Five Easy ways to Improve your Gas Mileage

Tip #1) Check your tire pressure regularly.

Get into the habit of checking your tire pressure on a regular basis...with each fill up of the tank, or at least once a month. Always check the tire pressure before any long trip. It is best to drive a few miles to a service station and let the tires heat up a little as the heat will expand the air inside the tires, increasing the pressure.

Filling tire pressure on cold tires and then driving could result in pressure that is too high after the tire heats up.

Tip #2) Drive smoothly

Rapid and irregular accelerations and braking can reduce your gas mileage. Not to mention make other passengers in the car just a little bit car sick and cause them to criticize your driving habits. Alwas accelerate smoothly from a stop, and never "gun the engine" especially when idling.

Tip #3) Don't idle for extended time periods

If you are sitting still for 30-60 seconds or longer, turning off the car engine improves gas mileage. How many situations can you think of that this would apply to? Waiting for your child after school. Waiting for a construction worker to let your lane of traffic through a single lane closure. Dropping off a friend to run into a store "just for a second". Returning home because you forgot something you needed for work. Can you think of any other situations?

Tip #4) Reduce the weight of your car

The more your car weighs, the harder it is for your car's engine to accelerate and maintain momentum of your car while traveling down the road. How can you reduce the weight of the car? You can always drive with half a tank of gas or less (a gallon of gas weighs 8 pounds or so. A 15 gallon tank full of gas weighs nearly as much as an additonal person! If you are always within 30 minutes of a service station and have a cell phone with good coverage, you could take your spare tire and pump out of the car. Remove winter "sandbags" that you might be using for traction, and invest in a set of winter tires instead.

Tip #5) Reduce Drag!

Remove roof racks and carry bikes, luggage and any other items inside the car if at all possible. A rear bike carrier will also be more aerodynamic than a roof top bike carrier. Any increase in the frontal cross section of your car increases wind resistance which increases the energy required by your engine to overcome the wind! Be kind to your engine and reduce drag wherever you can.

What techniques have you used to improve your gas mileage?