A couple of years ago, most drivers were more interested in horsepower or cup holders. The rising prices of gas has definitely changed that interest to gas mileage so the new trend is trading in big cars for smaller ones. The problem is that most people bought large vehicles (SUVs) back when gas was cheaper and trading in to some might mean losing money and besides the economic situation makes it risky to make a big purchase. Here are some handy tips related to the mechanics of mileage to help you save
Driving Too Fast
Even though highway mileage is better than city mileage, it doesn’t mean that going faster saves you gas. American cars are made to generate the most forward momentum with least amount of fuel usually between 50 to 60 miles per hour. Driving at a higher speed creates drag by the vehicle moving through because the air resistance increases exponentially so the engine has to work harder.
Driving Too Slow
One would normally think that if driving faster burns more fuel, then driving slower burns less. This is not entirely true because when driving below your car’s optimal speed your engine may be doing lots of work while it’s accomplishing very little.
*Rule of Thumb: To determine the sweet spot speed of your car look at the tachometer instead of the speedometer. Aim for the lowest RPM in the highest gear.
Speeding Up To Quickly
We know instant results are tempting but that causes to burn unnecessary fuel. Accelerating gradually allows the engine to work more efficiently. Try using cruise control more often.
Braking Too Much
Braking causes to lose energy. Swerving between cars while speeding up and hitting the brakes, over and over, doesn’t get you to your destination faster, it’s a habit of impatience. Driving gently with the flow will get you there just as fast but for cheaper, and safer.
Idling
The least efficient moment your car can be in is when it’s not going anywhere because your mileage is zero yet the car is still burning fuel. It’s impractical to turn off the car when you’re stuck in moving traffic or at a red light, but when you’re waiting in your car for someone or at the parking lot with your car on, you’re wasting fuel. In these small occasions you can turn off your car to save fuel.
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