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How to Improve Gas Mileage

Rising gasoline prices adversely affect the budgets of most average Americans, increasing transportation costs, food prices, and other general expenses. When the going gets tough in difficult economic times, some people are increasingly creative in their search for ways to extend their gas-buying dollar.

The Sensible Approach

Most drivers will take the sound and sensible approach and follow the necessary gas-saving tips provided by government sources such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Federal Trade Commission.

Some of these tips offered by the government are common sense; others may provide drivers with new ideas for increasing their gas mileage:

Cut back on aggressive driving behavior like "jump and go" acceleration and hard braking.

Stay within posted speed limits.

Keep your tires properly inflated. Invest in a reliable tire gauge; don't rely on over-used gas station tire gauges that may not be accurate. While digital tire gauges can be pricey, they are the easiest to read. The tire manufacturer-recommended inflation limit can often be found near or on the interior or exterior rim area of your tire. Also note that many post-2008 vehicles include built-in tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS).

Keep your wheels properly aligned.

Regularly check and replace your oil filter. A clogged filter will cost you gas mileage. Oil filters that are washable and reusable are also available. These may save you money in the long run as well.

Keep your engine properly tuned.

Fill up at the pump with gasoline that is at your car model's recommended octane level as found in your owner's manual. Most cars, however, run adequately on gas at the regular octane level.

The Hypermiler

Some drivers might take a more risky approach and become "hypermilers." These are drivers who may go to extreme measures to get as much mileage as they can out of one gallon of gas. For hypermilers, the biggest challenge is to drive a specific car model (a hybrid or a standard vehicle) and surpass the EPA's estimated fuel economy ratings for that particular car model and year. Many hypermilers are more technologically savvy than the average driver when it comes to cars.

An example of a hypermiler tactic (certainly not recommended for the average driver) is to see how many extra miles you can drive after your car's gas gauge reads "empty.”

The reason why hypermilers, who usually stay within the speed limit and drive in a scrupulously non-aggressive manner, are considered extreme is due to their most controversial tactic: the "pulse and glide." Aimed at second generation hybrid vehicles, pulse-and-glide is the act of turning off your car's engine and coasting while driving.

While some hypermiler tactics are ill advised, others may make sense for the average driver:

Many hypermilers who live in winter climates recommend engine block heaters. These are electric heaters that warm up a car's engine for easy winter starting, thus supposedly reducing gas-wasting idling time. Engine block heaters can be used as independent gadgets that plug into your engine block, or they can be installed.

Hypermilers, as well as the EPA, support the use of fuel consumption gauges. While many post-2008 car models include fuel consumption gauges as dash panel features, other cars may require the purchase of an independent fuel consumption gauge such as the Scanguage (http://www.scangauge.com/) or the CAMP2 from HKS (http://www.hksusa.com/info/?id=3474).

These gauges connect to your vehicle's onboard computer, giving either a text or graphic reading of your fuel consumption and other things, like mileage per trip. This can show you how your driving style, the weather, tire pressure, a poorly tuned engine, or the amount of weight in the car affects fuel mileage.