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Gas prices in the United States are climbing
steadily, with some areas already seeing prices above $3.00 a
gallon. As drivers, there is not much we can do other than pay
the prices at the pump, or is there? The experienced editors at
Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
offer the following tips to save money and gas:
1. If your vehicle does "not" require premium grade gas but you use it
anyway, it is OK to change to a lower grade to save a few dollars. In fact, you
may find that you get better fuel economy with a lower grade of gasoline. Try
two tanks of each of the lower grades and see for yourself. However, If your vehicle requires
premium grade gasoline, stay with a premium grade.
2. Four tanks of gasoline with "Techron" can clean your fuel injectors
as well as most professional grade cleaners. Clean injectors will help your vehicle
get up to 5 percent better gas mileage. 3.
Accelerate normally from a fully stopped position and avoid flooring or stabbing
the gas pedal. The flooring or stabbing action pushes more fuel to the engine
than is needed to move forward. 4. Check your vehicle's air filter and tire pressure.
A clogged or dirty air-filter can slow your vehicle down and use more gasoline.
A clean filter will promote less gas waste. Under-inflated tires could also cause
excessive drag, slowing the vehicle down and use more gas as well as be a safety
hazard. 5.
Using your air conditioning and rolling down your windows either create drag on
your car, requiring more gas to keep up your speed. It takes about 5 - 8 horsepower
to run the air conditioning. Running your air conditioning on a lower setting
or using the recirculation feature may help. And
if you are in the market for a more fuel-efficient vehicle, Kelley Blue Book's
editors recommend looking at the following vehicles: Top 10 Great Gas Mileage Vehicles
1
- Honda Insight (Hybrid) 60 mpg city/66 mpg hwy
2
- Toyota Prius (Hybrid) 60/51
3
- Honda Civic Hybrid 47/48
4
- VW Jetta Wagon Diesel 38/46
5
- VW Beetle Diesel 38/46
VW Golf Diesel 38/46
VW Jetta Sedan Diesel 38/46
6
- Honda Civic 36/44
7
- Toyota Echo 35/43
8
- Toyota Corolla 32/40
9
- Scion xA 32/38
10
- Dodge Neon 29/36
For more money saving vehicle tips and information,
log on to www.kbb.com. |
