Car Insurance Articles
How To Get The Best Fuel Economy
2008-01-23
Over the course of the past few years people have watched as fuel prices have skyrocketed. With no sign that they will be dropping anytime soon many people have decided to trade in their gas-guzzling SUV’s and pickup trucks for more fuel efficient models. The invention of the hybrid vehicle has made saving money on fuel even easier for those that can afford to shell out a few extra thousand dollars for a brand new vehicle. If you are not in apposition to buy a brand new vehicle or the thought of getting another four to six years of car payments isn’t high on your list of things to do right now, then you will need to find other ways to save money on fuel. The following tips are great ways to help you get the best fuel economy from your cars.
1. Keep your vehicle well maintained - Following the scheduled maintenance program for your vehicle will help keep it running more efficiently. When it comes time to change your oil and filters you should do it as soon as possible. A clogged air filter or dirty oil can lower your fuel economy by as much as ten percent. The same goes for spark plugs and your fuel filter as well. To ensure you get the best fuel economy from your car, if possible, you should use the recommend oil and fuel octane every time.
2. Shut it down - Idling your vehicle will wreak havoc on your fuel economy. To help ensure you get better gas mileage than 0 mpg you should shut off your engine every time you stop and you are not at a traffic light, such as waiting at the drive-thru or while your spouse runs into the grocery store for the milk and eggs.
3. Keep your vehicle clean - While most people find it annoying when they come out of the store to find that someone has written wash me across their rear window, they may want to heed the advice. Keeping your vehicle washed and waxed will help improve the aerodynamics and help improve your fuel economy. And let’s face it; it just looks nicer.
4. Lighten up - The more a vehicle weighs, the harder the engine has to work to keep it moving down the road. And in order for the engine to work harder, it will need to use more fuel. Lightening your load by 100 pounds will improve your fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent, so leave the barbells at home and do push-ups instead on your next road trip.
5. Drive nice - Aggressive driving is not only a leading cause of accidents, but it also lowers your fuel economy. Every time you stop and then hammer the gas pedal, you put a huge load on your engine and waste fuel. By increasing your speed steadily and following the speed limit you will cut the amount of time you spend at stop lights as well, which will lower the amount of time you idle.
6. Slow and steady - When CarInsuranceQuotes.com says slow, however, it doesn’t mean the people doing 45mph on the interstate. While on the interstate, try to keep your speed around 65 mph and use your cruise control whenever it is safe to do so. Every 5 mph over 65 that you drive, your fuel economy will drop by as much as 7 percent.
7. Check your tires - Having low tire pressure can cut your fuel economy by as much as 3 ½ percent. Check your driver’s manual for the proper psi and keep a tire gauge handy so you can check your tires periodically.
8. Don’t be a drag - Drag is the effect of wind causing resistance on a vehicle. Driving with your windows down on a warm summer day may feel great, but it is horrible on fuel economy. Unless air conditioning is your only option, roll your windows up and use the real thing. Your car’s air conditioner does burn fuel, but it is minute compared to the amount you will waste by riding around with the windows down.
While many people are concerned about the effect that poor fuel consumption has on their bank account, there are other benefits to improving your fuel economy as well. Getting good fuel economy will not only help you save money, but it will help benefit the environment as well. The less fuel you use, the less toxins get released into the atmosphere which will help reduce such harmful byproducts like the reduction of the ozone layer and acid rain. If at all possible, try to use your vehicle as little as possible and car pool whenever you can. If you need to drive, however, following these simple steps will help you get the best fuel economy cars.