Helpful tips for reducing gas consumption

[Joseph_Botwinick]

1 Avoid High Speeds As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) vs 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.
2 Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.
3 Keep Tires Properly Inflated Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1%.
4 Use A/C Sparingly When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.
5 Keep Windows Closed Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.
6 Service Vehicle Regularly Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.
7 Use Cruise Control Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.
8 Avoid Heavy Loads Remove the sand bags from your trunk in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.
9 Avoid Long Idles If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.
10 Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle When buying a new vehicle examine the vehicle's rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission will provide you with great fuel economy.

http://www.arkansasgasprices.com/tips.aspx

 

[PamelaK]

Thanks, Joseph! These are great helps. I'll be having a hard time with #4. It's been 95 with the heat index here for a week and no sign of fall in sight. I...need...air!!!!

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Don't know how your car is, but mine usually is freezing me out within five minutes of it running, and I usually end up turning it down or off. You might also consider some other helpful tips from me:

1. Try not to drive during the hottest times of the day.
2. Windshield cover when you are parked.
3. Crack the window when parked.
4. Try parking in a shaded area.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[carpro]

I'd recommend inflating your tires about 5 lbs. above auto mfg recommendations. They're concerned with giving you a smooth ride, not economy or tire life. Your tires can easily handle it and you'll save even more fuel.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

For those of you in Arkansas:

http://www.arkansasgasprices.com/member_reg.aspx

Joseph Botwinick

 

[PamelaK]

Originally posted by Joseph_Botwinick:
Don't know how your car is, but mine usually is freezing me out within five minutes of it running, and I usually end up turning it down or off. You might also consider some other helpful tips from me:

1. Try not to drive during the hottest times of the day.
2. Windshield cover when you are parked.
3. Crack the window when parked.
4. Try parking in a shaded area.

Joseph Botwinick

Joseph, yep, I usually end up turning the air way down after 5 mins. Then after a couple minutes, I turn it off and just leave the vent on, but I usually end up turning at least a little air back on a couple minutes later due to the high humidity. Maybe I am just super sensitive.
Thanks for the extra suggestions! I'll try them.

 

[KenH]

http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=1030919&s=40496930

Other tips from an email update by www.setamericafree.org:

Some other tips for gas saving:

Traveling at 55 mph gives you up to 20% better mileage when compared to 65 mph and 70 mph.

Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.

Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up frequently wastes fuel.

Tune-up your engine regularly; check owner's manual for recommended maintenance intervals; maintain your air filters.

Remove excess weight from your trunk. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.

Use your air conditioning wisely. Auto air conditioners can reduce fuel economy by 10% to 20%.

Consolidate trips, carpool, and take public transit when possible.

 

[hillclimber]

Originally posted by carpro:
I'd recommend inflating your tires about 5 lbs. above auto mfg recommendations. They're concerned with giving you a smooth ride, not economy or tire life. Your tires can easily handle it and you'll save even more fuel.

I think you should go with the tire manufacturer's recomendations.

 

[Alcott]

These suggestions do work, but drivers are so myopic, vain, or concerned with physical comfort that very few of these are actually done, and those by very few drivers. And for Christians, common sense and rules of the road seem to be considered expendible. How many Baptist pastors, for example, do you see driving economy or compact cars, compared to full-sizers with leather seats and heavy wax jobs? And more than once I have introduced threads or polls about driving within the law, and almost everyone here seems to think they are not violating scripture by driving 10 mph, or more, over the speed limit or failing to come to a complete stop at a hexagonal sign, making a forbidden U-turn, et al. One poster in particular argued these points, while he maintains having even a sip of wine violates scripture. The fact is, scripture does explicitly command to obey the law unless it requires us to violate God's law, while it does allow taking wine under many circumstances. Baptists are rather strange about some things.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Alcott,

Are you following these suggestions? I am. Let's make this a start and pray for it to spread.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[KenH]

The two best things that anyone can do to save on gasoline are to trade in his/her gas guzzler and buy a more fuel efficient vehicle and to drive less.

 

[blackbird]

Originally posted by Alcott:
One poster in particular argued these points, while he maintains having even a sip of wine violates scripture. The fact is, scripture does explicitly command to obey the law unless it requires us to violate God's law, while it does allow taking wine under many circumstances. Baptists are rather strange about some things.

Alcott---that poster wouldn't by chance happen to have been Blackbird, now, would it????

Blackbird drives like a

Blackbird

 

[Hardsheller]

Originally posted by KenH:
The two best things that anyone can do to save on gasoline are to trade in his/her gas guzzler and buy a more fuel efficient vehicle and to drive less.

Yes please do. I can't wait for the used truck market to be flooded with big fuel guzzling Diesel Pickups so I can finally afford to buy one to pull my Airstream with.

 

[Alcott]

Originally posted by blackbird:
Alcott---that poster wouldn't by chance happen to have been Blackbird, now, would it????

I thought about saying it was someone described as a dark-colored fowl, but I was sure you would get the drift even without that.

 

[mioque]

Originally posted by KenH:
The two best things that anyone can do to save on gasoline are to trade in his/her gas guzzler and buy a more fuel efficient vehicle and to drive less.

They're called bicycles and you don't even have to cut down on your mileage to get the full gas reduction effect.