Got Gas?
One of the #1 complaints I get from people is that it’s not so easy to run out and “just buy a hybrid car” as way to be greener and save money at the gas pump. And I tell them: not all hybrid cars are actually better or greener for the environment. In fact, many standard cars today actually achieve comparable or even better miles per gallon than many “hybrid” automobiles.
The fact is that the Miles Per Gallon (MPG) averages are based on best -case scenarios and are not the reality of what car’s true performance. American drivers perform bad “eco-habits” that reduce a car’s average MPG and many drivers are completely unaware they are even doing these habits to begin with.
By breaking these bad eco-habits, you can increase the fuel efficiency of your existing car by up to a whopping 20%. So, instead of scrapping a perfectly good car for a new one, just try to change these five little habits to save money and save the environment.
BAD HABIT TO BREAK #1:
It’s a drag. At highway speeds, more than 50 percent of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. Try not to add to the drag by carrying things on top of your vehicle. A loaded roof rack can decrease a car’s fuel efficiency by 5 percent, or a savings of $107 annually. Even driving with empty ski racks wastes gas. In addition, on days you need your air conditioning, it’s better to USE air conditioning at a low setting when driving at high speeds on highways than to keep the open windows. Open windows decrease your car’s aerodynamic drag.
BAD HABIT #2:
PROPERLY INSTALL A GAS CAP. Can your gas cap increase fuel efficiency? Yes, it can. In cars with sealed or evaporative fuel systems (most cars built after 1970), check to make sure that the rubber seal or gasket on your gas cap is not deteriorated or falling apart. If the gasket is not forming a good seal or if your gas cap is missing altogether, then gasoline is evaporating out of your tank. Also, make sure you twist a gas cap tightly, so it clicks at least THREE times to ensure a proper seal.
A car that sits in the sun with a loose or missing gas cap can lose half a tank of gas in a week by way of evaporation. It is estimated that 147,000,000 gallons of gasoline are lost each year to evaporation from bad gas cap seals or missing gas caps. Gas caps are cheap and available at any auto parts store. You can save about $35 annually in stopping evaporating gas.
BAD HABIT #3:
Remove Excess Weight. Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The smaller your car, the more fuel efficiency you lose with extra weight.
If you live in a metropolitan area where you commute to and from work is always on busy roads, consider leaving the spare tire at home. A spare tire weighs on average 30-40 pounds. For those long road trips or weekend trips down bucolic country roads, that’s when you can reload the spare tire for added safety. Keep a can of fix-a-flat tire sealant/inflator on hand to temporarily patch a flat tire, so you can drive to an auto center to get it replaced.
Empty the trunk of all unnecessary items and resist the temptation to turn your car into a “mobile office” with files, books, etc. Make it a habit to always load and unload the car of everything you have. For each 100 lbs of excess weight removed, you’ll earn 1-2% extra fuel efficiency, which averages $42 in savings each year.
BAD HABIT #4:
Watch the tires. Keep your tires properly inflated. Under-inflated tires require more energy to roll, which not only wastes fuel but also wears the tires faster. According to the EPA, a tire that is under-inflated by only 2 pounds per square inch can cause a 1 percent increase in fuel consumption. Under-inflated tires can also build up excess heat, which can lead to tire failure.
If you are unsure how to check your tire’s pressure, have it checked during your routine oil changes by a service professional. You can find your car’s recommended tire pressure on a label inside the car: it’s usually in a door jamb or inside the glove box lid.
BAD HABIT #5:
Stay tuned. One of the biggest gas hogs is a simple maintenance procedure most driver’s don’t bother to do or even know needs to be done. A car’s air filter is designed to trap dirt and particulates from the a ir, preventing impurities from damaging your engine and inside your car. A clogged air filter can cause a 10% increase in fuel consumption, or $215 in wasted gas annually. When you replace the oil in your car, check to see if you the air filter should be replaced too. On average, the filter should be replaced every 15,000 miles. Keep a small removable sticker in your car that has the actual mileage your car next needs an air filter changed.
BAD HABIT #6:
Lose Weight. After losing the car’s spare tire, you may want to consider losing your own excess weight. Americans are spending more money on fuel these days in part because ad ult men and women on average are at least 24 pounds heavier than their counterparts were in 1960. The average man weighs 191 pounds, 25 more than in 1960. The average woman weighs 164 pounds, up from 140 in 1960.
Collectively, today’s automobiles are burning more gasoline to haul all that extra weight around — about 1 billion gallons more annually, in fact, than they would if drivers weighed the same as they did in 1960. Each pound gained by the average person collectively leads to the consumption of 39 million extra gallons of fuel a year, the study found.
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