Tips to Save on Gas

One should know that when DMV comes up with a speed limit, there has to be a well calculated reason. The main reason is to avoid accidents. It is difficult to suddenly control speeds at intersections, turns and stop signs etc. But consciously following posted speed limits consistently can help save significantly on gas.
Move closer to Exit lanes, in case you are a mile away from your exit on the Freeways, so that you don't have to accelerate and squeeze in between two cars and suddenly apply your brakes to avoid hitting the car in front, and accelerate to avoid getting hit by car behind you. You should not have to apply your brakes suddenly if you follow the speed limits and can slow down the vehicle by taking your foot off the gas paddle. A vehicle does not perform as efficiently at higher speeds. There is a good explanation on wikipedia. Anyone interested in understanding "Design of Speed limits" should check this out.

"Wikipedia: Speed Limit Design"

Remember, you are not into a Race to "Put the Pedal to the Metal". Slow and consistent acceleration definitely reduces Gas consumption, especially when you are at stop signs, Lights or anytime when the vehicle is stopped.
Make sure during every scheduled maintenance, the Gas pedal is inspected , sometimes they are sticky which may go unnoticed for a long time.

Try to Anticipate traffic situations and slow down for stalled traffic, lights etc. Remember slowing down earlier than later is always the best practice to save on fuel and is a good safety habit. Another good habit, is to avoid long talks on the phone while driving and focus on driving. While talking on the phone, quite often people tend to forget speed limits and apply brakes frequently. This is not safe.
Before going to your destination you can preview traffic conditions on Google Maps or Yahoo Maps and anticipate Traffic conditions


New Gadgets like advanced GPS systems, IPhone etc are available that help you view traffic conditions live.

Make us of Air conditioners "as and when needed" and "not as and when wanted". A/C puts more load on the engine and it will consume more fuel to deliver power to AC. Typically when driving in a city at lower speeds, one can turn off the A/C and roll down the windows to some extent. This way you don't trap the air and minimize parachute effect and at the same time maintain a comfortable temperature in the vehicle. Although while driving the car at high speeds ( <= 65 mph), you can turn on the Fan and if you are still not comfortable turn on the A/C for some time and turn it back off. This way you put less of a load on the engine.

More friction - more waste of kinetic energy - less gas mileage - more expense on gas. Always keep the tires properly inflated, as per manufacturer specs. This reduces friction between road and tires. Make sure timely wheel alignment and balancing is done. Improper alignment and balance also contribute significantly friction especially when driving on the freeways.

Do not run the Car engine while waiting more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. You will save on gas and help fight Global Warming too:). In cold weather conditions, 25-30 seconds should be sufficient to warm up the car.

The more weight you have in the vehicle or on top of the car, the more friction or drag and the more power is required to move the vehicle. This puts extra load on the engine and causes high fuel consumption. So, whenever possible - remove items from trunk, cargo and roof rack that are excess weight.

Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your gas mileage up to 10%. The EPA has found that fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune, can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4.1 %. So remember a timely engine oil change and filter change can increase gas mileage. Other improper functioning such as spark plugs, unbalanced tires, miss-aligned wheels, etc can contribute to lower mileage. So, a timely tune up of vehicle can, on average, improve your gas mileage by 4-8% .

I strongly believe planning your trip can significantly save on gas. Try to club chores such as grocery, shopping, fill up gas, etc as much as possible in a single trip. Use maps to plan your trip to make sure an efficient and short path is taken (if possible) to reach your destination. Fill up your tank once, instead of doing it every 2 days. Also a couple of things that you can do is to fill up the gas in the morning before the weather gets warmer. Fill up the gas with low speed - this will minimize vaporization.

Yet another possible option, that can significantly reduce fuel consumption is to give the vehicle 1 or 2 days off to the vehicle. Try exploring options of working from home or Car Pooling with someone. Make a rule that the car does not leave the garage/parking on one day of a weekend. Avoid short trips in your car if you can walk..think of this as part of your exercise routine to stay active and attractive. When trying to park, take the first spot available instead of searching for the closest parking space.

1. Save on monthly Gas expenses.
2. Minimize expenses on components such as brake pads, tires wearing out etc.
3. Save energy indirectly helping reduce Global Warming.
4. Save time - Time is money :)

There are a few resources that are out there
that describes how to save on gas. Below are a few of them

1. Beat insane fuel price
2. Make Hydrogen safely
3. Protect warranty
4. Make Big Money and more.

For more information about this method to save on gas

For more information about this method to save on gas

Hybrid Cars are getting more popular these days. Check out more information on hybrid cars.