Prime Your Vehicle Thanks to normal wear and tear, cars become less fuel-efficient over time. And while it's impossible to alter your car in a way that would increase its fuel economy beyond the manufacturer's estimated mileage per gallon — the Environmental Protection Agency has tested and dismissed hundreds of products that claim to do just that — you can get your car back in top-notch shape and maximize its fuel efficiency. Here's what you can do and how much you can save:
Check your tires: $29
Under- or overinflated tires change the way a car handles, both adding drag and accelerating wear, says Weissman. That, in turn, reduces fuel efficiency by 3.3%, according to the Alliance to Save Energy. Look at your driver's side door panel or owner's manual to find out the proper inflation for your tires and make sure to check the pressure at least once a month. Over the course of 4,500 miles of summer driving, a 2008 Acura RL owner could save $29.
Forgo premium fuel: $86
Unless you drive a Dodge Viper or other high-end sports car that lists premium fuel as a requirement in its owner's manual, you should use regular unleaded gas, says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. "[Premium fuel] boosts engine performance, but not fuel economy," he says. "The savings in price would be far greater." Someone in California, for example, filling his 2008 Saab 9-3 weekly with $3.98-a-gallon unleaded (87 octane) instead of $4.31 premium (91 octane) would save $86 over the course of the summer.
Get a tune-up: $129
"Maintaining your vehicle is one of the most important things you can do to aid fuel efficiency," says Shruti Vaidyanathan, principle vehicle analyst for the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. A faulty engine can reduce fuel economy by 4%, for example, while a clogged air filter knocks off about 10%, according to FuelEconomy.gov, a Department of Energy-sponsored site. Fixing up a 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan before driving 4,500 miles over the summer saves $129.
Change Your Behavior Driving responsibly is the key to reaping some of the fastest and most substantial gas savings, says Reed. But only if you practice these driving behaviors consistently. Here's how:
Slow down: $95
If you speed, you might as well be paying $4 a gallon (or more) for gas. Every five miles per hour you drive above the speed limit adds 20 cents per gallon to your fuel bill, according to the Alliance to Save Energy. A 2008 Mazda CX-7 owner who consistently drives 10 miles above the speed limit over 4,500 miles of summer driving, for example, will pay an extra $95. Don't trust yourself to stay within the limit? Use cruise control.
Combine errands: $107
Cars use much more energy for cold starts (i.e; when the car hasn't been driven in a couple of hours and the engine is cool), says Vaidyanathan. In fact, making several cold-start trips, say, to the store, the dry cleaners and the babysitter, will consume twice as much fuel than if you combine errands and make them all in one run, according to FuelEconomy.gov. An owner of a 2008 Ford (F5) Focus, who combines 10 errands (each requiring 10 miles of driving) into two weekly trips could save $107 over the course of the summer.
Let go of your aggression: $95
Rapid acceleration and hard braking reduce fuel economy by about 10%, according to the Alliance to Save Energy. Pushing your car to the limit constantly burns more fuel than maintaining a steady speed. It also adds to wear and tear. A 2008 Jeep Liberty owner who drives 4,500 miles at steady speeds without riding the brakes could save $95 over the course of the summer.
full article
Sunday 25 May 2008
Slowing down can speed up savings on gas
As this is written, gas in Tupelo is up to $3.80 a gallon for regular.Who knows what it will be by the time you read this, slap in the middle of the travel-heavy Memorial Day weekend.
We've seen several overnight spikes of as much as 10 cents a gallon in recent weeks. Where it will end, nobody knows.
Short-term prospects aren't good for any relief at the pump, and last week the Paris-based International Energy Agency, the world's most-watched energy monitor, issued a bleak long-term report that world oil supplies would be outpaced by demand in coming years. That means the price spiral is likely to continue.
The United States alone can't drive down demand enough to dramatically affect prices, given the insatiable demand of rapidly developing economies like China and India. But conservation has clearly become a matter of national as well as personal necessity.
While we've all been complaining about prices, few of us apparently have yet made any dramatic changes in where, when and how much we drive. Holiday travel this weekend was expected to be only slightly below last year, when gas was 60 cents cheaper.
But if prices keep rising, most of us will be pressed to make at least some modest alterations in our driving habits.
There's one change that could make a big difference in our personal pocketbooks and our national conservation efforts: Driving slower. Not slow, just slower.
Of course the definition of "slow" is wide open to interpretation. But if you're middle age or beyond, you have memories of what today we think of as creep-along speed - 55 miles per hour - being the limit on interstate highways. That came in the 1970s in response to the fuel shortage created by the Arab oil embargo and general turmoil in the Middle East.
The U.S. government considered the need to conserve oil as such a high priority that it was willing to make a dramatic change by tying federal highway dollars to a much lower speed limit. Not that everybody automatically slowed down to 55 mph on roads where the posted limit had been 70, but the average speed went down as motorists, if nothing else, sought to escape being ticketed by not being too far over the limit.
