The price of gas has continued to escalate and it makes sense to buy fuel-efficient car models. In fact, some car models are inappropriate, because they have poor gas mileage. We should consider whether it is necessary to purchase a huge SUV, if we are only a family of four. Many car owners plan to sell their full-sized SUVs, because the fuel and maintenance costs are simply unbearable.
To avoid such a headache, it is a good idea to choose a mid-size SUV model instead. There are many ways we can improve the efficiency our car, such as by choosing models with good mileage. Our driving habits also have a huge impact on our fuel costs. We should look for ways to properly manage the operating costs of our cars. Efficient usages could also help us minimize emissions, because we will drive less frequently.
Here are things we should do to improve our mileage:
1. Check the mileage of our car accurately:
Before we plan to improve our mileage, it is important to know the mileage of our car. We shouldn’t trust the number manufacturers give us. The actual mileage could be affected by many factors and the value stated in the marketing brochure could be based on best-case scenarios. Before turning our gas guzzler into real fuel saver, it is important to know the real mpg. We could do this by buying only $10 of gas or any value that’s easy to calculate. Check how many miles we drive before we reach the previous fuel levels.
2. Drive much slower:
It is clear that the aerodynamic drag has a significant effect on our fuel efficiency. The drag will increases when we drive faster. The drag force at 70mph could be twice higher than the force at 50mph. So, we should keep the speed down to increase our mileage. Overall, gas mileage could start decrease significantly if we drive above 60mph. After 60mph, we will burn an extra $0.1 worth of gas for each mile.
Driving slower could also improve our reaction times and this will make it safer for use to drive at longer distance. Overall, we could burn 20 percent more gas when our highway cruise speed is 74mph; instead of 62mph.
3. Keep a constant speed:
Our car is the most efficient when it is at a constant speed. We will burn more gas when we speed up. By maintaining a normal, steady speed; we should be able to improve our fuel efficiency. It is a good idea to enable the cruise control feature in our car.
4. Drive gently:
We should avoid hard braking, rapid acceleration and aggressive driving to reduce gas usages. Our gas mileage could be 33 percent lower if we habitually adopt bad habits. Reasonable driving habits could also improve safety. We should consider using overdrive gears while on the hihghway, not only to reduce fuel usage, but also to reduce engine wear.
About: Author is an employee of reputed seo services company. He’s likes blogging on internet marketing, small business tips and Finance.