Ways to Improve Gas Mileage

Owning a car is a necessity to most of us and a luxury to some of us. But, with the rise in the prices of gasoline, maintaining a car is becoming more and more difficult everyday. In addition to this, the impact that the emission of gaseous fumes have on our environment and its impact on global warming forces many of us to think again before walking down to the car dealer. But, the fact of the matter is that life can become very difficult without a car. So we must make the best of what we have and try to improvise on it. One thing that we can do is to improve the entire catch 22 situation is to improve the mileage that we receive from our car.

Here are some ways with the help of which you can improve the gas mileage of your car:

• The first thing that you must always remember that you must accelerate gently. Avoid sudden speed bursts. This will not only help you increase the mileage of your car, it will also make you a better driver.
• Keep you car well maintained and tuned. A badly maintained car can use up to 25% more gasoline.
• If you use steel belted radial tires then you can increase the mileage of your car by nearly 10%.
• Talking about tires, you will be surprised to know that low tire pressure can reduce the mileage of your car by 4% per five pounds of pressure. All tires lose pressure over a period of time, so get the pressures checked every month.
• This is a very difficult tip to implement but the fact of the matter is that you can increase the mileage of your car by nearly 25% if your maintain a speed of 55 mph on the highway.
• Do not use the cruise control option on rough terrain. However, while driving on a flat and even road, it is recommended that you use cruise control as it will reduce the acceleration and deceleration cycles thereby increasing the fuel efficiency.
Do not use the air conditioner in your car when you are driving in the city unless you really need it. The compressor of the air conditioner puts additional strain on the engine of the car. Open the windows and enjoy the nature.
• Another fact regarding the air conditioners is that while you are on the highway and you have to choose between the air conditioner and rolling down the windows, then use the air conditioner. The air that comes in through the windows creates an enormous aerodynamics drag which reduces the fuel efficiency of the car considerably. The same holds good for open roofs too.
• Remove any additional accessories like luggage rack as it will help reduce the aerodynamics of the car.
• Replace the air filters in your car regularly as a dirty filter can reduce the efficiency of your car by more than 10%.
• Reduce the weight present in your car. Remove old tires and any artifact that is lying there with absolutely no purpose.
• Do not fill gasoline to the maximum limit in your car. On a warm day, the gasoline can expand and spill from the car. Not only will you be losing considerable money, it could also turn into a dangerous situation.
• Do not use the high octane gas unless your engine can handle it and the manufacturer recommends a high premium gas.

Apart from these tips, there are several more things that you can do to help increase the mileage of your car though they are not directly related to your car or how you maintain and drive the car. Firstly, if the distance is small, then walk. Walking is the best way to keep fit and healthy. Next, try and club a few errands before taking out your car. It will mean putting off a couple of tasks for a day or two but if these tasks then wait then it will help you save money and keep the environment cleaner.

Avoid gas guzzlers. Evaluate your needs and determine if you really need a SUV which has six cylinders and drains petrol like a bottomless well. Understand that the gasoline resources in the world are limited and sadly, are depleting very fast. It is only up to us, the people of this world to take care of our resources, environment and ensure that we leave this beautiful world to our children the way we received it from our parents.