Great Gas Saving Tips For Summer

Driving costs money, and every time the price of fuel increases, driving costs you even more money. Thankfully, these tips can keep your expenses at a minimum.

Keep Your Tires Inflated

Keeping your tires at proper inflation pressure can improve your gas mileage by over 3% while under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage. You can check the proper tire pressure by looking inside driver’s side door or in the glove compartment.

Also, keep in mind that you should check the tire pressure when the temperature has dropped. This is because tires can lose 1 to 2 lb. of air pressure for every 10°F the temperature falls.

Regular Car Maintenance

From getting your oil changed to tune ups, replacing your air filter, and more, making sure your auto is regularly maintained is essential to saving money at the gas pump. Replacing the air filter can improve engine performance, and as a result, gas mileage. Using the right grade of motor oil can also increase in fuel economy. Even a simple tune-up can increase your mileage by 4%.

Drive smarter, not harder

Only drive as much as you need to. Combine trips when you can. If you can take the bus or train to work, do it. Even better, if you can ride a bike or walk, get some exercise while saving money on gas.

Clean out your car

Having a messy car may not seem like a big deal, but getting all that extra weight out of your vehicle will let you get every last bit of fuel economy from your car. The small things you keep in your car may not weigh much on their own, but they can add up if they are sitting in your car all the time.

Know when to run the air conditioner

Running the air conditioner impacts your gas mileage only if you are doing city driving or are in stop-and-go traffic. In those instances, open the windows instead of running the A/C. If you are on the highway, however, running the air conditioner is the more economical option. That's because keeping the windows up and the A/C on cuts down on wind resistance, improving fuel efficiency.

Drive more efficiently

You might want to put the pedal to the metal but doing that can empty your gas tank FAST. Studies show that accelerating and stopping gently can cut gas consumption by as much as 35%. It only takes a few extra seconds and could help you save gas.

Be smart about when you fill up

Wait until you have a quarter tank before you refill your tank. You'll benefit from carrying less fuel weight, but when you do visit the pump, fill up all the way, otherwise you are wasting fuel driving to the gas station more often than you need to.

Map it out

Technology can help you save gas. Before you take a trip, check a map app to calculate the shortest route to your destination. If you do it just before you leave, you can even verify the traffic to see if traffic is heavy, that way you can adjust your route accordingly.

Be a frugal shopper

Be choosy when looking for a gas station. You don’t have to drive around to do it either. You can  use a smartphone to look up gas prices, or use websites that can help you find places to buy less expensive fuel. Also watch for gas stations that charge you more to pay with a credit card.

Fuel Economy in Hot Weather

Hot weather can actually increase your fuel economy. This is because your engine warms up to an efficient temperature quicker than in the winter, and also because warm air causes less aerodynamic drag.