It wasn't until the mid- and late 1980s, when long lines at the pump were a distant memory and cheap and plentiful gasoline once again seemed our eternal birthright, that speed limits were relaxed and eventually climbed back to 65 and 70 - and in some places even higher.
full article
We've seen several overnight spikes of as much as 10 cents a gallon in recent weeks. Where it will end, nobody knows.
Short-term prospects aren't good for any relief at the pump, and last week the Paris-based International Energy Agency, the world's most-watched energy monitor, issued a bleak long-term report that world oil supplies would be outpaced by demand in coming years. That means the price spiral is likely to continue.
The United States alone can't drive down demand enough to dramatically affect prices, given the insatiable demand of rapidly developing economies like China and India. But conservation has clearly become a matter of national as well as personal necessity.
While we've all been complaining about prices, few of us apparently have yet made any dramatic changes in where, when and how much we drive. Holiday travel this weekend was expected to be only slightly below last year, when gas was 60 cents cheaper.
But if prices keep rising, most of us will be pressed to make at least some modest alterations in our driving habits.
There's one change that could make a big difference in our personal pocketbooks and our national conservation efforts: Driving slower. Not slow, just slower.
Of course the definition of "slow" is wide open to interpretation. But if you're middle age or beyond, you have memories of what today we think of as creep-along speed - 55 miles per hour - being the limit on interstate highways. That came in the 1970s in response to the fuel shortage created by the Arab oil embargo and general turmoil in the Middle East.
The U.S. government considered the need to conserve oil as such a high priority that it was willing to make a dramatic change by tying federal highway dollars to a much lower speed limit. Not that everybody automatically slowed down to 55 mph on roads where the posted limit had been 70, but the average speed went down as motorists, if nothing else, sought to escape being ticketed by not being too far over the limit.
It wasn't until the mid- and late 1980s, when long lines at the pump were a distant memory and cheap and plentiful gasoline once again seemed our eternal birthright, that speed limits were relaxed and eventually climbed back to 65 and 70 - and in some places even higher.
full article
Friday 16 May 2008
Fuel Conservation Tips
Chances are you're feeling the effects of high gas prices these days.
With crude oil soaring to record levels experts say prices are only going to get higher.
There's actually many simple things you can do to conserve fuel.
Just by taking a look at the owner's manual of your vehicle you can usually find a whole list of tips on driving smarter and simple maintenance that will help you conserve gas.
Ensure Tires are Inflated to the Correct Pressure
This is the cheapest and easiest way to control fuel expenses. and the one most often overlooked. If your drivers don't have a tire gauge, it is worth the expense to buy them one so they can ensure that tires are inflated to the manufacturer's recommended level.
Clean Out the Trunk and Eliminate Unnecessary Weight
Cars, like cargo trucks, get much better mileage when they're not loaded with unnecessary additional weight. According to AutoZone, every 200 lbs. of unnecessary weight trims one mile off fuel efficiency.
Avoid Long Idling
The worst mileage a car can get is 0 miles per gallon, which occurs when it idles. Idling for long periods of time, whether at a rail road crossing or pulling off the road to make a cell phone call, consumes gas that could be saved by simply turning off the engine. Restarting an engine uses about the same amount of gas as idling for 30 seconds. When idling for longer periods of time, shut off the engine.
Buy Gasoline in the Morning To maximize fuel economy, the editors of Kelley Blue Book suggest buying gasoline when the temperature is cold and gasoline is at its densest. Consumers are charged based on volume, not density.
full article
With crude oil soaring to record levels experts say prices are only going to get higher.
There's actually many simple things you can do to conserve fuel.
Just by taking a look at the owner's manual of your vehicle you can usually find a whole list of tips on driving smarter and simple maintenance that will help you conserve gas.
Ensure Tires are Inflated to the Correct Pressure
This is the cheapest and easiest way to control fuel expenses. and the one most often overlooked. If your drivers don't have a tire gauge, it is worth the expense to buy them one so they can ensure that tires are inflated to the manufacturer's recommended level.
Clean Out the Trunk and Eliminate Unnecessary Weight
Cars, like cargo trucks, get much better mileage when they're not loaded with unnecessary additional weight. According to AutoZone, every 200 lbs. of unnecessary weight trims one mile off fuel efficiency.
Avoid Long Idling
The worst mileage a car can get is 0 miles per gallon, which occurs when it idles. Idling for long periods of time, whether at a rail road crossing or pulling off the road to make a cell phone call, consumes gas that could be saved by simply turning off the engine. Restarting an engine uses about the same amount of gas as idling for 30 seconds. When idling for longer periods of time, shut off the engine.
Buy Gasoline in the Morning To maximize fuel economy, the editors of Kelley Blue Book suggest buying gasoline when the temperature is cold and gasoline is at its densest. Consumers are charged based on volume, not density.
full article
Pain at the pump!
