Improve Your Gas Mileage, 7 Simple Steps to Save Gas

Gas is getting more and more expensive and if you have a long commute or if you just like to drive the gas bill can become a burden.

Luckily there are many ways to save gas without investing in a new car or in fake add-on kits. I'll show you seven ways that are widely available and easy to do.

1. KEEP A SUITABLE TIRE PRESSURE

Driving with under inflated tires is not only dangerous as the tires could overheat, it also uses more gas than inflated tires.

Inflate the tires to the maximum allowed by your cars manuals, and periodically check the pressure using a good pressure gauge.

Many hypermilers inflate their tires more than that, to the maximum pressure printed on the sidewalls of the tires themselves. This is often as much as 60 percent more than what the car manufacturer recommends and it will give additional gas savings due to lesser rolling resistance.

The cost is a harder and less comfortable ride. And I can't recommend you outright to do this, even if it's safe, as there is a possibility of uneven tire wear in some conditions.

2. DETACH ROOF RACKS, TRAILERS AND SKI BOXES

If you perceive it's a hassle to detach the roof rack or ski box when it's not needed you should reconsider! It's the same thing if you drive a pick-up truck with no flatbed cover or if you tow an empty trailer with no purpose.

Anything attached or tied to the outside of the car disturbs the aerodynamics resulting in a reduction in fuel economy. Always remove roof racks, bicycle holders, ski boxes and trailers when not needed.

3. TURN OFF THE A/C

Despite what some would say the air conditioning unit is using a lot of energy and that energy is taken directly from your gas tank. If at all possible, turn it off. If that's too uncomfortable set it to a higher temperature as that will make it use less fuel.

TIP: Park your vehicle in the shadow, keep the doors open for a minute before going somewhere to cool off the interior of the car and, when you can, drive at night to avoid hot temperatures and sunshine during the day.

Just remember, driving at high speed with the windows open is even worse for the fuel economy than using the A/C.

4. ENHANCE YOUR DRIVING STYLE

The way you drive is one of the biggest factors affecting your fuel economy. Keep your top speed below 60MPH or 100KM/H, avoid breaking by letting the car roll to a stop when you're not in the way for other traffic and do not push the pedal to the metal when accelerating.

5. WALK

Usually if you're not going many miles, walking or biking is a viable alternative, and it's significantly more economic than driving. You'll save barrels of gas and you'll also save the other maintanance costs associated with driving.

6. FIX ALL FUEL LEAKS

Clearly if you have a fuel leak you spill your dear petrol into the ground costing you cash and polluting the ground. Repair all fuel leaks as soon as you can.

TIP: If the gas cap is broken or missing a lot of gas will evaporate through the missing or broken cap and escape into the air.This is especially true in hot climates and when parking in the sun. This can be a significant loss and it's bad for the environment.

7. CAR POOL

Sharing the vehicle on the way to the job can feel like a fair amount of hassle compared to going by yourself but then you'll save more using this ritual than using any of the other tips (except for walking of course).

Joining with just one other person to use the same car for your commute will save you half your monthly commuting cost.

MORE FUEL SAVING TIPS

The above tips are some of the easiest, most widely available, low cost ways to save lots of gas. And that's my no gadgets needed bag of tricks.

There are many additional ways to improve your mpg. You can get a more fuel efficient car (hybrid, diesel, smaller car), adjust your driving style, improve your cars aerodynamics, use eco tires, plan your driving, adjust for extreme weather and a lot more that this article is too short to cover.

There's also many ways to NOT save gas, like installing one of those fuel saving gadgets advertised everywhere. They take your money but the majority will barely improve your mileage.

To keep track of your actual gas mileage you can use a handy online mpg calculator. You can also use the mpg display of your car if it's equipped with one.