With the price of gasoline always fluctuating, it is a smart idea to constantly find new ways to make your vehicle just a bit more fuel-efficient. Less money paid to the oil companies means more money left in your pocket and that’s always a good thing, right? With that in mind, here are a few simple ways that you can stretch your fuel dollar without even thinking about it.
Don’t Use as a Storage Unit
Keeping mounds of junk in your backseat or trunk is a sure way to needlessly burn through gasoline. Get rid of any extra stuff that you don’t need in the car. even if you don’t have a hundred pounds-plus of stuff, every little bit of excess weight removed can help you achieve fuel efficiency.
Watch the Tire Pressure
Having your tires consistently under- or over-inflated is not only a drag on fuel efficiency but it is a danger to operate the vehicle in such a condition as well. When you have your tires properly inflated, it can increase the MPG you get by at least 5 miles per gallon. Buy a digital air pressure monitor and check the pressure about once a week. Some people even go so far as keeping a portable tire inflator in the trunk of their vehicle so that they can inflate on the go.
Avoid Old Gasoline
Gasoline does not last forever. If your vehicle has been sitting for a long period, you will want to drain the old gasoline and replace it with fresh gasoline. Even if the gas has not evaporated from the fuel tank, the chemical composition of the fuel will have changed after a few months and will cause not only lower fuel efficiency but actual engine damage as well. For more information about gasoline longevity and how gasoline can go bad, check out this handy online guide.
Use the Right Oil
You may be surprised to find out that many people do not check what kind of motor oil the manufacturer of their car recommends. Failing to use the correct oil can cause the engine to work harder than it should, which in turn leads to using more fuel than it should. If the viscosity is too thin, it will not protect the engine as it should and could cause the engine to overheat.
Replace the Gas Cap
You may not think that something as inconspicuous as a gas cap would make a difference in terms of fuel efficiency, but you’d be wrong in that line of that thinking. After a few years, the rubber seal on the gas cap begins to deteriorate, which allows oxygen into the gas tank. This proceeds to get sucked up into the fuel tank which results in lower fuel economy.
Watch Your Speed
Driving over the posted speed limit is a sure way to lose efficiency. Even though every car has a sweet spot in terms of fuel economy, none of them are more economical at a speed of over 60 mph.