What 3 things can I do to increase my gas mileage?

Question

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Answer 1

k&n filter, exhaust system, learn to drive.


i saw an answer that recommended useing the CC... DO NOT use cruise controll if mileage is a concern... it uses alot more throttle than needed, because the car does not look down the road and consider angles, and traffic, the trained human can.

Answer 2

am i qualified to answer this, you be the judge 32.9 mpg in 1996 chrysler lhs with 200,000+ miles. 3.5 v6. factory rating 21/26.first stay under 60. madantory 55 speed limit was created during the last gas crunch for a reason. it works. second coast, coast, coast to stoplights,downhill,when approaching slower vehicles.remembereverytime you use brakes it means you will have to use accelerator which causes more fuel consumption.also remember when you do use the gas ,accelerate slowly,the ---hole behind you will get over it. third draft. ok this isnt nascar but a good 18 wheeler in front of you will probably give you 1 mpg over a decent 25 to 30 mile run. finally leave 10 min earlier. that is the difference in time between running 60 and 70 on an hour run and at 60 you will use on average a half gallon less fuel,at $3 bucks a gallon it wont take long to add up. 20,30,40 a month depending on how many miles you drive, if nothing else thats a free trip to the steakhouse every other month or many trips to the dollar menu.hope this helps for everyone.ps maintaining the vehicle as everyone says helps,but i definately feel its overated, oil change 5-7000 air filter-when i cant not the dirt out of it. never see a big difference when i change something. commute 100+ a day..may be different for all city driver.

Answer 3

First off not own a gas powered verhicle. Diesel engines compairing oranges to oranges anyway are 40% more fuel effecient and the modern small diesel engine is not smoky and does not have trouble in the cold.
I own a 2001 VW jetta TDI (turbo diesel) I average no less then 40 MPG and that is with careless leadfoot driving. If i am conservative with the pedal i can easily average 45-50mpg.

But that being said i know americans have a weird obsession with gassers thinking they will have ahard time finding diesel (the 18wheelers seem to have no problem tho.....) So if you must insist on using a ineffecient gassermobile anyway. Here are the basics 1: Air filter a clogged air filter means less air less air means ineffecint engine because it can't breath well. 2: Oil changes keep current with your oil changes if your car can use it use one of the new fuel effecient oils i think they are 0w20? 3: Tire pressure keep an eye on your tire pressure and check the tires real quick at every fill up. The recomended tire pressures should be in the owner manual and or on the frame of the drivers side door. 4:Other basic maintenance such as spark plugs. If your car is not maintained correctly it will never run effeciently belts water pumps tensioners and such should be changed at proper interval not simply inspected for wear and changed only when they "look" bad. This can also save you a great deal of money. Most engines now on small verhicles are interfearance engines basically if the timing belt breaks there is a very good chance you just destroyed the internals of the engine. Do not put off timing belt changes and allways replace the tensioners and water pump (if it is one of the types that is on the timing belt) After all do you really expect a 30$ part to last over 200k miles?

Answer 4

But that being said i know americans have a weird obsession with gassers thinking they will have ahard time finding diesel (the 18wheelers seem to have no problem tho.....) So if you must insist on using a ineffecient gassermobile anyway. Here are the basics 1: Air filter a clogged air filter means less air less air means ineffecint engine because it can't breath well. 2: Oil changes keep current with your oil changes if your car can use it use one of the new fuel effecient oils i think they are 0w20? 3: Tire pressure keep an eye on your tire pressure and check the tires real quick at every fill up. The recomended tire pressures should be in the owner manual and or on the frame of the drivers side door. 4:Other basic maintenance such as spark plugs. If your car is not maintained correctly it will never run effeciently belts water pumps tensioners and such should be changed at proper interval not simply inspected for wear and changed only when they "look" bad. This can also save you a great deal of money. Most engines now on small verhicles are interfearance engines basically if the timing belt breaks there is a very good chance you just destroyed the internals of the engine. Do not put off timing belt changes and allways replace the tensioners and water pump (if it is one of the types that is on the timing belt) After all do you really expect a 30$ part to last over 200k miles?

