9 Ways to help save you money at the pump

Gas prices jumped once again this week, to a national average of $4.05 a gallon for regular unleaded, according to AAA. With this continuous and never-ending rise in gas prices fuel economy is vital. So, here are nine tactics to help you get the most miles per gallon from your vehicle and save money, too.

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Check Yourself
Sacrifice a Saturday when needed to get the oil changes and tune-ups when they are due. Keeping your vehicle running the way it’s supposed to can really help your gas mileage. A faulty oxygen sensor can hurt your mileage by up to 40 percent and even a clogged air filter can make you lose an additional 10 percent. Just make sure you choose a service station near someplace you can hang out, because you don’t want to spend your entire day looking at the auto traders and drinking stale coffee in the waiting room.

Pump It Up
Check your tires. Underinflated tires can lower your gas mileage 0.4 percent for every pound that isn’t in your four wheels. So fill em’ up to the recommended poundage in your owners manual because tires with low air also have a shorter life span.

Strike Oil
Three months or 3000 miles, it’s an easy saying to remember and the guys at the Quick Lube will even put a sticker on your window to remind you. But make sure they use the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil because using a 10W-30 in an engine that takes 5W-30 can reduce your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Energy conserving oil can also reduce friction and friction is bad for mileage.

American Idle
Don’t just sit there, bust a move. Letting your car idle, whether it be in rush hour or even sitting in a drive-thru waiting for your FrappaLottaWhateva, is a complete waste of gas. Try doing some research on the best possible routes to work or if possible, stagger your hours to miss the traffic all together and go inside if there is a long line in that Starbucks drive thru.

Keep It Steady
Cruise control isn’t just for people without feet. It actually helps your vehicle consume gas more efficiently. Also, speeding up and braking can lower your mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in town. So get your foot tourettes checked out, it could save you a lot.

Sloooooooow Down
You know speeding outside of GTA4 is illegal, right? But did you know that gas mileage decreases very quickly when traveling above 60 mph. It can cost you about 20 cents per gallon for every 5 miles of law you break. Not to mention the court fees if you’re caught.

Junk in the Trunk
I think it’s time you lose some weight. In your car, that is. Tools, storage, 8-tracks, can really weigh down your vehicle. Clean out all the unnecessary gear. An extra hundred pounds can reduce your mpg by up to 2 percent. It might also be a good idea to remove any items tied to your roof like an elk for example. Turning on your air conditioning and rolling up the windows is another way to help. Wind drag can hurt your fuel efficiency by another 5 percent.

Be On The Lookout
Don’t just hit your favorite gas station because it’s the only one on the way to work that sells the 180oz Bladder Buster. Look around because gas prices change often and by as much as 20 percent. Or, instead of driving around and wasting gas, you could go to Gasfinder.com and check for the best prices in your area or if you don’t have your own, “borrow” someone’s Costco card and fill up there since they typically have the lowest prices at the pump.

Mpg Snob
A lot of efficiency problems can be solved by simply purchasing a new vehicle. Okay, maybe simply isn’t the right word but trading a vehicle that gets 20 miles per gallon for one that gives you 30 mpg, at 15,000 miles a year, can save you hundreds of dollars in gas. It might be time to get rid of that old AMC Gremlin anyway.

See Related Articles:

• Gas Prices’ Flip Side: Roadsters Are Now Practical
• Want Cheap Gas? Head Over to Mexico
• How Far Have Gas Prices Driven You?
• Wanna Save On Gas?
• Research: Green Cars