With the fluctuation of oil prices around the globe, one thing you could do to save up on your fuel costs is ensure that you following good car care and motoring habits. Not everyone can afford a hybrid car, and add-ons to help you increase fuel efficiency can get expensive.
Here are some simple tips to give you more mileage for your fuel:
- Slow down – The faster you drive the more fuel you burn. Be mindful of the minimum and the maximum speed limits of your regular route. Keep your speed a little over the minimum or stay within the moderate speed levels.
- Accelerate gently – Zero to sixty in ten seconds is impressive, but you don’t need to do it on a daily basis. Jack rabbit starts consume fuel; speed up gently from a full stop to save up on gas.
- Check your tire pressure – This is the most common culprit to decreased fuel economy. Under-inflated tires have more rolling resistance, which in turn means that you spend more fuel to keep your car moving. Check tire pressure regularly.
- Do not overfill your gas tank – This adds weight to your car. The heavier the vehicle, the more fuel is consumed. If you want to go full tank, only fill it to the first click of the fuel nozzle.
- Check your air filter – Poor fuel mileage can be a result of restricted air flow to the engine.
- Make sure you have the right spark plugs – If you recently changed your spark plugs, make sure they have the right gap. Spark plugs that fail intermittently reduce fuel efficiency.
- Use the correct grade of motor oil – The manufacturer’s recommended motor oil can make a big difference to the performance of your engine, and subsequently to your fuel usage.
- Get regular car tune ups – Sometimes, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact problem, get your car tuned regularly and it can improve gas mileage by as much as 4 percent.
- Remove excess baggage – Again, increased weight requires more power to move your car. Empty out your trunk or backseat of items you don’t need. Remove your roof rack if you are not using it. Change up to a smaller car jack or choose a space-saving spare if you have that option.
- Stay in the higher gear – The lowest gear is design to consume more fuel as it has more power. When you are driving at a steady speed, use the highest gear on manual cars. If you drive an automatic, the “sports” mode or “overdrive” keeps you in the lower gear longer, but decreases fuel economy.
- Turn off your engine when the car is not running – Even when you are in idling mode, you still use up fuel. For longer waits, turn off your engine and restart later. If possible, park the car instead of letting it idle away your gas.
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