It’s getting to be a pain at the pump as gas prices continue to climb.
According to AAA, the average gas rate for the area is $3.639 per gallon. That’s up 20 cents from the prior week, up 40 cents from last month and up 63 cents from last year.
The national average is $3.718 per gallon.
When will the climbing prices slow down? The forecast is June.
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which has the official energy statistics from the U.S. Government, regular-grade gasoline is expected to average $3.52 per gallon for 2008, (71 cents above the 2007 annual average price).
The monthly average for regular-grade gasoline is projected to peak at $3.73 per gallon next month.
But “experts” and analysts feel it will be closer to $4 per gallon.
Craig Billings of Billings Service Station in Milaca believes no one really knows what the gas prices are going to be.
Ways to save
Want to know what that trip up north is going to cost you?
AAA offers a fuel cost calculator at www.aaafuelcostcalculator.com. It helps users budget for the amount of fuel they would use on a long distance trip. Users enter the trip’s origin and destination, and the type of vehicle being driven. The site calculates the miles driven, the amount of fuel that will be used and the cost.
It also can tell the difference in fuel costs for a variety of vehicles, to help determine which vehicle is the most cost effective to drive.
AAA offers these energy saving tips:
•Stick to a routine maintenance schedule. Keeping tires inflated, moving components properly lubricated and ignition and emission systems operating properly will help ensure maximum fuel efficiency and extend the life of your vehicle.
•If you own more than one vehicle, use the more energy-conserving vehicle as often as possible.
•Consolidate trips and errands to cut down on driving time and miles traveled. When possible, combine them with your daily commute.
•If you are going somewhere new, get a map first from an online source such as AAA TripTik (www.AAA.com). Getting lost wastes gas as well as time.
•Comparison shop by phone or online if possible before heading out on the road.
•Slow down. For most vehicles, fuel economy drops off significantly when traveling more than 60 miles per hour. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional 20 cents per gallon for gas.
•Avoid quick starts and sudden stops. They waste fuel, are harder on vehicle components and increase the odds of a traffic crash.
•Lighten your vehicle by cleaning out the trunk, cargo areas and passenger compartments. A heavier vehicle uses more fuel.
•Keep your eyes open for low fuel prices but don’t waste gas driving to a distant filling station to save a few cents.
Billings added that maintaining air pressure in your vehicle’s tires and replacing the vehicle’s air filter when dirty, are key ways to help reduce fuel consumption.
full article
According to AAA, the average gas rate for the area is $3.639 per gallon. That’s up 20 cents from the prior week, up 40 cents from last month and up 63 cents from last year.
The national average is $3.718 per gallon.
When will the climbing prices slow down? The forecast is June.
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which has the official energy statistics from the U.S. Government, regular-grade gasoline is expected to average $3.52 per gallon for 2008, (71 cents above the 2007 annual average price).
The monthly average for regular-grade gasoline is projected to peak at $3.73 per gallon next month.
But “experts” and analysts feel it will be closer to $4 per gallon.
Craig Billings of Billings Service Station in Milaca believes no one really knows what the gas prices are going to be.
Ways to save
Want to know what that trip up north is going to cost you?
AAA offers a fuel cost calculator at www.aaafuelcostcalculator.com. It helps users budget for the amount of fuel they would use on a long distance trip. Users enter the trip’s origin and destination, and the type of vehicle being driven. The site calculates the miles driven, the amount of fuel that will be used and the cost.
It also can tell the difference in fuel costs for a variety of vehicles, to help determine which vehicle is the most cost effective to drive.
AAA offers these energy saving tips:
•Stick to a routine maintenance schedule. Keeping tires inflated, moving components properly lubricated and ignition and emission systems operating properly will help ensure maximum fuel efficiency and extend the life of your vehicle.
•If you own more than one vehicle, use the more energy-conserving vehicle as often as possible.
•Consolidate trips and errands to cut down on driving time and miles traveled. When possible, combine them with your daily commute.
•If you are going somewhere new, get a map first from an online source such as AAA TripTik (www.AAA.com). Getting lost wastes gas as well as time.
•Comparison shop by phone or online if possible before heading out on the road.
•Slow down. For most vehicles, fuel economy drops off significantly when traveling more than 60 miles per hour. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional 20 cents per gallon for gas.
•Avoid quick starts and sudden stops. They waste fuel, are harder on vehicle components and increase the odds of a traffic crash.
•Lighten your vehicle by cleaning out the trunk, cargo areas and passenger compartments. A heavier vehicle uses more fuel.
•Keep your eyes open for low fuel prices but don’t waste gas driving to a distant filling station to save a few cents.
Billings added that maintaining air pressure in your vehicle’s tires and replacing the vehicle’s air filter when dirty, are key ways to help reduce fuel consumption.
full article
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