Whether you have the newest hybrid car on the market or an old used pickup truck, everyone can feel the extra cost filling up our car at the fuel pumps. Whereas there are many possible solutions that could solve the solution more long term, the average driver can do numerous things today, helping save money in the mean time. In case you would rather save money upfront, here is a list of the 8 best used cars under 10K that are fuel efficient. And without further ado, your 15 techniques on saving gas with your car:
15. Buy gas early in the morning or late at night. Gasoline, like most liquids gets denser as it gets colder. A few degrees temperature can have an appreciable difference in your total cost of gas over a few months or years. (There are currently regulations being put into place to counter this loophole, but it’s going to take a while to implement a fix.) Take advantage of it while you can!
14. Drive Slower. I know this one is sacrilege, however, it works. When you’re on the high way driving 75 vs. 65, the force against your car has increased by 33%. By driving a little slower, your car’s engine will need to do less work to keep your car moving and you’ll be saving money.
13. Brake Less. By keeping your eyes looking ahead, you’ll be able to gauge whether you can coast or brake. Why accelerate up to a stoplight and waste gas and brake pads. If you see a red light ahead, begin to coast until you see the indicator turn green again.
12. Empty out your car. Carrying around extra weight will kill you gas mileage. Of course you need your spare tire and a small repair kit, but getting rid of extra new or used car parts, old tools you’re not using or other spare gadgets in your car. Next time you replace your tires, you might want to consider run-flats. Though they are normally heavier than standard tires, removing the spare in your trunk will give you the advantage of weight savings.
11. Shift Earlier. If you’ve got a manual transmission, get to your top gear as quickly as possible. You don’t have to go through every gear. This is part of #2, but even passing on the highway doesn’t mean you need to drop to 3rd gear from 4th or 5th.
10. Carpool! Even if it’s one day a week and you drive 20 miles to and from work, this would save you $6.00-8.00 per week. Carpool two to three times a week and you might save almost $20.00 a week. This, of course , depends upon where your roommate/spouse/co-workers live, but sharing the load even one day week will save gas and reduce the wear and tear on all cars involved in the carpool.
9. Use your cruise control and stay in your own lane. Studies in the past have shown that following basic traffic laws and constantly changing lanes and speed don’t reduce travel time. Unless you’re passing, stay any lane but the far left and cruise along with the flow of traffic.
8. Don’t drive. Try to time your visits to the grocery store and shopping mall for the same day so you don’t have to make two trips. As if you can work from home one day a week or increase work to four 10 hour days and have an extra day for the weekend. Many larger businesses are doing this, so be sure and ask around your office.
7. Tighten your gas cap. Sounds simple, but missing or loose gas caps can allow gasoline vapors to escape at an alarming rate (gas is very volatile). Whereas a gallon of water may take a whole day to evaporate in hot weather, it can take as little as a hour depending upon the temperature and pressure.
6. Inflate your tires. Low or flat tires will cause increased drag on your car. Always make sure the pressures are at optimal levels or even a little above.
5. Replace your air filters. This will allow the proper amount of air into your engine and maximize the power created during combustion. High performance after market filters allow more air into your engine (thus increasing efficiency) and are reusable (cleanable) to save money.
4. Keep your car in proper tune. A rough running car with broken sensors or parts will cause you to waste gas. If you have a check engine light on, be sure to take your car to a reputable mechanic. Many shops will check the error light codes for free.
3. Keep your windows closed. This will reduce the drag on your car.
2. Turn off the air conditioning. This isn’t an option for some people, especially those of us in the South. However, the compressor being engaged will cause parasitic drag on the engine and cause a loss of power and efficiency.
1. Replace your car! Replacing your large truck or old v8 sedan and replacing it with even a 10 year old sub-compact could save you anywhere between 30 and 75 percent in fuel costs (depending how drastic you want to get). You could buy a brand new hybrid, but you could also buy a late 90s hatchback for a quarter the cost and get the same or better mileage!
