How you drive matters as much as what you drive
With today's rising gasoline prices and the growing awareness of the ecological issues, most people recognize the need for better fuel efficiency. However, most do not have a good idea of where to start.
For a commuter who does a lot of highway miles, a little car like a Toyota Yaris driven frugally can get as good or better gas mileage than a hybrid for half the cost. Hybrid cars are only the best choice in a limited set of circumstances. They save the most fuel when they are driven in stop-and-go traffic, and are a frugal choice for a delivery service vehicle in the city. |
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When it comes time to buy a car, look for one with a standard transmission with a clutch and stick shift. They can be driven in a more fuel efficient manner than an automatic. |
Fuel efficiency has just as much to do with the way you drive your car as it does with the kind of car you drive. It doesn't matter if you drive a Geo Metro or a conversion van. Both can be driven more frugally by using the techniques listed in this article. A realistic expectation is at least a 10% improvement in gas milage with an SUV, and better with a little car. There are a lot of variables that affect fuel efficiency of every car. The main ones are wind resistance, rolling resistance of the tires, weather, and engine warm-up. There are reports that the engine control computer in a car remembers how a car is driven and adjusts itself to your style. It does seem to take several days to see results, so don't get discouraged!
When it comes to improvng your fuel efficiency, some things are easy, and others require
learning and practice.
Six things you can do to get better gas mileage.
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1) Slow down. The faster you travel the greater the wind resistance. As you go faster in speed, it gets worse even faster. There is a 10 to 20% difference in fuel economy between 45MPH and 65MPH. Above about 55, the wind blows money right out of your wallet.
If you're using a car-top-carrier or bike rack, its drag is greater at higher speeds. Remove them when you're not actually using them. Accelerate and brake slowly and steadily. Pretend you have a cup of coffee sitting on your dash and you wish to avoid spilling it. |
2) Tires: Keep them inflated at least to the auto manufacturer's recommendation - usually 32 PSI. This should be printed near the driver's door latch. For better economy, go for the tire's rating printed on the tire itself, usually 44 PSI. The higher pressure decreases rolling resistance. The lower pressure increases comfort. When it comes time to get new tires, if you're driving a little, fuel efficient car, try to get the same tires that came with the car when it was new. This is on the theory that the fuel mileage on the sticker was based on the car having those tires. So-called
high performance tires are made for gripping the road better under hard acceleration, not fuel efficiency. Therefore if you have a sportier car and you want to get new tires with less rolling resistance, you might want to take a pencil and pad to a Toyota dealership first, and note what brand and model tires they're putting on their hybrid cars.
3) Avoid using the air conditioner as much as possible. The a/c compressor is powered by the engine. Try dressing in light clothing and rolling the windows part way down instead. Unless you're doing 75MPH, the increased drag caused by having your windows open is much less than using the AC. Tinting your windows will make your car cooler too. Be aware that most defrosters automatically engage the air conditioner to dehumidify the air hitting your windshield. Try cracking your windows open first and turning on the vent or heat before resorting to defrost. |
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4) Try to avoid stop-and-go driving. The more stop-and-go you do, the more effective it will be to take any junk you don't need out of the trunk. The heavier the vehicle is, the more power it takes
to change speeds, and the harder it is on your brakes. Treat your momentum as something that has value, because it does. Try to preserve it as you move in and around traffic. There's a safety benefit, because to preserve your momentum, you have to be observant of changing traffic conditions and anticipate what other drivers are going to do. Take advantage of gravity and minimize its disadvantages. When you have to throw away your momentum, give as much as you can to engine braking. If you're facing uphill, go as far as you can before stopping. If facing downhill, then stop short, leaving room in front of you.
5) Warming up a cold engine is the worst thing that drags down fuel economy. During the first
few minutes, the engine control computer sets conditions to warm up as fast as possible, which means burning a lot of fuel in a short time. Make warm up a smaller a proportion of your total
drive time by running all your errands in one session. Start with the task furthest from your starting point. Run your errands during the warmest part of the day - the warmer, the better for fuel economy. This is especially true during Fall, Winter, and Spring. Always use as little acceleration as possible before the engine warms up. Warming up a car by idling to prevent premature
engine wear was a good idea in the 1970's, but with today's materials and manufacturing processes it is no longer beneficial. Backing into a parking space when the engine is fully warm is more fuel efficient than backing out with a cold engine. Also, if you park face-out facing downlill, gravity will assist you when it's time to leave, for less of a load on the cold engine.
6) Gas is more expensive around holidays so gas up early or wait 'til after the holiday. Gasoline is more dense when cold, so fill up during the coolest part of the day. This can get you as much as 1% more fuel for your dollar. Beware of credit cards that offer a gas rebate. Most likely you will have to pay back the non-fuel balence first, while the fuel purchases accrue interest.
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