Summer’s here and, unfortunately, so are high gas prices. But we have you covered with 8 great tips to help you enjoy a road trip and still have some money in your wallet left over for souvenirs:
1. Pack light: Extra weight cuts fuel economy, so pack as light as possible. Also, avoid hauling your stuff outside the vehicle. Roof-top bins and racks can cut fuel economy by about 21%.
2. Use the cheapest gas you can: Check your owner’s manual for the kind of fuel your car needs. If the manual recommends Regular gas, use it. Putting in Premium just wastes money.
3. Use cruise control: If you’re driving over relatively even terrain, cruise control can prevent unnecessary speed changes which waste gas.
4. Slow down: Even if you’re driving at a constant speed, going too fast wastes gas. Within the range of normal highway speeds, each 10 miles per hour faster will reduce your fuel economy by 15% to 20%.
5. Calm down in town: When not in highway traffic, take it easy on the pedals. Aggressive acceleration and hard braking waste an amazing amount of fuel.
6. Use the AC if you want: It’s debatable whether it uses more fuel to drive with your windows down or rolled up with the air conditioner on. So, cool down and enjoy.
7. Avoid getting stuck: Idling and slow driving wastes a lot of fuel, so plan to drive at times when few others are.
8. Give your car a check up: For reasons of both safety and fuel economy, you should give your car a good once-over before setting off. Make sure tire pressure is set correctly, the filters are clear, your fluids are fresh and the engine is running well.
(Source: CNN Money article featured on AOL Autos)
If your current car is still too gas-thirsty, think about buying a more fuel-efficient one. Check out this list of the best gas savers (MPG listed is city/highway):
Mid-size wagon: Smart Car for Two (33/41)
Mini Cooper (28/37)
Toyota Yaris (29/36)
Honda Civic Hybrid (40/45)
Toyota Prius (48/45)
Honda Accord (22/31)
Honda Fit (28/34)
VW Passat (21/29)
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