Answer 5

Wow, there are quie a few people really pushing a very untrue thing. Driving slower does not mean better fuel consumption. Given different engine and gearing combos, it varies by car. My automatic Toyota Rav4 was sweet spotted at about 60 mph. Where as, I am pretty sure, the Golf I drive now is much different (haven't found it yet).

Of course, this sweet spot is dependent on many factors. For one, contrary to people preaching the other way, you need grip. Not excessive grip, which will have a negative impact, but enough grip that the tires just don't spin with you going nowhere. Weight. Weight is huge, but difficult to cut comfortably. I comboed together racing rims (light weight) and high performance street tires (I have dedicated snows). This combo cut weight at the wheels, which mean less torque is needed to spin them, and less friction to stop them. And the grip provided means that I move from the start. Tire pressure is also key. The sidewall pressure is more accurate on tires that are not OEM.

High performance air filters will not improve HP or mileage on their own. One thing to keep in mind is that a car that breathes properly and farts properly is a car that will give you the best performance. Making sure that you have the correct diameter pipes on both ends is a huge key. If you pass more air in and it just builds in your exhaust, how does that help anything? A properly designed intake (varies by vehicle) helps a ton. Remember, race cars are designed not only to make high power, but also to maximize their fuel consumption. Frequent pitting is not going to help you win a race.

Another thing is to make sure, on newer cars, that you are getting the proper fuel/air mixture. A chipped and properly controlled car can provide a large boost to mileage (assuming you have tuned it towards maximizing it).

And if all else fails, buy a bike, or a diesel. Audi/VW TDis have aprox. the same or better mileage than hybrids stickers, only they are consistent. A hybrid's mpg varies greatly by how it is driven due to when the electric/gas cycles are. Where as a diesel is much more consistent. And the newer TDis burn cleaner per mile than most of the current cars. Wonder how much smog we could reduce by running more diesel cars.

Remember, above all else, a car is a symphony. No one or three things will do the trick to an amazing level. Each system has to be tuned specifically for its given purpose.

Answer 6

Simple:
1. Imagine there is an egg below your gas pedal. How much
pressure you put on the throttle determines gas mileage. Always give yourself a three second following distance between the car in front of you. Do not follow anybody's rear end. You use more gas being an aggressive driver and chances of an accident will increase.

2. A manual transmission saves weight on the vechile. An
automatic transmission adds anywhere from 50-100
pounds. So basically travel with less weight in the vechile, which gives you better fuel economy. Junk in the trunk will add weight, so keep your car clean.

3. Drive with all windows up and do not use the climate control system. A/C destroys your fuel economy. More drag will occur with the windows down. Check your tires!

Answer 7

When this gas crisis started a few years ago I was traveling over 80 miles a day. I decreased my fuel costs and increased my gas mileage by doing the following...

1) I ditched my gas guzzling car and purchased a more fuel efficient model. I had a Chevy Camaro - 6 cylinder and traded it in for a Toyota Solara - 4 cylinder. Unless that truck driven in that video is a hybrid, I would trade that puppy dog in for a car. I saw someone got 23 mpg in the truck. I get 26 to 27 mpg in my Solara.

2) Proper maintenance is imperative! Good tire pressure & regular maintenance on the engine will definitely optimize the gas mileage.

3) Make one trip for everything you need vs 6 trips. Those trips made to the mall back to the house and then from the house back to the grocery store need to stop. Plan the day so you go to the mall, the grocery store, and then back home.

4) My boss did me a great favor on this one...work at home. I work from my house and I use the car a few days a week. I save a ton of money on gas. Glad to know I have a boss who thinks green.

This go 60mph on the freeway and not using heavy acceleration after waiting at a stop light will never work here in my part of Florida. I did that, I would be dead. I remember it was the same in Texas. So, it might increase gas mileage but it will not keep you safe.

