Ten Tricks to Save Gasoline and Increase Your Fuel Economy

The other day, my wife filled the gas tank on her minivan and spent over $80.00. With gasoline creeping even closer to the $4.00 per gallon mark, it is even more important to start using some tricks to increase our miles per gallon. For those people who have a diesel engine, it is imperative as diesel fuel is almost $5.00 in some parts of the country.

Some of you may think that you cannot do anything to save at the pump, but I have some news for you: whether you drive a tiny hybrid car, an SUV or minivan, or a diesel pickup truck there are ten tricks you can employ that will increase your fuel economy and save you a lot of money at the pump. While most of these tricks will only slightly increase your fuel economy individually, when several or all of them are used at the same time, you will see dramatic improvements.

1. Keep current on vehicle maintenance - This is a priority. Besides the fact that your car will last longer if you keep up on your maintenance, you can improve its fuel efficiency as well. For example, a filthy, clogged air filter will limit how much air gets to the engine. This will choke the engine of the oxygen that it needs, requiring more gasoline to keep it moving. If the filter is visibly brown to black and full of dirt, you need a new one.

2.Properly inflate your tires - This one trick is the most commonly overlooked item. Very few people regularly check their tire pressure. Under-inflated tires create more rolling resistance, thereby causing you to use more gasoline. Additionally, improper air pressure leads to premature tire wear, or worse, failure. For about $10.00, you can buy a tire gauge. Check the sidewall of the tire for the proper air pressure, remove the valve stem cap, and check the pressure. If it is off by even one pound per square inch, go to a gas station or your local mechanic and get it fixed.

3. Accelerate evenly and smoothly - Flooring the gas pedal from the stoplight is an obvious waste of fuel. The faster a vehicle accelerates, the more fuel it will burn and waste. However, do not crawl away from a stop either, as this will aggravate the driver behind you. Instead, accelerate at a moderate pace so that the transmission, on an automatic, can evenly progress through the gears. If you drive a standard transmission, shift a little earlier than when you normally do. However, avoid lugging the engine, as this can damage internal parts.

4. Stay out of the pack - Hanging in the middle of a pack of vehicles will make you accelerate and brake much more than if you stay away from them. Maintaining a constant speed is the key here. Remember it takes much more fuel to accelerate your car than it does to keep it moving along.

5. Slow down- Did you know that if you drove just one or two miles below the speed limit, you could increase your fuel economy by as much as five to seven percent? Additionally, it will only add a minute or two to the average commute to work. I drive a tractor-trailer on a dedicated route. I cover approximately 430 miles per day. By slowing the truck down by just 3 miles per hour, I increased my fuel economy by 14% and only added fifteen minutes to the average driving time. At the price of diesel, this is about a $25.00 a day savings.

6. If you do not need it in your car, get it out - If you are like me, you do not clean your car out on a regular basis. The bowling balls, daypack, extra shoes, textbooks, work stuff, and McDonald's trash are scattered about. It does not take all that long for the accumulated stuff to add 40 or more pounds to the total weight of your car. This added weight will require your car's engine to use more fuel to get up to speed and to keep going at that speed. The heavier an object is, the more energy it requires to make it move. This is a simple law of physics.

7. Use cruise control whenever conditions permit - A computer controlling your speed is more precise than your foot. The ability of your car's cruise control will prevent the minor accelerations that happen when you do not use it. However, avoid using cruise control in heavy traffic or when weather conditions cause the road to be slippery. Remember, safety must come first.

8. Minimize air conditioner use- An air conditioner requires the engine in your car to run a little faster to operate the compressor. This means that you have to use more gasoline to drive down the road. So, open a window and enjoy the fresh air. When driving at highway speeds, however, using the air conditioner may use less fuel than the drag created by the open windows. In addition, a 65 mile per hour wind will wreck havoc on your hair, especially when you are going to an important meeting.

9. Avoid fancy tires and excessive accoutrement's (bling) on your car- Excessive "bling" adds weight. Additionally, wide tires (mainly used for looks) add rolling resistance. The rims and tires that came with the vehicle out of the factory are designed for that car. They provide the least resistance, with the greatest amount of safety. True, they might not look as good as those wide low profile tires, but remember, we are talking about fuel economy.

10. Avoid driving as much as possible - Using public transportation, carpooling and consolidating shopping trips are excellent ways to save gas. When consolidating shopping trips, plan the route to the various stores to minimize the distance you need to drive. Buy a good bike or pair of walking shoes. These are even better ways to save money on gas, besides they are the healthy option. The less you drive, the more you will save.

Finally, here is a bonus tip. If you have an older model "beater" car that gets good fuel economy, keep it. Use it for daily driving. Yes, it looks like an old "beater" car, but saving money is what it is all about. Once in a while, it just makes sense to look bad!