Saving On Gas By Being A Responsible Driver
Gas prices have hiked up so fast in the past year and are projected to remain in the higher levels all throughout the rest of the year and the next. As vehicle-owners it is understandable that we are looking for ways to save on gas, some even opting not to use their cars as often as they did before.
More and more articles have come up informing people on ways to save gas. Here are some facts that might help you in understanding concepts that have been the topic of conversation almost everywhere.
Tips on increasing MPG (miles per gallon) are techniques on making sure that your vehicle’s consumption of gas is extended for more mileage. One advice is avoiding quick acceleration and heavy braking. These two actions can reduce fuel economy by as much as 30% on the highway.
A driver that does excessive idling also runs the risk of lowering his MPG. The tests for MPG do include idling but only on a minimal level.
Heavy loads in the trunk or cargo racks on top of the car increase aerodynamic drag, thus, it lowers the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. Furthermore, wind resistance is also increased by high speed driving. EPA tests vehicles on MPG up to 80 MPH but some drivers inevitably go beyond this speed.
For those who always tow a trailer, please take note that excessive weight reduces your cars fuel economy too. During EPG tests, vehicles are assumed to lug only up to 300 pounds, including the passengers.
Air conditioners and other electrical accessories can also lower your vehicle’s MPG, especially if you always use it at maximum levels.
Another reason for your car not performing up to the MPG it has been standardized against, is the different terrains or unpaved roads that you might be driving on. Even four wheel drives are only tested for MPG on two wheels; so do not expect high mileage per gallon if you live in mountainous areas.
Incidentally, if you live where the weather is too cold, you are probably using more fuel than the people who live in warmer places. Fuel economy is better once your engine has warmed up but in cool weather, it takes longer to heat up the engine. You may think that you should let your car idle to warm it up but it unfortunately does not work that way. Idling uses up additional fuel and pollutes the air as well.
If your engine needs to warm up before it can save on gas consumption, then most likely, unnecessary and frequent trips use up more gas than just combining errands. Short, frequent trips means your vehicle is only performing optimally at the desired warmth level for a short while, and then you turn it off. You start it up again and the cycle repeats itself.
Finally, an engine that is well maintained will of course be more fuel efficient than one that is neglected. Air filter changes, oil check and change should be done regularly to make sure that the engine is in mint condition.
See: Gas credit cards
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