Gas prices are going sky high and so are the prices of fuel efficient cars. The prices of these cars are going up for two reasons. The first is the turmoil in Libya and the rest of the Middle East which is causing the cost per barrel of oil to go to all time highs.
The second reason is the situation in Japan. The rolling brown outs have not only caused the production of small cars and hybrids to be stopped, but also a halt in the production of car parts. Many of these parts are used in American cars as well. A shortage in the production of fuel efficient cars at a time when the demand for them is increasing means the prices for these cars whether they are new or used are drastically up.
So what do you do if you cannot afford a buy a more fuel efficient car? The answer is to improve the gas mileage of your present car. There are some things you can do to greatly improve your gas mileage that do not cost a lot of money.
Start with your tires. Lowering the rolling resistance of your tires can actually improve your gas mileage by one or two mpg because of the reduced friction. You can lower the rolling resistance by simply keeping your tires properly inflated. If you do need to purchase new tires, look for ones with the lowest rolling resistance. High performance tires usually have higher resistance, while all season tires generally have less rolling resistance. Check the specifications on the tires to make sure.
Next, check your air filter. If it is dirty, replace it. If there are more than 30,000 miles on your spark plugs, it is probably time to replace them. The smoother your cars engine runs, the better gas mileage you will get. Also, remove anything from your car you do not really need. More weight means more gas.
Another thing that will significantly improve your gas mileage is to simply slow down. If you slow down, accelerate gradually, anticipate stops so that you can coast where possible, you will get two or three more mpg. This does not even cost a dime.
If your vehicle has a roof rack, remove it when you are not using it. The drag from it will cost you two or three mpg. The same is true for open be pickup trucks. If you have one, put a bed cover on it to reduce the drag and improve your gas mileage.
There are varying opinions about whether it is more fuel efficient to open the windows during hot weather or to close them and run the air conditioning. The general consensus is to open the windows when driving in the city and run the air conditioning when driving on the highway. The theory is that at highway speeds the drag from the open windows cost more gas than is used by the air conditioning.
Most experts also say that there is no great advantage to using a mid-grade or premium grade gas unless you are driving a high performance car. Using the regular grade gas will save you money on every fill up.
Doing a few relatively inexpensive things can significantly improve your cars gas mileage. With the current economy and the soaring gas prices, any improvement is a good thing.
Author Resource:
Karen Campese is the Co-founder and CEO of Cars4Charities, a not for profit car donation center. They have over 1,000 respected charities that you can donate car to. When you donate your car , you get a tax deduction and help a good cause.
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