1) Buy gas before you leave. This way, you know where to find the best gas deals near you.
2) Empty your car. For every 100 pounds you tote around, you sacrifice 2% in fuel efficiency.
3) Remove your roof rack when you’re not using it. A fully loaded rack causes a 5% loss in fuel economy!
4) Using cruise control, especially stretches of flat road, will stop you from unconsciously speeding up and losing fuel.
5) Use the right oil for your car. Using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil can improve gas mileage by 1 to 2%, which results in an annual savings of up to $37.
6) Slow down! Most cars become less fuel-efficient once you reach speeds higher than 60 mph. According to www.fueleconomy.gov, “each 5 m.p.h you drive over 50 m.p.h is like paying an additional $0.25 per gallon for gas.”
7) Slamming on your brakes wastes gas. Make sure when you slow down to ease off the gas onto the brakes smoothly.
8) Keep your tires properly inflated. Doing so, you can improve your fuel economy by as much as 10%. Letting the air get low will force your car to work harder and use more gas.
9) Take a little walk! A recent study found that, when searching for parking spaces, people lose the most time and burn up the most fuel by trying too hard to get too close to the entrance of the store, restaurant or hotel they are visiting. Not only that, they found that the harder you tried to park up close, the longer you waited overall. A 30-second hike will do you good, too.
10) Turn down the air. Operating the air conditioner on max can reduce mpg by 5-25% compared to not using it.
