very many miles to the gallon. You might want to have your mechanic check out your car. Many things can cause your car to get less miles per gallon.

A few additives claim you will get more miles per gallon of gas from your vehicle. These are safe and can be purchased from any automotive store. If you would like to get the most out of your engine, make sure you maintain it properly, check your tires, bad tires can also bring your MPG down.