How I'm Getting Better Gas Mileage in My Car
How sensible driving can improve your gas mileage.
Did you know that the way we drive affects gas mileage in our cars? Rapid acceleration really eats up the gas along with zipping around cars on the expressway, speeding and slamming on the brakes. According to EPA statistics, rapid acceleration, speeding, and sudden braking increases fuel consumption by 33% at highway speeds and 5% around town. And that's not all -- how fast we drive also affects fuel economy. If you stick to the slow lane, you see a huge difference in fuel economy. A good rule of thumb to remember is that every 5 mph an hour driven over 60 mph speed limit is like paying an additional 20¢ per gallon.
A few other driving tips that improve gas mileage include:
--Avoid long idling.
--Use the air conditioning sparingly.
--Remove excess weight from the trunk or cargo areas (such as winter sandbags, sports equipment, etc). Even an extra 50 pounds of excess weight can lower your miles per gallon by 1%.
Keeping your car properly maintained
Driving more sensibly is one way to improve your mileage, but keeping your car properly maintained is also important. My mechanic tells me that regular tuneups keep my Beetle operating at the most efficient level possible. Routine maintenance checks of the filter, fluid levels, and air pressure also boost the mileage per gallon.
Tires should be kept inflated to the recommended pressure since low tires can lower fuel economy by as much as 3%. Clogged air filters will also affect the performance of your car and lower the mileage as much as 10%. Even using the wrong motor oil can burn up more gas. Neglecting these minor maintenance issues costs us an additional 40¢ a gallon in wasted fuel.
Where to get more information
Your mechanic can give you other ideas for improving the fuel economy of your car. Visit www.fueleconomy.gov for more tips in concise, easy to understand language.
Published by C. Jeanne Heida - Featured Contributor in Business & Finance and Lifestyle
Jeanne is a small business owner with 25 years experience in the real estate industry. A consistent Y!CN Top 100 writer, her articles can be found at Y!Finance, Shine, Your Wisdom, DEX, and the Scripps Net... View profile
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4 Comments
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I drive an Acura 3.5 RL..............It gets great mileage and is one of the absolute best cars on the road. I am thinking of purchasing an Acura MDV or whatever that SUV is. The Acura is a great vehicle and mileage is good, but these are also some good tips. Thanks.,
I absolutely did not know about the 60 mph threshold. Thanks!
Sensible tips!