Car owners have always been desirous of better mileage form their cars. However, better fuel efficiency has never been more important than it is today considering the manner in which fuel prices have shot up in the last few years. Making your car run a few extra miles on a liter of gas is not only good for you in terms of saving of money but also good for country’s economy with less spending on oil imports. There are many ways you can save on precious fuel by improving your car’s mileage.
Drive slowly
This is the golden rule for all those who have a desire to increase the fuel efficiency of their car. Speeding your car in a bid to save on time costs you dearly as high speeds cause a drop in the mileage of your car by up to 33%. If you can control your urge to compete with others ort to zip away on highways, you can increase the mileage of your car drastically. Interested in knowing why this happens? High speeds create a high wind resistance that your car has to overcome thereby reducing its mileage.
Do not forget to change gears
Many people have this habit of increasing the speed of their car without shifting into higher gears. You would be surprised to know that when you run your car at high speeds without shifting into high gears, you have to spend nearly 50% more fuel than you would if you changed gears. So drive in the right gear according to the speed of the car.
Do not idle for too long
Many people keep their cars idling for far too long without any reason. You should speed away once you have started the car. Also, turn off the ignition of your car at the signals to avoid wasting gas.
Resist the temptation to keep windows open
On highways, keeping the windows closed will help you to get a better fuel efficiency as wind creates a drag when the windows are open that has to be overcome by the car.
Anticipate the movement of other vehicles
Pressing accelerator and brake pedals frequently makes your car to work harder and it utilizes more fuel. Instead of speeding up for a moment and applying brakes at the signal, it is better to anticipate the speed that will keep you moving to save on fuel.
Get rid of excess weight
If you have some heavy articles at the back of the car, your car will consume more gas than when it is empty. Excess weight puts a drag on the car and its engine has to work harder than when it is light and zippy.
Keep tire pressure just right
Keep checking the air pressure in the tires of your car and maintain it as less air pressure causes poor mileage of the car. The engine has to work that much harder with low air pressure.
Avoid congested roads
This is one tip that can save you a lot of fuel as you may have to cover a few extra miles but you still save fuel as driving in traffic jams makes your car give very poor mileage.
Check the fluid levels of your car
If you are a smart car owner, you would do well to regularly check engine oil, brake oil, coolant level, and so on. Driving at reduced engine oil levels can not only drop the level of performance, it also means getting poor mileage.
If you follow these useful tips, you can expect a better mileage from your car. Regular servicing also helps in better car mileage.