Is it possible to save 20% or more on gas? Yes it is. In fact, it is possible to save 30- 40% and it isn't even difficult. Hypermiling, the noble art of squeezing every last mile out of a gallon, isn't brain surgery or rocket science. Anyone can do it. Employ some easy, basic Hypermiling tricks and you'll increase your car's MPG the minute you pull out of the driveway.
$4 a gallon and rising. Gas prices have reached an all time high. And if you think $4 is the bloody limit, fasten your seat belt. Experts are saying the worst is yet to come. $5 a gallon, they say, is just a matter of time. As is $6. Some warn us to be prepared for $8 a gallon. Ridiculous? Impossible? Ridiculous yes. Impossible no. In Europe $9 a gallon is considered a bargain...
Although the prices of hybrids seem to go up faster then the price of gas, investing in a so called green car is probably a smart thing to do. But what if you don't have an extra $20,000? Well, below are some basic, easy to follow hypermiling tips. Employ a handful and you'll see results immediately.
1 Check your tires. Under inflated tires make your car waste gas. It is that simple. Check the manual for the manufacturer's recommendations and keep your tires properly inflated. Make it a Saturday routine.
2 How much weighs that golf bag in the back of your car? Every extra 100 pounds is costing you as much as 2% on your car's fuel efficiency. With today's gas prices, that's a lot of money.
3 Here comes the one you don't like: slow down. On highways 55 is the most efficient mph. At 60 and above your fuel efficiency decreases rapidly.
4 Jackrabbit starts, tire screeching stops and speeding can lower your MPG by 5% on city streets. Aggressive driving on highways will cost you even 33%.
5 Check your oxygen filter or have a mechanic do the job. A faulty oxygen sensor can cost you many fill-ups a year because it keeps sending more gas to the engine then needed.
6 Speaking of gas: don't use premium fuel unless you have to. Don't take your manufacturers word for it. It isn't a secret that some were recommending premium fuels in cases where regular would do just fine, because there were ties to oil companies. Check the internet.
7 Speaking of filters: clean your air filter or replace it. Especially if your daily routine forces you to drive on dirty roads or in polluted cities. A dirty air filter kills fuel efficiency.
8 Also check on your so called "forgotten filters". You know, the fuel filter, the PCV valve and the breather filter. Replacing these filters every 15,000 miles will probably improve your MPG by 10-15%.
9 Idling your engine for 15 minutes wastes one gallon of gas. That's $4, remember? So avoid it. How? For example by reducing the amount of time you let your car warm up.
10 Last but not least: older caps get out of shape and let gas fumes escape. That's an expensive waste. You can save up to 15 gallons a year (that's $60!) just by replacing an old gas cap. So go out and get yourself a new one. Better yet, make it one with a lock. As gas prices go up, so do gas thefts.
These 10 tips alone can help you save a small fortune on gas. If you want to save more, it'll come down to changing your driving habits. I know, that sounds extremely boring but it isn't. Actually it is fun - a challenge to fight the monster prices at the pump. A challenge that can save you as much as $300 a year if you drive just 10 miles a day.
HyperMiling, the noble art of using all sorts of tips, tricks and hypermiling techniques to squeeze every mile out of a gallon isn't hard at all. In fact, many of these tricks and tips are so easy to implement that it will truly surprise you. Recently, Kenneth Kender published a HyperMiling manual stuffed with gas saving tips that actually work and improve your car's MPG (miles per Gallon) by 25-40% the next time you pull out of your driveway.
No comments:
Post a Comment