So you’re spending way too much time and money at the gas pump, but don’t necessarily want to buy a new car even if it doesn’t have better gas mileage. No problem. There are several different tips and tricks you can follow to reduce your current vehicles mpg. So let’s dive right in, so you can start saving money as soon as possible.
Don’t slam on the gas pedal
While it may be fun to slam on the gas pedal when you leave a set of lights your significantly decreasing your average miles per gallon every time you do it. This is due to the fact that your vehicle needs to burn more gas to keep up. Just like you shouldn’t floor it you also shouldn’t slam on the brakes when you come up to a stop sign or stop light. It’s best to just start to let off the gas pedal and let your vehicle coast up to the stop sign and then gently brake.
Use cruise control
Whenever you hop on the highway or whenever you find yourself on a long stretch of road with the same speed limit, it’s a good idea to put on cruise control. Sure its old technology, says Browning Dodge Jeep (Norco, CA), but cruise control is one of your vehicle’s best features when it comes to saving fuel. The constant speed maintained by cruise control will significantly increase your vehicle’s aver mpg.
Use your vehicle’s recommended fuel type
Make sure when you do go to fill up your gas tank that you’re putting in the proper fuel type. Every vehicle is tested by its manufacturer to figure out which type of gas will best suit the performance of your vehicle. You can even find the recommended fuel type on your fuel door cover, you can also find it in your owner’s manual. Chances are the regular low octane gas will be best, but if you drive a high-performance car you’re going to need to go with a fuel with a higher octane level.
Watch the weight of your vehicle
When your vehicle is fully packed with items such as heavy luggage you’re increasing the weight of your vehicle which leads to more strain on the engine. The same goes for if you towing a trailer or boat behind you. The increased weight of the item behind you and the need to haul all of that translates to more horsepower and torque being used. All this added strain on your engine means your vehicle is going to be burning a lot more gas so it can haul all that weight around. So if something doesn’t need to be in your vehicle take it out. Don’t just drive around with that bag of items that need to be donated.
Reduce drag
Accessories like roof racks and storage accessories greatly affects the aerodynamics of your vehicle. This means your vehicle’s engine needs to work harder to get through the air. So whenever you aren’t using your roof racks to take them off your vehicle and then put them back on the next time you need to use them.