- BAD TIRE PRESSURE AND EXTRA WEIGHT ARE BAD!!! Check your tires at least once a month to have the right pressure, not having it right can lower by 8% your MPG (miles per gallon). Carrying extra weight can also decrease your MPG another 1%-2%. If you have stuff in your trunk or just tossed around take them out, you’ll also have a cleaner car.
- RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL BEFORE BREAKING don’t wait until you are close to the stop sign or the car in front of you to apply your breaks. Releasing the gas pedal far enough will decrease your speed and applying your breaks slower and further back will decrease your fuel consumption.
- MAINTAIN STEADY SPEEDS by using your cruise control on the highway and not speeding up and down too much while in the city will help greatly. Being more aware of your speed can help your fuel usage up to 20%, this too will make you a more predictable driver and thus safer. Don’t floor it every time you think you are slowing down, just do it accordingly.
- DON’T TAKE BUSY ROADS that often, I know sometimes traffic can be just too much but be aware of other routes that might be less cluttered with less stop and go traffic or signs. Being stuck in traffic uses “idle miles” which is miles you could have gotten on your car while moving and now you are just using fuel to stand behind someone for blocks or even miles. Up to 15% of your fuel tank can be consumed just by stop and go traffic.
- ACCELERATE GENTLY and be a more cautious driver. Stepping on the gas pedal too hard can be fun but it gets old and expensive not to mention its unsafe. You will get there when you get there, the faster you accelerate the more fuel you consume. People say they aren’t getting the MPG the manufacturer stated, this is most likely because of the heavy foot work. Accelerating faster makes you a more aggressive driver and more prone to accidents because of the decreased reaction time, so be patient and drive gently and you will see a substantial increase in fuel mileage.
