Tips to Save Gas

Many of you have probably seen cars barreling down the Interstate, their gas fumes vanishing in the air behind them. Their excessive speeds also cost them at the gas pump, assuming the law doesn't find them as well. Traveling with today's gas prices has become a strategy game aimed at saving the most at the pump. We've compiled some tips to save gas and other strategies for you the next time you're driving. Learn Your Route Home and the Best Time to Drive

Probably the biggest gas saver comes in the form of knowledge. If we know the quickest route home, then we can shave miles off our weekly travel, which correlates to gas saved. Many of us drive the same route every day. We can study our route and gauge the best time to leave the office. It might mean staying late to beat rush hour traffic or arriving early to the office, both of which should result in a side benefit of kudos from the boss.

When we travel, our habits reflect with our gas savings. The faster our speed the more gas we consume. Activating cruise control can really help lower fuel consumption on a long trip. Once again a direct route using an online map service like Mapquest or Google Maps should help us save gas too.

Ride Together to Save Gas

The carpool lane might do more than get you to work faster - it can actually save you money. If two people drive fifteen miles to work each day, then they're both going to spend the money to get them there. Those two people driving together could save a nice amount of money each week, and they could use the carpool lane with no fears of reprisal. Don't have anyone to ride with to work? There are websites designed to match you with a person traveling to a nearby location, like www.icarpool.com. These services should flourish in the next few years, assuming they're matching you with safe - not reckless - drivers.

Avoid Speeding

In an EPA list for saving money on gas, the most misunderstood tip related to the speed you drive on average. According to their information, driving 55 to 65mph can save approximately 15% more gas than traveling at high rates of speed. To stay at lower speeds than normal, use cruise control and relax a little. To make sense of your lower rate of speed, consider the distance you'll be traveling. Are you going ten miles? If you travel 75mph you will arrive at your destination in 13 minutes as opposed to 15.5 minutes going 65mph. Is two minutes really worth it?

Regular Maintenance on Your Car

A car has more than a gas tank and bucket seat. Regular maintenance on your car can reduce miles per gallon and increase the car's life. Tune-ups on the car can result in a smoother ride. An experienced mechanic can assist you with the details of the tune up, which may include new spark plugs, filters, and fluid changes. Your owner's manual should detail a likely schedule for regular tune-ups.

Before you leave for a long road trip, check your car's tire pressure. A low tire can create drag on the car. This forces the car to make up the difference in gas usage. Improperly aligned tires can also hinder a car's forward momentum. Be sure to have your tires aligned if you feel it pulling to one side or the other.

Remember to Shift

Most cars nowadays have automatic overdrive. It's fairly easy to turn this extra gear on and off. It's a matter of putting the car in the right gear in a manual car, while automatics often times have a button to push. If you travel in a low gear at high rates of speed, your car will use significantly more gas to get you to your destination than if you used overdrive. Make sure you travel in overdrive whenever possible.

Get Rid of the Dead Weight

Have you been traveling with a box of books in your trunk? The excess weight you might be toting around can actually cause minor gas mileage losses. Be sure to keep your car neat, tidy, and as light as possible.

Cold Weather Driving

If you live in a cold weather climate, then you know snow and ice can build up around the tires of your car. It's best to remove these chunks of snow to reduce drag and also to lower your car's weight. The ice and snow can build up and actually become quite heavy. It's also best to avoid warming a car up for extended periods too. A car can waste more gas idling in a driveway than it would on the drive to work.

Conclusion

Oil companies hope we lose the strategy game of saving gas. The more informed, passionate, and determined we are, the better off our gas mileage will be. If you have other tips to save gas, you can create an account to write a short article on your experience. We offer people just like you a way to express your experiences and showcase it for us all to read.