How To Get The Best Gas Mileage
Wondering how to get the best gas mileage? That question is on the lips of most people today as they watch the price of gasoline creep up. There are three different areas of approach to the problem.
When you are trying to figure out the way of how to get the best gas mileage, the place to start is on that sticker on the window of the car in the dealer’s lot. The Federal Government requires EPA gasoline efficiency ratings be put on that sticker. There is no excuse not to know these figures even for a used car. The EPA ratings for all automobiles are available on the internet with just a bit of research. If you are totally committed to getting the best gas mileage possible, you should purchase a vehicle that is efficient even if you have to sacrifice size, power, speed, and luxury.
Once you have made your purchase, however, and the die is cast, there are still two ways to improve the efficiency and reduce gasoline usage. The first involves the way you maintain your car and the second involves the way you actually drive it. A properly maintained car will always do better on gas mileage than one with run down or dirty systems. Just about everything that you should be doing to follow recommendations would help. Keeping oil changed and clean; replacing filters, especially the air filter, and keeping the engine properly tuned all influence gas mileage.
Tires are another example of a maintenance method of improving gas mileage. Tires that are under inflated tend to create a drag against the road and will seriously reduce gas mileage. Most tires should be inflated to 32 psi. It also helps to keep excess weight out of the car. Storing heavy items in the trunk or backseats can hurt gas mileage also. All of these maintenance items have an impact on gas mileage as well as prolonging the life of the car.
The third method of reducing gas mileage relates to your actual driving habits. One of the best ways to do this is to slow down. There is a direct relationship to speed and gas mileage. There are some people who argue that you arrive quicker, turning off your engine sooner, and so it balances out in the end. This is not true at all as there is an efficiency factor involved and engines running at higher speed will waste gasoline at such a rate that early arrival at a destination will not help. Avoiding jack rabbit stops and starts and maintaining as steady a speed as possible also helps.
It is recommended that you use your cruise control when driving on the open highway. Another good idea is to simply reduce your driving miles by carpooling or planning trips to insure that the shortest routes are followed. Combining errands helps since a colder engine is less efficient than a warm engine. You can start with a fuel efficient car; keep it as well maintained as possible; and alter your driving habits. All of these will help reduce your gas mileage.