Diana Brennan
Special to the Sun
We’re all looking to save money at the gas pump these days, and while you can’t control prices, there are still plenty of ways to save a few bucks. After all, who couldn’t use some extra spending money with the holiday season approaching?
Just think of your full gas tank like a full piggy bank – the less you use, the more you save. The U.S. Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (www.fueleconomy.gov) is a great resource and recommends a number of ways to improve gas mileage.
Happy driving!
Drive sensibly: Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by five percent around town. Plus, sensible driving helps keep you and others safe, and you could end up saving more than gas.
You can drive 55: Okay, 55 mph might not always be reasonable, but gas mileage generally decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Think about this: Each five mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas.
Don’t sit still: Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. A good rule of thumb: if you’re stopping for more than one minute, turn off your car.
Keep it steady: Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
Plan and combine trips: I like to think of this as a personal challenge: “How many errands can I finish with the least amount of driving?” In fact, several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer, multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
Take a load off: Be sure to keep your car clear of unnecessary items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car’s fuel economy by one to two percent.
Inflate your tires: You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every one-psi drop in pressure of all four tires.
Quick check: Make sure your gas cap is in good condition and is properly attached. Approximately 17 percent of vehicles on the road have loose, damaged or missing gas caps, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
Phone a friend: Whenever possible, carpool and combine trips with others traveling to the same location. You’ll save gas, and enjoy the trip.
