How to Improve Gas Mileage - Secrets to Improving Gas Mileage

There are several ways to improve gas mileage, some of which are easily done on your own vehicle.  Changing the way you drive is one way to save money and increase gas mileage.  You must first observe the posted speed limit.  There is an optimal fuel economy that depends on the speed you’re driving at.  Every five miles per hour you drive over sixty miles per hour adds twenty cents a gallon to your fuel consumption.
 
You can better gas mileage by reducing heavy items inside your car.  Even an extra one hundred pounds stored in the car can reduce the mileage by 2 percent.   You should avoid idling your vehicle.  Idling wastes gas, especially in larger vehicles.  You can also save money by using the cruise control on the highways.  It keeps your vehicle at the same speed and avoids speeding.  You should also avoid using the overdrive gears in your car.
 
You will be able to improve your gas mileage by tuning your engine properly.  An improperly tuned vehicle will lower the gas mileage by up to 4 percent.  A more serious problem with your vehicle, such as a faulty oxygen sensor can wreck the gas mileage by up to 40 percent.  You should also replace the air filters on a regular basis.  A clogged air filter may reduce the gas mileage as much as 10 percent.  Properly filling the tires in your car will better gas mileage.  Keeping it at the recommended inflation rate can improve gas mileage by up to three percent.  Using the recommended grade of motor oil can improve gas mileage by up to two percent.  Every car has a specific grade of motor oil it works best at and paying attention to that can save you money.
 
When you combine trips and errands into one, you can improve gas mileage.  If you take a number of trips in your car from a cold start, you wind up using twice as much fuel as a single longer trip covering the same distance in a warm engine.  A warm engine is more efficient than a cold engine.   Consider commuting or even staggering your work hours to avoid sitting in suspended traffic.  Drive whichever vehicle you own that has the best gas mileage.  Consider working from home in a telecommuting situation.  Take the best advantage you can out of carpooling, especially if you take turns driving with one or more other workers.  You may be able to make better time using the HOV lane on the freeway.  Use a roof rack to provide extra cargo space so that you’ll be able to travel using a smaller vehicle with better gas mileage.  Avoid carrying extra things you don’t need so as to reduce the total weight on the vehicle.
 
You can improve gas mileage by buying a vehicle that has good gas mileage.  There are hybrid vehicles available which run on water fuel that are becoming more and more popular as gas prices continue to soar.