Nine Ways to Save on Gas

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.

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