Here just a few of the things we’ve been doing to make our families more fuel efficient!
- Keep it under 2k RPM: when accelerating, or simply driving, keeping your engine under 2,000 RMP’s will hep you conserve gas. This is more difficult in a car with a smaller engine but if you pay attention, you can do it. You will speed up more slowly but have you ever noticed that those people flooring it to get ahead or around you rarely end up getting to their destination more quickly?
- Keep your speed at 35-65 mph: If you have a vehicle with the digital display showing you your mpg, avg mpg, total trip miles, etc…you can watch the instant mpg reading and see that you get the best gas mileage between 35-65 mph. once you start reaching the 67-70mph range your mpg will start to decline (unless you are coasting). You’ll also notice that your RPM’s start to increase over 2k at 70mph (at least in our two cars it’s the case).
- COAST!!! Use your momentum to keep you going. I’ve noticed that there are many times I was accelerating that I didn’t need to. If you have some momentum going let off the gas pedal and see how far it will take you. Slipping it into ‘N’ is also helpful as it will lower your RPM’s to idling speed and let the car naturally speed up/slow down with the terrain.
- Try using premium gasoline: It will only cost you about$4 more a tank (for a 20 gallon tank) to fill up with Premium fuel (extra $.20/gallon)….if you can get one more gallon worth of mileage out of the tank with Premium fuel it will have paid for itself. We’re trying this now to see if it helps!
- Plan your outings to be gas efficient! Think about where you need to go when you leave the house each day. Take routes that offer you more right turns (in and out of stops), less stoplights/signs and (of course) the fewest miles! Remember, the highway isn’t always the best choice…if you can get somewhere on a side street with a speed limit of 45 or above and very few or no stop signs…that’s probably your best bet!
We’ve noticed the steps above have helped us a lot! Of course, safety is your first order! Try them out and see what works!
For more gas saving tips and interesting facts, read this prior Tipster Tuesday post from Tasha at Comical Coupon Cents.
For detailed information on your car’s performance and fuel economy in general, visit http://www.fueleconomy.org/.
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