How to Get Better Fuel Mileage

How to Get Better Fuel Mileage

Most of the items listed here are common sense things that we sometimes forget or over look because we are in a hurry. But if you follow this list of fuel saving ideas, you can count on saving up to 10% of your current fuel budget.

Check your tire pressures at least once a month. Under inflated tires are one of the biggest culprits of bad fuel mileage. Under inflated tires can increase your fuel consumption by around 5%
Avoid "Jack Rabbit" starts. Jumping on the gas peddle when the light turns green and spinning the tires may empress some of your friends, but it will increase fuel consumption drastically. It is also really hard on your drive train and the tires.
Coasting to a stop at red lights, and avoiding abrupt stops, saves fuel. It will also increase the life of your brakes.
Make good use of your transmission's "Over-Drive" gear on the Highway. The less RPM your engine is turning, the better your fuel mileage will be in most cases.
When climbing hills or a steep grade, try to get a run at it. This will keep you from having to press the accelerator pedal to the floor to maintain your speed.
Get your vehicle serviced regularly. A poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by up to 40%
Driving the speed limit. Most vehicles on the road today are geared and tuned to get the best mileage at 60-65 mph. Slowing down can reduce your fuel consumption by up to 10%
Keep your car and the trunk of your car cleaned out. A loaded trunk or a junk filled interior can increase fuel consumption by as much as 5%.
Drive smoothly. Side to side steering wheel movement creates tire scrubbing on the pavement and that causes fuel-consuming drag.
Accelerate slowly on gravel or slippery roads. Spinning your wheels gets you nowhere fast and consumes a lot of extra fuel.
Maintain a steady speed. Speeding up, and slowing down uses extra fuel.
Reviving the engine just before turning it off uses extra fuel and may cause engine damage.
Avoid using the air conditioner at lower speeds, on short trips and in heavy traffic.