What driving habits will get you better mpg?

Question

Haha, just for the record I actually tried to find this on a Yahoo Answers search.

Anyways, I'm a new-ish driver, w/ a used car that I just started driving....few weeks. Well the first full tank went out in like a week, but I was mashing it quite a lot; my brother told me that wastes gas so I don't anymore.

Now it's at half, (Suzuki grand vitara 2003) and I've only gotten like 91 miles off of half a tank, supposedly my tank holds 16.9 gallons, so thats only about 10-11 mpg

Websites say I shold be getting 19 city, is 11 too little even considering A. I mash it ever now and then, and B. my city has TONS of huge hills?

Anyways, are there any tips that would increase my mpg? I hear if you switch into neutral while coasting you'll save, even on an automatic (which I have) is that true?

Any other tips like that one?

Answer 1

Keep the engine under 2000 RPM. Drive like you have no brakes, anticipating stoplights and obstructions you will have to brake for.

Answer 2

First off you got an automatic....you lose there.
What can you do to improve....
1. Make sure your wheels rotate freely(brakes are not dragging)
2. Tire pressure is a couple pounds higher than car owner manual suggests.
(Tires are inflated to the weight of the car front and rear

-not just 32 lbs for all 4 that is printed on the tire. The tire manufacturer does not know what the tire will be carrying for weight.
3. New aircleaner.
4. New plugs, properly gapped and ignition timed properly.
5. No hard cornering
6. No mashing(Mashing leads to braking - which leads to more mashing.
7. Following too close will have your foot on the brake alot.
8. Excessive idling is a waste of fuel as you are going nowhere.
9. Try to get momentum to work for you when you drive down and up the next hill. Truckers do it all the time. Fuel costs comes out of their paycheck.
10. Keep the car clean outside.
11. Get your wheel alignment checked.
12. Use summer tires when you can.

Try putting your foot to the gas as though there was a raw egg between your foot and the pedal. Don't break the egg.

The coasting thing....it happens so rarely for any extended period that it is hardly worth it....and is also illegal.
So is shutting off the engine and coasting(power brakes die and so does steering)
13. carrying a rope with hooks on both ends so you can snag the next cars bumper will reduce your fuel consumption.
14, carry a sign in back of car-"I need a push - could you with your car?"
15. Pick up hitchhikers only if they will pay for the gas.

Answer 3

There's lots of things. I'll list a few.
1. Keep your tires inflated to what it says on the tire. Usually 32-35 pounds psi.
2. Don't speed. The faster you go the more fuel you use. Go the speed limit.
3. Don't tailgate. Tailgating forces you to be on and off the brakes. Brakes are the enemy of fuel economy because you need to keep hitting the gas to speed back up. If you leave a lot of room between you and the car in front of you, they can speed up and slow down and you won't have to as much. You can also take your foot off the gas and slow down gradually, then speed up gradually.
4. No jackrabbit starts. Go easy on the gas. Mashing the pedal kills your fuel economy.
5. Avoid heavy traffic. Your car gets its best mileage when you're in high gear. Sitting in stop and go traffic kills your mileage.
6. Use your car's overdrive if it has it. Driving in low gears kills your fuel economy.
7. Use your cruise control. It is much better than you are at keeping your car at a steady speed. To prove this, set the CC at 65 on the freeway, and watch how many cars speed up and slow down zillions of times around you. If you try to keep your car at a steady speed, you'll be on and off the gas the whole trip. Your cruise control monitors the speed electronically, thousands of times a minute, making extremesly small adjustments and uses the least amount of fuel and throttle adjustment needed to maintain speed.
8. Don't use premium fuel unless your manual specifies it. No matter what mileage you get, regular fuel will save you money.
9. No matter what anyone says, air conditioning reduces your mileage because it's a big drag on the engine. Use it when you need it, but remember you're paying for it.
10. Make sure you change your air filter a couple of times a year. If it's clogged, your engine can't breathe and has less power. This means you mash the pedal farther, and you use more fuel. Try putting a dirty sock in your mouth and running a marathon. Same effect. Make sure you have decent spark plugs and wires, too.

Don't shift in and out of neutral when you're moving. It's not that good for the transmission, and it's illegal in some places to coast because part of the control you have over your car is the ability to accelerate and slow down with the engine like truckers do with their Jake brake.

Answer 4

1) Keep the tires inflated properly... they loose air over time. Check them once a month at least.

2) Make sure the car is in good repair... good spark plugs, air cleaner and oil. That check engine light is a big ol' "I'm wasting gas" light.

3) Drive like there is an egg between your foot and the gas pedal- gentle acceleration makes an enormous difference.

4) Don't use your car as a storage unit. Removing extra weight will make a difference.

The coasting thing is a maybe at best, and the extra wear and lack of safety of having the car in neutral isn't worth it to me.

Best of luck.

Answer 5

I get 20-21 mpg on the road with a v8 Grand Cherokee 4X4.. Slow takeoffs, steady cruising speed, tune ups and regular maintenance, anticipating stops, all enter into fuel mileage. Check closely on that neutral switch downhill, some transmissions don't like it at all. Good Luck

Answer 6

Seriously, in my 17 years of driving I've found that the difference in mileage from driving like hell to driving like grandma is about 1-2 mpg at best. It all has to do with the car and the conditions (rush hour, open road, etc.) Just drive how you want. It really doesn't make a difference in spite of what everyone says.

Answer 7

First let all but 1 pound of air out of your tires. Second ,make sure you ride around in first gear with a wide open throttle in 4 wheel drive low. Third ,tow the heaviest trailer your your car will pull.

Answer 8

Put down your damn cell phone and latt'e and pay attention to what you're doing.

M

Answer 9

good answer cant top that!!!