Gas Saving Tips

Doesn't OPEC realize that the more they hold out on us the bigger the blow-back? We Americans are a sleeping giant and you can only kick us around for so long. Personally, I think this is a good thing (no, not $4+ per gallon). I think this 'crisis' will force us to look into alternatives that we should have done years ago... I remember my Dad tellin' me stories when I was growing-up in the eighties about inventors who came up with alternatives to the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) only to be 'silenced' (interpretation: throw big bunches of cash at 'em) by the all-powerful oil lobbyists. I thought my Dad was just being 'Dad', but now I think he was right (that's happened to me a lot over the years!).

I work in the technology industry. You can't tell me that we don't have the ingenuity or the money to come up with something better than the ICE. Why haven't we? While you're thinking about that, you might want to check-out the DVD, 'Who Killed the Electric Car'. Oh yeah, and here are some gas saving tips while we wait (reprinted from the 5 Star Shine Newsletter):

Simple Tip #1

Always buy gas at the coolest times of day. Early in the morning or late evening are your best bets. Gas expands and contracts based on temperature. Simply put, it takes
less gas to fill up during the coolest time of day than it does the hottest.

Simple Tip #2

Be sure you have the proper air pressure in your tires. This is huge. The less pressure in your tires, the more friction your tires create on the road. This also means
your engine has to work harder to maintain your desired speed when driving. Your tires lose a little air pressure every day. So, over the course of several weeks, your
tire pressure could be off significantly thereby costing you valuable gas mileage. When added up over the course of a year, you could be looking at a savings of few hundred dollars just by maintaining proper air pressure in your tires!

Simple Tip #3

Fouled spark plugs, a dirty air filter or a clogged fuel filter will all have a direct impact on your gas mileage. Have all of these checked every time you go in for an oil
change and have them changed if necessary. Replacing a dirty air filter alone can improve your gas mileage by as much as 10%. At today's prices, that's a savings of about $.33 per gallon!

Simple Tip #4

Slow it down a little. Did you know that cars get about 21% more gas mileage at 55 mph than at 70 mph! It's true.

Simple Tip #5

Remove any excess weight from your trunk. Heavier vehicles require more energy to move, so carrying around excess weight will also affect your mileage. Empty out your trunk(or even your backseat) of unnecessary items. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk will reduce your fuel mileage by 1 to 2 percent in the typical vehicle. If you have a roof rack, only use it whenever you need it. Not only does a roof rack add extra weight, but it also increases the aerodynamic drag on your vehicle.