10 Ways to Better Gas Mileage

Now that summer is finally here and trip are inevitable. Here are a few tips to improve your gas mileage.


1. Give your car a once-over. For safety and fuel economy, you should give your car a good check up before taking a trip

2. Change your oil regularly. Dirty motor oil can impair your engine’s performance cutting down on good gas mileage.

3. Make sure your tire pressure is correct. Keep your tires at the recommended pressure. Lower tire pressure can cause drag on the vehicle’s performance.

4. Slow down. Within the range of normal highway speeds, each 10 miles per hour over the limit, reduces fuel economy by 10% to 20%.

5. Cruise control. Use it if you're driving over even terrain. It can prevent speed changes that waste precious gas.

6. Use the A/C . It's debatable whether your car uses more fuel to drive with your windows down or rolled up with the air conditioner on. So, turn on the A/C, cool down and enjoy the ride.

7. Avoid idling. Idling and slow driving wastes fuel, so plan your drive time when there is less chance of traffic jams.

8. Pack light. Extra weight cuts fuel economy, so pack as light as you are able. Roof-top bins and racks cut fuel economy by about 21% so avoid them.

9. Take it easy on the pedals. When not in highway traffic, calm down the aggressive acceleration and hard braking. This habit of quick starts and stops wastes an amazing amount of fuel.

10. Use the lowest grade. Check your owner's manual for the fuel your car needs. If it recommends “Regular” gas, use it. Using Premium just wastes money.