Fuel Economy Tips for Beating the Gas Pump Blues

• Use the grade of gas the vehicle's manufacturer recommends. If the vehicle is designed to run on regular, manufacturers strongly recommend using regular. Assuming that a vehicle will run better on a higher grade gas than recommended, “plus” or “premium,” say manufacturers and automotive engineers, is usually throwing money away. If your vehicle runs poorly or “pings” on the grade of gas recommended it may need servicing rather than bumping the gas grade.
• Use a cheapest gas locator. Fueleconomy.gov, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, provides state-by-state links to help citizens locate local retailers with lower prices.

• Drive smart—avoid aggressive driving. Jack rabbit starts, rapid accelerating and abrupt braking (as when darting in and out of traffic), and speeding consume much more fuel than smoother, nonaggressive (and safer) driving techniques. According to the EPA, driving aggressively will lower your average miles per gallon by 33% on the highway and 5% around town. Plus you aren't really saving time. A European study, cited by Canada's Auto$mart website, showed that aggressive driving reduced travel time only 4%, or the equivalent of just over a minute in a 30-minute trip. Would you burn 33% percent more gas to save 4% on time?
• Slow down—observe speed limits. On average, fuel efficiency for most vehicles increases up to 55-60 miles per hour (mph). For each 5 mph increment of speed over 60 mph, average fuel consumption increases about 7%. Sticking with the speed limit can save dollars. For example, if you usually go 75 in a 65 mph zone, the 10 miles over the speed limit most American drivers admit to going at least sometimes, sticking to the speed limit could save 14% of the cost of that trip's gas.
• Avoid idling. Although bigger engines burn more gas than smaller engines while idling, both are burning the pennies while going nowhere. Cutting down on the time spent idling can save so much money—and gas—that Canada has launched a No Idle Campaign. Unless you are in traffic, turn off the engine and restart it if you would be idling longer than 30 seconds to 1 minute. Rather than use the drive thru for fast food, banking, or picking up the drycleaning; stop and go in. Forego idling at the curb while waiting or running a quick errand. In winter, warm up the vehicle no more than 30 seconds before driving (modern vehicles are designed to warm up in motion). If you live where winters are really cold, consider using an engine block warmer.
• Minimize using the air conditioning. There's no question that using the air conditioning lowers fuel efficiency, generally from 10 to 20% depending on the type of vehicle. Various engineering tests prove that the most fuel efficient vehicle is one with the windows rolled up and the air conditioning off. So for greatest fuel savings, leave the windows up and use the vehicle's flow-through air vent system. But lots of places and seasons do get really hot and a.c. is a must. What then?. If you're entering a hot car, experts suggest opening the windows briefly and blow out the hot air so the a.c. doesn't have to work as hard to bring the temp down. Putting the a.c. on "recirculate" (often "max cool") also helps the cool down period. The fan setting doesn't affect how much a.c. affects fuel efficiency so turn the fan up where it's comfortable.
• But should you open the windows and go? This is a hot topic. Modern vehicles are designed aerodynamically to cut resistance and boost fuel efficiency; opening windows creates drag and window resistance and boosts fuel consumption. So which consumes more fuel—running the a.c. or “rolling and going”? For this review, we checked a lot of authoritative opinions and even read an engineering test or two. Testing shows that some vehicles (such as big, boxy SUVs have a lot more drag than small, sleek sedans. But some general advice holds true for all types of vehicles: 1) The most fuel efficient tactic (see point above) is windows up, no a.c. 2) In around-town traffic at speeds below 30-40 miles an hour, all types of vehicles consume less fuel if they open windows rather than run the a.c. 3) At higher, highway speeds drag increases and the fuel efficiency gap between open windows or ac narrows for most vehicles (particularly big, blocky vehicles). So at highway speeds, roll up the windows and use the a.c. (The only way to determine the precise answer for your vehicle is to experiment: Fill the tank, run with the a.c. only all the time, compute mileage. Repeat with windows down, no a.c. Compare mileage.)
• Lighten the load. For every extra 100 pounds weight you carry around in your vehicle, you burn 1 -2% more gas. Do you really need all that gear in the trunk or cargo bay?

• Drive your most economical vehicle. Many families have two or more vehicles. When possible use the more fuel efficient.
• Combine trips. Even though you may start and stop between errands, a car with a warm engine burns less fuel than making many separate, short trips with a cold engine.
• Commute by carpool or public transportation. How many miles do you commute? How much time do you spend idling in traffic on the way? Carpools share gas and can use HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes where they exist. Public transportation fares can beat high gas prices, not to mention you save wear & tear on the vehicle (and can read a book on the way).
• Plan trips for times when traffic is less congested. When possible, plan trips or errands for times when you can avoid rush hour or congested traffic.
• Use flextime options to ease your commute or telecommute when possible. Will your employer allow you to start and end work earlier or later than the major rush? Is telecommuting for even one day a week possible? Such options not only save fuel, they often soothe nerves and increase production.
• Stow the camping gear inside. Going on vacation and planning to put a lot of gear on the roof rack? That bulk creates drag. Stow stuff inside the vehicle when possible.

• Keep tires properly inflated. The EPA reports that you can improve fuel efficiency an average of 3.3% by keeping all four tires properly inflated. It's safer, too.
• Use the right grade of oil for your vehicle. Using the grade of oil the manufacturer recommends for your vehicle can improve gas mileage 1-2%. Also look for “Energy Conserving” on the oil's API label: such oil has friction-reducing components.
• Check and change air filters to keep them clean. Dirty and clogged air filters can cut gas mileage by up to 10%.
• Have vehicle tuned up regularly. Savings vary, but a well-tuned engine runs more efficiently. If your oxygen sensor is faulty, it can increase fuel consumption by up to 40%.