A visit to the Federal Trade Commission’s website can be very enlightening. The FTC warns consumers about any product that claims to improve gas mileage. Citing studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, the FTC reports that many of the products don’t work, and the few that do provide only a negligible improvement.
Improving Gas Mileage
Of course, the greatest determining factor when it comes to fuel economy is the car component that sits behind the steering wheel. Your habits as a driver can affect gas mileage for good or bad. Consider adopting the following gas-saving practices:
Slow down. Maximum fuel efficiency usually sits right around 55 miles to the gallon. Going faster burns more fuel—just speeding up to 65 increases fuel use by 20 percent; going from 65 to 75 increases it by 25 percent, reports the EPA.
Avoid idling. Just sitting there burning fuel as you listen to the last part of a song on a radio eats up more gas than you might think.
Don’t jackrabbit. From a stop, get moving at a slow, consistent pace. Jumping at the light change causes your engine to employ more gas to get the car rolling.
Drop some weight. Put your car on a diet! Remove all the extra weight that doesn’t need to be in your car.
Combine errand. Extra running around means extra fuel burnt.
Use overdrive. Overdrive decreases your car’s engine speed, improving gas mileage and decreasing wear.
Involving your mechanic, and changing a few of your driving habits, is a small investment that could have a big return. The longer the time between pump visits, the more money that stays in your wallet; and who wouldn’t want that?