5 Tips to Save Gas
We have explained 5 simple way for you to save gas while driving your vehicle. Learn when most of your gas is being used, how to avoid it, and ultimately save gas & money.
1. No heavy acceleration – This is where your car swallows up most of it’s fuel. Acceleration in general is where you are moving a few thousand pound vehicle from a complete stop to 35 miles an hour and beyond. If you accelerate reasonably you can see about 25% increase in fuel savings, try it for one tank!
2. Avoid using the air conditioning - Understandably, this is not-popular, but it is worth mentioning. When clients bring their vehicles in for service, the air conditioning is usually on the low setting. The air conditioning compressor is like a small engine and it takes extra fuel to run it. You will see a fuel savings of about 5-10% depending on the type of car.
3. Obey the speed limit - Most vehicles are have the transmission and engine set up to be most efficient at freeway speeds of 55-65 mph. Once you push past 65, you deal with increased wind resistance and resistance of all the turning components in the vehicle’s drive train. Between 60 and 80 mph, a typically car compact car will go from 30 mpg to 20 mpg. That can be up to 33% fuel savings!
4. Use proper transmission gear - For most vehicles these days, the proper vehicle will automatically be selected, but this is worth noting. If you have over drive or D4/D5 on your transmission, make sure to use it on the freeway. You will appreciate at least 10-15% in fuel savings if you are not currently using it.
5. Vehicle maintenance & tire pressure - These days the “tune-up” is mostly done by the vehicle’s computer. If the fluids are bad, the air filter is dirty, or the spark plugs are worn out, the computer will “tune up” the vehicle but usually at the expense of a decrease in fuel mileage. Another simple check to provide big savings on fuel mileage is properly inflated tire pressure. As a rule of thumb your minimum tire pressure should be 30psi. A properly serviced car will offer 10-15% fuel saving.
By Eric Sevim - A+ Japanese Auto Repair, San Carlos | ASE Master Certified Technician | www.aplusjapaneseautorepair.com
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Disclaimer: This article is provided for general informational purposes only. It is not intended as advice for your particular vehicle, and should not be relied upon for that purpose. Please consult a qualified automotive maintenance professional to determine the maintenance and repair needs for your vehicle.