Better Gas Mileage

Drivers seem to let out a collective groan whenever they realize that it is time to stop to fuel up their automobiles, thanks to the sky-high gas prices these days. You would be hard-pressed to find a driver that would not like to save a bit of money at the gas pump, but many people simply do not know how to achieve this.

There are many products out there promising consumers the world but then underdeliver - or do not work at all. Most people think that they will have to buy smaller cars in order to use less gas.

Unlike what most people think you don’t always have to buy a new car to save gas. Think about it: The money you invest in a new car has to be compensated by saving gas. This will often takes years. But there are other things you can do to save fuel right now with the car you already own.

Here are some very simple but yet extremely effective tips to make your car use less gas while driving.

One of the simplest gas-saving devices your car has already built-in is the cruise control device. Originally made to make it easier for drivers to hold a constant speed over a long distance, the cruise control turns out to be an excellent fuel-saving mechanism.

With a cruise control you don’t have to look at the speed and can avoid getting speeding tickets at the same time.

But how can a cruise control save gas? It is quite simple: When you car is driving at a constant speed the average fuel consumtion goes down. This is due to the fact that your car uses more gas when accelerating. When using cruise control you don’t accelerate as often as you do when driving normally.

Whenever you car accelerates the engine uses way more gas. The more sudden and intense the acceleration process the more gas is used.

Are you frequently looking at your miles-per-hour gauge? If you are like most drivers you only do that when your know there is a chance you could get a speeding ticket.

You should look at the RPM regularly especially if you drive a car with manual transmission. Don’t rely on the sound of the engine before shhifting up. Most engines are so noise-reduced that you can neither hear - nor feel if it is time to shift up.

Not all features are beneficial for gas usage, however. If you are a big fan of using your car’s air conditioning, you are costing yourself in fuel efficiency! Having the air conditioning on makes your car work much harder, as you can tell because of the lessened power and responsiveness when you accelerate. Whenever you can, try to drive with the air conditioning off!

In addition to the things you can do while you drive you can also buy a device that will imrove the efficiency of your engine.

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