Who Wants To Use Less Gas?

By Jon Buttress

Fuel prices are up, up and up. They will come down a bit as summer ends, but the days of cheap gas are over. Sorry, but it is true. To overcome this problem, you need to consider how you and your car can become more efficient. Here are some factors to consider

The first thing to know about saving money on gas is the nature of your car. Simply put, new cars get poor gas mileage until the engine is broken in fully. This means three to five thousand miles. In short, don't panic when your mileage is bad.

How many times have you pounded the gas pedal at the light only to run into a red light at the next intersection? Not only is it aggravating, but your wasting gas. Quick accelerations and braking can cut gas mileage by as much as 30 percent.

Short trips are another area that will kill your gas mileage. Not only are they of the start and stop variety, but they can usually be combined into one trip that would reduce the total mileage you drive.

When it is cold outside, it takes a while to get your body running when you head out, right? Well, the same thing goes for your car. If it is cold outside, you can county on your cars miles per gallon going down.

Ah, but there is a time tested method for beating the cold car blues, right? You just let the car idle until it warms up. Just like the change your oil every 3,000 miles myth, this one is wrong. You'll actually use more fuel!

Those cool racks you have on your car are costing you money. Anything that blocks the wind is bad news. How often do you really use that stuff? If it is a pretty rare event, take them off and watch your mileage improve.

Running electrical accessories decreases fuel economy. The big one for most cars is the air conditioner. Operating the air conditioner on maximum can reduce your miles per gallon by between 20 and 25 percent.

Then there are the old stand bys that make a big difference. Keep your tires inflated. Make sure the engine is tuned so it runs efficiently. Clean air filters. Also, make sure your brakes are clean so they don't drag on the drums.

If you want to drive a car that gets poor mileage, you are going to have to be ready to pay. The world demand for oil is going up and supplies are not keeping up. The days of cheap and easy to get fuel are simply over.

About the Author:

Jon Buttress writes about fuel issues for HybridDealerDepot.com, where you can find North Dakota hybrid car dealers.