Ten Ways Drivers Can Cut Gasoline Costs and Gas Consumption

At $3.50 a Gallon, Typical Savings Can Be Up to 35 cents a Gallon

Americans can take steps to reduce the nation's oil import dependence by maintaining their vehicles and driving them more economically. Below are CFA's top ten gas-saving tips with savings updated for April 2008 gas prices.

Toyota Prius gas mileage indicator: Photo by Andrew Huff (CC)

1. Check Your Air Filter: A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%, and nearly one in four cars needs an air filter replacement. Changing a dirty air filter can save the equivalent of 35 cents a gallon or carry you 23 more miles on a typical tank of gas.

2. Straighten Out: Poor alignment not only causes tires to wear out more quickly, but also forces your engine to work harder, which can reduce gas mileage by as much as 10%. Fixing improper alignment would be like saving 35 cents per gallon.

3. Tune Up: A properly tuned engine can improve mileage by 4% which is like saving 14 cents a gallon.

4. Pump 'em Up: More than one-quarter of vehicles have improperly inflated tires. The average under-inflation of 7.5 lbs. causes a loss of 2.8% in fuel efficiency. Properly inflating problem tires is like knocking 10 cents off a gallon of gas.

5. Check Your Cap: It is estimated that nearly 17% of cars on the road have broken or missing gas caps, which reduce gas mileage as well as possibly harming the environment. Fixing or replacing a faulty gas cap is like saving 3 cents per gallon.

6. Lose Weight: For every 100 extra pounds carried around, your vehicle loses 1-2% in fuel efficiency. For every 100 lbs you unload, you’re saving the equivalent of 4 cents per gallon.

7. Don't Speed: For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you can reduce fuel consumption by 7%. If you typically drive 70 on the highway and slow down to 65, it’s the equivalent of saving 25 cents a gallon.

8. Drive Smoother: The smoother you accelerate and decelerate, the better your gas mileage, with potential gas savings of 33% on the highway and 5% around town. Consumers who currently drive erratically can pocket the equivalent 62 cents a gallon by driving more smoothly.

9. Foot Off: Riding with your foot on the brake not only wears out brakes but can also reduce gas consumption by as much as 35%. If you kick the habit of driving with your foot on the brake, you’ll get the equivalent of 1.19 cents per gallon in savings.

10. Don't Idle: If stopped off the road for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. Don't "warm up" your car before driving -- it is not necessary. For every two minutes that you don’t idle, you’ll save the equivalent of nearly 1 cent per gallon.

"We estimate that if Americans practiced these tips gas mileage could be improved in total by about 13%," said Jack Gillis, CFA's Director of Public Affairs.

Source: CFA

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