Driving Tips To Maximize Fuel Consumption

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Regular routine servicing is very important to keep your vehicle operating at peak efficiency. An inefficient engine with fouled spark plugs, for example won't make optimum use of fuel. Be sure the air filter and the fuel filter are clean. Put in new ones if they're not.

Make sure that your tires are inflated to the automaker's maximum recommended pressure can improve gas mileage.

Clean out that trunk, cargo area or pickup bed. Take out unneeded items that only add weight to your vehicle. Extra weight decreases gas mileage.

Accelerate gradually, drive smoothly and your overall fuel economy will increase. An aggressive driving style will lower your fuel economy, so skip those sudden pedal-to-the-metal maneuvers if you want to save gas. Anticipate stops so you avoid sudden braking, and take a long view of the road ahead, coasting safely to an intersection in front of you where you see traffic stopped.

Don't speed. A car or truck moving at 55 miles an hour can get about 15% better fuel economy than the same car going 65 mph. Use your vehicle's navigation system, if you have one, in your travels to new locales. This can save you from getting lost and wasting gas.

Don't let your vehicle idle too long. Skip the drive thru and go inside instead. Idling uses more fuel than turning the engine off.

When you're in slow city traffic, keep the air conditioner off, if possible. Roll down the windows and open the air vents to keep you and your riders comfortable.

Combine your errands into one trip, rather than taking multiple trips from home. Organize your stops so they're near each other and so you don't retrace your path. You may even be able to park in one central spot and walk between some of your stops rather than driving and parking at each one.

Plan your trips so you go out during less-congested times of day. When there's less traffic, you're more apt to be able to drive smoothly. Use navigation aids on the Internet or in your vehicle to keep from getting lost and thus wasting fuel when you're headed to a new, unknown location.

Road and weather conditions have a role, too, in the fuel economy of your vehicle. Driving into a 20-mph headwind can reduce fuel economy by as much as 6%. Driving up a mountain road with a 7% grade can cut fuel economy by as much as 25%. Driving on gravel and in slush and snow requires a bit more fuel, too.

Look at alternative transportation options—even if it's just for one or two days a week. Walk, bicycle, carpool or take public transportation and leave your vehicle at home. Cycling or walking to work not only saves on gas, it is an excellent cardiovascular workout.

When you shop for a new vehicle, compare fuel economy. Keep in mind bigger vehicles, bigger engines, four-wheel drive and lots of optional equipment can add to a vehicle's weight and, as a result, reduce its fuel efficiency. Even larger tires can have an effect. A tire with a larger "footprint" on the road that doesn't have a special rubber compound designed to improve fuel economy has more rolling resistance than a comparable smaller tire, and this can lower fuel economy.