Thursday, April 18, 2013

Tips for Improving Your Gas Mileage by Driving More Efficiently

Gas is getting more and more expensive each day, leaving many people struggling with their budgets. While there is not a lot you can do to lower the price you pay at the pump, there are some things that you can do in order to try to drive more efficiently and to make sure that you are getting the best gas mileage that you can in your vehicle.

In order to make sure you are getting the best gas mileage, here are a few key tips for you to follow:

• Drive within the speed limit. When you drive 50 miles per hour or faster, your car will typically get far worse gas mileage than when you drive at a more reasonable speed. Some estimates indicate that each five miles per hour that you exceed the speed limit, you will basically be paying the equivalent of an extra.26 cents per gallon for gas. This is because cars are less fuel efficient at faster speeds. Of course, driving the speed limit is also safer for you.

• Keep extra weight out of your vehicle. The more stuff your car is packed with and the heavier it is, the more your gas mileage will be reduced. This is a bigger issue when you have a small car, as compared with a larger one, because the added weight will make a bigger difference in relation to your vehicle's weight.

• Make use of cruise control. If you use cruise control at a reasonable speed and keep your car going at a constant speed, you can typically get better gas mileage than if you regularly vary your speed or go up and down in speed dramatically. Using cruise control can also make longer drives more pleasant. Of course, cruise control is only possible on highways and on long stretches of road where you go at a steady speed without traffic signals.

• Try to avoid idling whenever possible. For each hour that you idle, you use a quarter to a half a gallon of gas. Idling is unnecessary and wasteful and you can turn your car off and on in only a second, using much less fuel than if you leave your car to idle. The downside to this is that repeatedly turning your car off and on can wear on the starter of your vehicle. However, if you know you are going to be parked for any length of time, then you are definitely better off turning off the car rather than letting it idle.

• Be sure your car is properly maintained. Having a well maintained car with good tires is one of the keys to making sure that you get the best gas mileage possible.

By following these tips, you can make sure that you are running your car as efficiently as possible and getting the best gas mileage possible. This will help you to save a lot of money at the pump, even with gas prices going up.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7615901