Whether you’re fussing over practical or environmental reasons, one of your biggest concerns as a car owner is getting your money’s worth every time you fill up your fuel tank. With millions of car owners around the world left at the mercy of a volatile oil economy, it’s not uncommon for fuel prices to abruptly go up and put added strain on your daily finances.
Saving money and saving gas often go hand in hand. If you believe your daily fuel consumption is not up to par, try asking yourself the following questions:
Is your car fuel-efficient?
Naturally, the biggest question you should be asking if you want to save gas is whether your car is fuel-efficient to begin with. That old sedan you bought secondhand or inherited from your uncle could be a holdover from the age of clunky, inefficient gas-guzzlers.
If you’re worried your current ride doesn’t hold up in terms of gas consumption, try doing some research online. Once you’ve confirmed your fears with empirical evidence, you can consider trading it for a more modern and fuel-efficient vehicle.
Are you a speed demon?
Even if you actually do take up drag racing as a hobby, it’s best that you save the showboating for the track. Speeding, over-revving, and hard braking are all practices that can worsen your car’s gas mileage, which is bad news if you’re pulling this funny business on your trusty everyday driver.
When driving on the highway, experts recommend that you maintain a constant speed not exceeding 55 mph. Anything over that could reduce your fuel economy by as much as 12% to 36%.
Do you carry too much junk?
If you go on a lot of weekend outings, then you’re probably used to hauling heavy bags and extra passengers in your car. Just don’t make overloading a habit; as it turns out, carrying too much extra weight can affect your car’s fuel economy and waste fuel.
To counter this, lighten your load and resist the urge to treat your car like an extra storage locker. Unloading about 45 kilos (100 pounds) of unnecessary weight can improve your gas consumption by as much as 2%.
Do you leave the engine running?
You’ve probably done this while waiting out a long stop light, or sitting in the parking lot while your companion runs into the store for a quick purchase. But idling wastes fuel, and could in fact be bad for your engine in the long run.
If your car will be staying put for a long time, it’s best you turn your engine off until you start moving again. (Or better yet, avoid traffic jams completely.) Expert opinion varies on how long is too long when idling your engine: some say 10 seconds, some say 30 seconds, others say one minute. Past that point, however, you’re definitely wasting precious gas.
Have you checked your tires lately?
Surprisingly, paying close attention to your car’s tire pressure can make a big difference when you’re trying to conserve fuel. Keeping all of your tires inflated at the proper pressure can improve your mileage by as much as 3.3%. Under-inflated tires, meanwhile, can increase drag and drop your fuel performance by 3% or more.
Not sure what the correct pressure for your tires is? The proper amount should be indicated either in your owner’s manual or on the inside of your driver’s side car door. Be careful that you don’t over-inflate your tires too much, either, as this could affect your car’s handling by making braking and turning more difficult.
When was your last tune-up?
When all else fails, there are few things that can improve your mileage better than a good old-fashioned engine tune-up. In addition to being the duty of any responsible car owner, keeping your engine in good running shape has other obvious benefits aside from improving fuel economy.
How vital is regular maintenance? A proper tune-up can raise your mileage by up to 4%, while changing your oil on schedule can improve it by 2%. Periodic maintenance can also single out internal issues that are negatively affecting your performance, including unaligned tires, faulty oxygen sensors, or a poor choice of oil.
Bonus: Does cleaning your air filter make a difference in fuel economy?
The short answer: not really. The belief that cleaning your air filter will dramatically improve your car’s fuel consumption is a myth that gets trotted around in gearhead circles a lot. This may have some grain of truth in older car models, but not in today’s generation of electronically-controlled fuel injection engines.
However, you still have some very good reasons to keep that air filter in tip-top condition. Cleaning or changing a clogged air filter can improve your car’s acceleration, and even the smallest precautionary measures can go a long way in keeping your car’s performance on point.
When it comes to saving gas, one of the best things you can do is to give your car the care and attention it needs. Take your car in for regular maintenance check-ups to troubleshoot problems before they take their toll. Invest in good financial protection for your car, and compare car insurance quotes so you can save money on accident coverage at the same time. By exercising vigilance today, you can save yourself from a long list of costly car repairs tomorrow.
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