Saving Money On Gas

[Henry]

Not sure I believe all these tips that Fox 44 gave, but here they are:

If you spend any time driving then unfortunately, you'll have to spend some time at the pumps where watching rising prices is getting painful.

One way to get the most for your money is to pay attention to how you drive.

That means don't be aggressive, and avoid rapid starts and stops.

The US Department of Energy says based on a gas price of $3.22 per gallon, avoiding aggressive driving could save you up to $1.16 per gallon.

Driving just below the speed limit on the highway will also save you money - up to $0.81 on the gallon, and it's safer.

One of the best ways to maximize you fuel efficiency is don't idle, because leaving you car running for an hour will burn half a gallon of gas and you'd have no mileage to show for it.

Also, remove excess weight from your vehicle.  Dropping a hundred pounds of unneeded cargo will save you $0.7 per gallon.

Your tires can have a huge impact on fuel economy.

Keep them inflated to the manufacturer's suggested pressure.

Under inflated tires can cost you about $0.11 a gallon.

So can a poorly tuned engine - up to $0.14 a gallon.

Use the recommended oil for your vehicle, and don't forget about what you put on top of your car.

The extra drag it creates can decrease fuel economy by about 5%.

http://www.fox44now.com/Global/story.asp?S=14259134

[rod anode]

boy if you follow all those tips you should be able to drive for free!!!!!

[Henry]

Thats what I was thinking too Ed

[Jim M]

And, avoid drive-thru's
 It's hard to believe we have so many of them with so many "NO IDLING" signs around town

[Willinreach]

avoid rapid starts and stops.

With the way the roads are around here, especially 128 from Westford to Essex, I must be wasting my gas away.  It's pretty much impossible to stay at a steady speed...

You drive 50 feet and have to almost stop to avoid bottoming out on those pot holes / frost heaves.

[mkr]

I was thinking the same thing about Route 128. Tires, oil changes, and air filters are good one to remember for sure.

As for dropping 100 pounds, well I guess I will have to leave the dog at home to save .70 gal.  I will tell him to lose some weight and I will too and see if we can split the difference

[trussell]

I really want to make a "dropping 100 lbs" comment but, miraculously, know better

[slpott]

Trevor, go ahead. I bet if you do Kellie will hit you over the head with a brick.

[Corm]

Here are some more gas saving tips I recently received from a friend -

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up; most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

Corm

[GamingWeasel]

Interesting tips that I would never have thought of Corm. Thanks!