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How to Save Gas This Summer

June 7, 2010 by Simon

Here’s a couple of easy ways you can save gas during summer, especially during a hot summer.

Park in the shadow and your car will be a lot more comfortable when you’re ready to leave. The reason you’ll save gas is that your air condition will not have to work so hard to cool the car down when get on the road again. You’ll also keep the cars paintwork and tires in better shape and prevent the chocolate you left in the glove compartment from melting.

Be careful with the A/C as it is one beast of a gas gulper. Don’t turn the temperature down too much, you’ll just get a cold. Open the doors before you leave and read “Park in the shadow” above. Drive with windows open if you do slow city speeds but remember that the drag from the windows makes them even more wasteful than the A/C at highway speeds.

Enjoy the weather instead of using the car. Walk to the corner grocery instead of driving to the supermarket, take the bike to work if it’s not too far, and let the kids use their bikes instead of driving them everywhere.

Check the tire pressure all times of the year as this is one of the easiest ways of saving gas. A properly inflated tire can save you up to 5% in gas expenses and an under inflated tire is unsafe and may explode from overheating if stressed enough.

Make sure you have a gas cap and it’s not broken as the heat of summer will make the fuel in your tank evaporate a lot faster then in winter. The cap makes sure your hard earned gas dollars are not excaping into the athmosphere.

Happy driving,

Simon

Remember to Turn of the A/C

August 2, 2009 by Simon

It’s still summer and some days can be really hot. Remember that as soon as you turn on the A/C you could be loosing as much as 10MPG, the A/C is a real power hog.

Do this:

1. Turn off the A/C
2. If that’s not possible adjust the temperature setting to just a little bit cooler than outside instead of super cool. This will make the A/C use less power.
3. Open all doors for a couple  of minutes before you go, this will let a lot of extra heat out of the car and reduce the need for A/C
4. Open the windows if you are going at low speed. At high speed it’s more economical to use the A/C as the open windows will ruin the aerodynamics of the car and work as an air-break.
5. Park the car in the shade to keep it cool (you’ll keep the paintwork from fading too)
6. If you go on a longer trip consider driving at night if you can stay awake. You not only get away from the heat you also get away from daytime and rush hour traffic.

Do this and save some gas during hot summer days!

Dedicated to improving your fuel economy,

Simon Byholm
MilesGallon.com