Who of us does not want to squeeze a bit more distance out of each gallon of gas that we put into our cars?! Here are few things you can do to increase your gas mileage and make your car run slightly more green.
Check your tire pressure. Under inflated tires are very common and they effect how high your gas mileage is. Use a tire guauge to check your tires when they are cold, meaning not driven. (This is because driving a car heats up the air inside the tires which increase their pressure. ) Make sure that your tires are the right pressure on a regular basis.
Check your air filter. A air filter full of gunk restricts air into the engine, causing your engine to have to work harder. Check your filter and see if you can see through it. If you can’t, then it needs to be changed. There are permanent filters out their that you can buy so you can clean them and reuse them saving your money and protecting the environment.
Drive slow. The faster your drive your car the less fuel efficient it becomes, simple as that. If you normally speed, try driving the limit for a week and track the difference in your gas mileage. I guarantee you will notice a difference.
Say yes to trucks. It is a misconception that large vehicles like trucks and SUV’s are worse for the environment. Ever notice in a traffic jam that the big trucks just stay in a slow consistent motion whereas the cars are speeding and stopping constantly? This starting and stopping uses a ton of fuel. It is a fact that it takes more fuel to get a larger vehicle to start moving but it takes less to keep it moving. By staying in constant motion you save fuel so think about giving a truck a try.
Ease into acceleration. Don’t accelerate fast after every light goes green. Ease into it. That way if you need to stop again at the next light you use less fuel slowing down.
Say no to A/C. Instead of hitting the on button for your A/C in your car, open your windows and enjoy the fresh air. At lower speeds this will save you fuel. I do this I prefer it. It is so nice to smell nature and get that breeze across your face while driving.
Keep your car clean. The more weight your have in your car, the more gas it uses to haul and move the stuff. Periodically go through your car and clean it out; bring inside the house the items that you don’t need in there. Surprisingly, it 40-50 lbs of stuff can come out pretty quick. For us, it’s our golf clubs. We constantly forget to bring them in and they can sit in our trunk for months.
Don’t drive. Just because you have a car does not mean you have to drive it everywhere. Take the train or carpool for shopping trips or walk with your kids to the school. Not only will this save fuel and money it also helps your health and the health of the planet.
I hope these tips have gotten you to consider how green you are when it comes to your car. Try some of these tips out. It will feel good to know you are doing your part for the environment and saving your cash.
