31st
March
2008
Gas prices, as everyone knows, continue to climb higher and higher, with no end in sight. In
California, it is common to see the lowest grade gasoline reach above $3.50 per gallon, with premium grade reaching over $3.80! Diesel is already above $4! This is clearly insanity and can be blamed on a number of factors, but the fact remains that the average joe has to get back and forth from work. If you live in a highway dominant state such as
California, this pinch at the pump is tough to bear. One of my friends drives a ford f-350, which is a fine truck to be sure, but not the best when it comes to mpg. He didn’t take care of the vehicle and on its worst day, got only 11 mpg! He was extremely jealous of my tiny Honda civic which got around 30 mpg and while not the coolest vehicle around, still only had to be filled every two weeks.I remember when I used to live in
Las Vegas, the story was very different. There, the city was smaller and there was only one main freeway, the 215, which encircled the city. This freeway was far from stressful, and combined with surface streets was sufficient to reach anywhere on west of the strip quickly and easily. When I moved to
San Diego, the story was very different. Though far from the nightmare driving of LA, I was still quickly introduced to such things as carpool lanes, ramp lights, and hopping on three freeways to get to work. Freeway driving burns fuel efficiently when compared to regular city driving, but driving these longer distances made me want to increase efficiency further. So here are a few tips:- Use cruise control - If you’re going to be driving a long distance at a constant speed, using cruise control will allow your car to maintain a speed and feed fuel at an efficient rate.- Change your air filter. Changing your air filter has can increase your car’s mpg by up to 10%. This is a quick and easy change which can be done by anyone, usually for under $20. Generally, it is good to perform this change about once a year. Often your mechanic will remind you of this during an oil change.- Use your car’s momentum - This one may sound obvious, but the less you press your gas pedal, the less gas you will use! It is beneficial allow your car to pick up speed when rolling down a hill and use the momentum. You can also pump the pedal to increase speed, rather than flooring the gas. Let those other guys pass you! They’ll feel it when its time to fill up…- Purchase parts which add mpg. There is a whole industry devoted to selling parts which will enhance both performance and mpg. For example, adding a truck tuner has the potential to increase horsepower, torque and mileage.- Keep your tires inflated to the right pressure. This is a minor change, but has the potential to slightly increase mpg.So the moral of the story: take time to care for your vehicle and your wallet will thank you!
posted in Driving Tips |
31st
March
2008
posted in General Information |