All of us have heard ways to save money at the pump, but how many of these are true? In this entry we’ll take a look at some ideas for improving our gas mileage and determine if they are fact or fiction. There might be a few surprises!
Obey the speed Limit – Fact
As much as this may hurt those with a lead foot out there, this is a sure fire way to improve fuel efficiency. According to www.fueleconomy.gov, each 5 mph you go over the speed limit is like paying an extra $0.29 per gallon of gas! 60 mph is typically the ideal speed, but it does vary by car so results will vary.
Drafting – Fact (but you should never attempt this!)
Mythbusters on Discovery channel did a comparison of following distances to see how close you had to be to a semi before you saw an improvement in fuel economy. When they followed at a distance of 10 feet behind a semi, they saw a 40% increase! However, this is extremely dangerous and should never be attempted. If you keep a safe following distance (usually 2 seconds) you will still see a small improvement. You will also be going closer to 60 mph and see savings from going slower too.
Fuel additives – Fiction
Despite the really believable actor they had portraying a customer; there aren’t any additives that will improve your fuel economy. In fact, you might actually damage your engine and add costly repair bills. The federal government has reviewed many of the popular additives and found that none of them will significantly improve your fuel economy.
Sweat it out – Fiction (if on the highway)
We’ve all heard rumors that running the A/C in our cars is a drag on the engine and will decrease fuel efficiency and that we should roll down the windows to keep cool. The problem with this is that by rolling the windows down at highway speeds, we’ve created a huge drag on the aerodynamics and the engine will have to work harder to overcome the additional drag. It’s better to run the A/C and keep your windows up. You’ll stay cooler and save gas. Now if you’re driving in traffic, it might pay to roll the windows down and turn off the A/C. You will see a small increase in fuel economy because you won’t have significant drag from the windows being down. You may need to bring extra deodorant though!
Pump up your tires – Fact
Keeping your tires properly inflated will save up to 0.3% for every psi drop below the recommended pressure. You will also extend the life of your tire. However, adding too much air would be detrimental to your handling and braking. So while adding extra air might improve fuel economy slightly, the risk of an accident far outweighs the benefit. Be sure to check the pressure monthly on cool tires, not after driving.
Drive like your mom is in the car – Fact
Despite the inner racer in all of us, it’s best to drive like your mom is sitting with you. This means no dragster starts from a stop light, swerving around slower cars, hard braking, etc. If you can accelerate at a moderate pace from a stop, slow down before a stop light so you don’t have to come to a complete stop and keep a steady pace (i.e. cruise control) you can improve fuel efficiency by up to 20%!! While it may not be exciting driving, it will be exciting to fill up less often and save significant money at the pump.
So what other ways have you heard to improve fuel economy? Any personal experiences you'd like to share? Let us know so we can start using those to save money at the pump.
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