Answer 8

* Only accelerate if you need to. If the traffic light ahead is red don't speed up. Also, if it's red only brake if you must. Any speed you waste by braking you'll have to build up again by spending gas.

* Pay attention (or use Cruise Control). Keep as constant a speed as possible on flat ground. Don't ease off the gas pedal when you're changing radio stations or talking on your cell phone. Driving over mountains requires some finesse and CC may not be helpful.

* Keep your tire pressure high. This costs practically nothing and can earn a few extra MPGs.

Also, why do you want higher gas mileage? If you're trying to save the environment, well, good luck. If you're trying to save some money be sure to factor in the cost of some of these suggestions. Assuming you drive 15000 miles over a year, an increase in MPG from 30 to 32 will save you about $100.

I loved the suggestion that you should take out your car seats and airbags. Following that logic you should also go on a diet, drive alone (who needs friends), and rip off your hood ornament.

Answer 9

Its all common sense guys & girls:
1. Dont be Pedal Happy
(be easy on the gas AND breaks)
2. Be sure the air pressure on your car is right. Your oil is changed regularly and all other devices of the motor are working correctly.
3. Combine Errands especially on in town driving. (we all know this is the worst for our mileage)
4. DRIVE SLOWER. I live here in california and people drive like they are on the way to the hospital delivering a baby. Goodness. Be sure to keep a steady pace too, breaking and accelerating hurts the gas mileage as well.

Okay so that was more than three things but ... I had to get it all out there :) Have a good day everyone!

Answer 10

This video is all wrong!

The best thing you can do to save gas mileage is to use your """Cruise Control"""

Of course, the other suggestions are still good but minor.

I have a Gage in my 2005 Ford Explorer which tells me my mileage per gallon use. If I don't use the Cruise Control its around 16-17. If I use it its 23-24.

Lesson here. Use your cruise control.. Even at 30 MPH, it'll work. Especially if you are the first in line at a light. And for a speeder who doesn't know how to slow down. just use your cruise control. Then you have a mechanism which wont change like the weather...or a bad temper.

And to the guy who wrote the first answer.... You should check and see if your "26" year old truck has been modified in anyway. If it has ****Then your rating doesnt mean crap :-)

Answer 11

Wow, that video way over simplified it. First off slow isn't always the best for gas-milage, whats more important is keeping the RPMs low. If you drive at lowest comfortable RPMs possible (as low as can be without any engine "shudder") you can actually get better fuel milage by using about 3/4 throttle (yes i mean almost flooring it) This is because engines run at much higher volumetric efficiencies with the throttle wide open, the only reason you don't want to go completely full-throttle is because most manufacturers severely richen (add more fuel per combustion cycle) out the air-fuel ratio as you start getting near 100% throttle, as its safer in general to do so. One more thing to keep in mind is that all modern engines use NO fuel when your completely off the gas, so coasting to stop signs will save you alot in gas, as well as will probably prolong the life of your brakes.

Power and fuel-milage don't actually go hand in hand, take the Z06 Corvette as a prime example, it can get 28mpg on the highway like a normal car dispite having over 500hp. The reason this works is because the car is geared to keep the engine speeds very very low.

All the above mentioned driving techniques work best on manuals, as most automatics won't upshift if your on the gas hard (some newer Dodge automatics do i believe)


By far the most important thing is that stopping less will save more fuel then anything else. If you can time the lights pretty well so that you almost always hit a green you'll be getting far better gas milage then any other way, simply because holding speed doesn't require much fuel in comparison to accelerating (this is particularly true if your going under 60mph, before serious air resistance kicks is.)

Shutting your car off at stops that last longer then 35-45 seconds will help, if you live near a city you'll know what im talking about. Any shorter then about 30 seconds or so and its not worth it as it takes a burst of fuel to start up the car (and therfore its better to just keep it running)

hope that helps! Don't drive slow, drive smart!