6 Proven Fuel Saving Tricks
1. Slow down
One of the best ways to save gas is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially. If you one of the “ten-over on the freeway” set, try driving the speed limit for a few days. You’ll save a lot of fuel and your journey won’t take much longer.
2. Replace the Air Filter
Also another really good strategy to saving fuel I learned once while talking to a race car driver at a drag race was that spending a little extra money on a high performance air filter. For example a K$N air filter it may cost a little more than your stock air cleaner however it lasts longer and is reusable improves horsepower and also improves fuel economy.
3. Check your tire pressure
Under-inflated tires are one of the major causes of reduced fuel economy. Tires lose air due to weather changes or just sitting idle about 1 psi a month.
4. Stay away from fancy extras
New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can certainly improve handling. But if they are wider than the stock tires, chances are they’ll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy. If you upgrade your wheels and tires, keep the old ones. I have fancy sport rims and aggressive tires on my own car, but I keep the stock wheels with a good narrower-tread performance tire in the garage. For long road trips, the stock wheels give a smoother ride and better economy.
5. Get the Leadfoot Out
You can save fuel immediately in whatever you drive by going easy on the accelerator. Jack rabbit starts and full-throttle acceleration boost fuel consumption dramatically. It’s all a matter of degree: Light acceleration saves more than moderate acceleration.
6. go back to the classics
The biggest fuel savings comes not from hybrid technology but from the old standards: car pooling and public transportation. If you and just one friend or neighbor trade off commuting to and from work, you cut your fuel usage by about 50 percent. No other step will save you as much money. Also, if you have two vehicles in the family motor pool, leave the thirstier one in the garage as often as possible.