Gas Mileage

Fair warning this is one of my soapboxes.

Gasoline. Such a charged word of late. So, have you ever complained about how much it costs to fill up at the tank? Well my friends, in hopes of helping you all out - may I say one thing? SLOW DOWN. We all would save on fuel budgets if we would just change our habits. We need to slowly accelerate, slowly decelerate, and drive the speed limits. Go ahead, roll your eyes, but changing these three things - depending upon how inefficiently you currently drive - can save you up to 55% of your current gas bill. Hmm - yes - start adding up those dollar signs over a year. If everyone did this, imagine the gas and air we could save - not to mention seriously cutting our reliance on OPEC and all the issues that go with it. http://www.pickensplan.com/oilimports/

Our two cars show us our current gas consumption. The averages plummet if we start up quickly and slam on the breaks. This also happens if we drive over 60 mpg. At current prices (1.93 per gallon), every 5 miles you drive over 60 you are paying another .24 cents/gallon at the pump. Yes, I know people don't like it on the highway. They act like anyone driving slowly is an idiot. Well, perhaps they just don't know and you can laugh back at them, knowing you are saving gas, money, and the planet all at the same time. :)

Other tips to save gas.

1. Turn off the radio instead of turning the volume down.
2. Take out extra out of your car if you are not using it. Hauling more costs more. Why pay more to use your car as a moveable storage or garbage facility?
3. Don't use the heat if you don't necessary.
4. Don't use the air unless you necessary.
5. Don't idle if you don't have to - turn it off it is going to be longer than 35-45 seconds.
6. If you see your mpg constantly creeping up - use your cruise control on highways. - You can get better mpg if you coast down hils and slowly go up hills, but it takes time to learn.
7. Use overdrive gears -(I still don't know how to do this.)
8. Keep your tires inflated.
9. Keep your car maintained
10. Combine your errands.
11. Ride a bike instead!

You can put a mpg consumption computer in your car http://www.amazon.com/ScanGauge-Compact-Multifunction-Computer-Customizable/dp/B000AAMY86?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1204690333&sr=1-1

or get a gadget that yells at you when you do it wrong - http://www.fuelmiser.com/ or http://www.digitalfuelmizer.com/

As a disclaimer - please don't try the whole additives thing. They are doing bad things to cars etc.