Jul 18, 2008 9:46 am US/Eastern
Ways To Make Gas Last A Little Longer
BALTIMORE (CBS) ―
There's not a whole lot you can do about prices at the pump, but there are ways to make a gallon go farther.
First, check your tire pressure. If your tires get too low, it creates friction and drag.
"If you keep your tires properly inflated, what can happen is that you save 3.5% on fuel economy, or about 12 cents a gallon," Andy Gilliard from Valvoline told WJZ-TV in Baltimore
Change your air filter.
"If you have too little air coming in, you're going to burn more gas, which can cost you 15-20 cents a gallon," said Gilliard. "When you can see the debris and you can't see the light coming through, it's usually a good time to change the air filter."
Something as simple as checking your gas cap can save big bucks.
"Gasoline evaporates just like alcohol does. Sometimes you can lose as much as 15 cents a gallon or up to two miles a gallon just for not having your gas cap tight," Gilliard said.
Change the way you drive.
"Using cruise control on any long-term driving will actually help and save you 15% on fuel economy," he said.
Check your speed. Gas mileage rapidly decreases at speeds over 60 miles per hour. You can assume that every five miles over 60 that you go, you're spending an additional 30 cents per gallon of gas.
"One of the best things you can do is imagine there is an egg on the accelerator. If you gradually give acceleration where you won't break the egg, you will save tremendously on fuel economy," Gilliard said.
And finally, remove excess weight from your trunk.
"Anything that you have that's more than 100 pounds, you lose up to two percent fuel economy," he said.
Another good tip: by switching to synthetic motor oil, you can save up to 10% on your fuel costs.
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