With the price of gas continuing to increase, many people are looking for ways of increasing their car's fuel efficiency. The more miles per gallon you can get, the less you have to fill up and the more money you can save. While some would say the answer is to buy a hybrid vehicle, these cars are still fairly expensive, plus it makes no sense to buy a new car if the one you're currently driving isn't that old and is in good running condition. Instead, make use of these top five ways you can increase the fuel efficiency of your car.
1) Be Smart About How You Drive. While different brands and models of cars have different optimal fuel speeds, all of them start to see a major decrease in efficiency when being driven over 50 miles per hour. Rapidly accelerating also wastes gas and decreases your efficiency. In fact, it's been estimated that speeding, rapid acceleration and quickly hitting the brakes can drop your fuel efficiency by more than 30 percent. In addition to saving on gas, obeying the speed limit and practicing safe driving helps reduce the chance of being in an accident.
2) Clean Out Your Car In today's fast-paced world, it may seem like you're in your car so much you practically live in it. It's easy to fall into the habit of putting everything in the car that you might need, but this excess weight makes your engine work harder and uses up more gas. If possible, put large items in your trunk instead of using a rack on the roof, which can create drag and can decrease your fuel efficiency by five percent or more.
3) Make Sure Your Car Is In Good Shape. Depending on what the issue is, having maintenance performed on your car can increase your fuel efficiency by anywhere from five percent to a whopping 40 percent. You also need to make sure your tires are inflated to the correct pressure. You can improve your mileage by around three percent by doing this, plus it will make your tires last longer. Another maintenance tip is to make certain you're using the motor oil recommended by your car's manufacturer.
4) Change Up Your Commuting Schedule. Look at the route you take to work to see if there's a more efficient way. Things to take into account include how many times you have to stop and if you can take a more direct path. If your employer offers flex time, look into shifting the hours you work one way or the other so you can avoid traffic congestion. The more time you spend idling in traffic, the worse your fuel efficiency will be.
5) Combine Trips Making a number of short trips uses more gas than one long trip with multiple stops. If you can, run all of your errands on the same day so you don't use up extra gas. It can also save you time since you won't be going back and forth from your home to your destinations. These are five easy ways to make your car get better gas mileage. You don't even have to do all five of these--just a few changes are all it takes to increase your fuel efficiency. Is your car maintenance up to date so it's getting the best gas mileage possible? Give us a call today to setup a free safety inspection and fuel efficiency checkup.
Need maintenance or repairs? Call Elite Auto Repair today: (480) 893-6884
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