How to Drive a Car for Maximum Gas Mileage

If ever a time in history calls for improving your gas mileage, it is now. So taking a moment to consider and monitor the way you drive your car can save you hundreds even thousands of dollars a year. Every two or three miles per gallon you improve your gas mileage can reduce your gas bill by 10 percent and with a little thought and effort you can be saving 25 percent or more in what you are spending on fuel.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. When you start your car, allow it to idle only a minute or less (but at least 10 seconds) before placing into gear and driving off. You adversely affect your gas mileage by allowing your car to idle, especially in gear. Warming up the car while idling in place is a waste of fuel.
2. Always accelerate slowly and steadily. Feel the gears in your transmission engaging firmly so that you are using your transmission as much as possible rather than your engine to build momentum.
3. Anticipate braking as much as possible so that you are slowing your speed with the same deliberate pacing as when building momentum. Running at the speed limit or higher and slowing rapidly at intersections or for traffic uses more gasoline (and brake media) than allowing the engine to slowly throttle down and the transmission to downshift steadily.
4. Be conscious of your speed on the highway. When in heavy high-speed traffic, the temptation is to keep up with the flow and drive 15 or 20 or more miles over the limit. Even reducing by 5 or 10 miles per hour makes a significant difference in your gas mileage.
5. Avoid engaging the passing gear or any rapid acceleration on the highway. Steady acceleration and speed is easier both on your gas tank and the moving parts in your engine and transmission.
6. Choose a route or a time that reduces the amount of stop and go driving and especially sitting in a traffic jam.
7. Keep your car tuned up properly. Optimal efficiency in your ignition system reduces waste in combustion.
8. Check the inflation of your tires. Make sure your air pressure is at the higher end of the acceptable range, reducing the drag and friction between the road and your tires.