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Always Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated-
Purchase a quality tire pressure gauge and check the pressure of your tires before you take a trip. Always remember to check while they're cold and do it at least once a month. When your tires are under-inflated, they require much more horsepower & torque to rotate, therefore consuming more gas. Most cars, trucks, & SUV's have a label that lists proper tire pressure, usually on a plate attached to the drivers door. Your owner's manual has the original tire specifications and required inflation pressures also, as long as you haven't changed tire sizes, these are the numbers you want to target.
Make sure your Trunk is Empty-
Check your trunk, glove box and front and back seats for belongings that you really don't need on a permanent basis. Believe it or not this can contribute enough of a positive effect that warrants a complete automotive clean out, and it doesn't cost a dime. An extra 100 pounds in your trunk reduces fuel economy by about 1 percent!
Do not fill your tank up completely-
Instead, keep it half full. Fuel weighs around 8lbs. per gallon. Depending on your tank size, your car will have 50-100 pounds less to haul all the time... less weight = less gas.
Do not to stomp on the gas anymore than you needed-
Aggressive acceleration equals maximum gas consumption. The slower you accelerate, the better your gas mileage will be. On the other hand, if you creep along like a snail, you are surely going to irritate the other drivers around you. Experiment with how little “pedal” your car needs to move at a reasonable traffic speed and save your gas.
Plan Out your Route-
The less distance you drive, the less gas you use. If you have several stops to make, see how you can route your trip to have the minimum number of miles driven. Keep an eye out for traffic jams, however – often you are better off driving more miles (sometimes even several dozens of miles) than sitting in traffic jams.
Should I Use Premium or Unleaded fuel?
Only use the minimum grade of fuel your vehicle requires. If your vehicle owner's manual calls for regular then use regular. If it calls for premium then use premium. You are only wasting money by using premium fuel when it is not required. In addition if your vehicle calls for premium and you chose to use regular instead, the vehicles computer will retard the ignition timing automatically to prevent detonation. This acts as a safeguard for the engine; however it will have a negative effect on gas mileage, which will more than offset lower fuel price.
Does A/C Use That Much more Fuel?
Not really. If you drive at highway speeds with your windows open, aerodynamic drag will consume more fuel than A/C. At lower speeds you may want to open your windows and turn the compressor off, at higher speeds, use the A/C. It's time to close the windows at 50-55 mph for most vehicles.
Should you avoid excessive idling?
Yes, but that doesn't mean you should turn off your car at a red light or when coasting in neutral. Such solutions are unsafe, and you'll consume more fuel when you start your engine back up. But do try to avoid parking or idling for any prolonged period with your engine running. Remember that your engine gets 0 MPG when idling, so when it's idling it's costing you money. On the other hand, remember that starting your engine consumes the same amount of fuel as idling for a minute or so and it also puts an extra strain on your battery, starter, and ignition switch, reducing their life and leading to their premature replacement - which will surely cost you money. You just need to apply common sense here.
Fill your tank at the coolest time of day-
Fuel is denser when it's cool in the early morning or late night.. Your engine consumes fuel by weight but gas pumps dispense fuel by volume. The colder the fuel is when you pump it, the more of it you get for the same money
Anticipate stops- Think ahead to anticipate stops so your vehicle can coast down. Accelerating hard and braking hard wastes gas, increases pollution, and wears out your brakes.
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