Fuel Saving Tips
Gas Station Pumps / Get consistent MPG scores
Have you noticed some gas pumps are overly sensitive to shutting off before your tank is full? Make a mental note of the bad pumps at your favorite gas station so your MPG scores remain consistent. Doug - Oakland, CA
posted by ChewChewTrain on September 1, 2015
this tip works for 46% of voting Fuelly members.
straighten the road
When conditions allow on mountainous roads, steer a straight line, even if it temporarily crosses the center line. This will reduce friction, reduce the route distance and smooth the ride for your passengers.
posted by PressFit on August 31, 2015
this tip works for 32% of voting Fuelly members.
Highest gear not necessarily "economy" gear
Hi! I was always lead to believe getting in the highest gear as soon as possible was best for economy. My Scangauge shows that often staying in 4th or 5th in my 6 speed car gives better Mpg - despite the eco indicator telling me to upshift!
posted by benlovesgoddess on August 30, 2015
this tip works for 82% of voting Fuelly members.
Drive safely, not stupidly
Do not ever turn off your car when you are driving. You go from being an active, able to avoid driver, to a rock with momentum. Saving an extra ounce of fuel is not worth causing an accident because you couldn't accelerate or brake fast enough.
posted by dirtyJ on August 30, 2015
this tip works for 94% of voting Fuelly members.
Timing Belt Change, 2005 Lexus LS430, 90Kmi and 10 years
Suggested is 90K miles, 10 years. I was right at that, 10 years 86K miles. When it was replaced, which included a lot of other things, like water pump etc. The original pump had a small leak. To quote the excellent mechanic "if you went one more year, coulda been big trouble". $1200 spent. Felt good. There is an after market brand that makes the original equipment named "Aisin", don't use anything but this company replacement equipment, belt, water pump, sensors, etc.
posted by Higgler on August 29, 2015
this tip works for 12% of voting Fuelly members.
Avoid the Drive-Thru
Unless you drive a hybrid the Drive-Thru can be a huge waste of fuel. With a long lineup of vehicles it will take the same amount of time and save money to park and walk in, it's also an opportunity to stretch out your legs and back.
posted by ryguy on August 29, 2015
this tip works for 97% of voting Fuelly members.
Being Considerate When Driving Long Distances
If a car has appears behind you that wasn't there before it means they're driving faster than you and want to pass. When you go through a small township you'll have to slow down so pull over for about 10 seconds and let that car pass. They'll be very grateful. Ever been stuck behind an RV? If you don't let people pass then you are that RV! If you catch a car not going your speed - flash your lights a couple of times. Isn't flashing your lights too aggressive? No, dangerously tail gating someone and honking is aggressive. Unless there is another way to communicate with the car in front of you I suggest a quick couple of flashes.
posted by Nutsaur on August 29, 2015
this tip works for 52% of voting Fuelly members.
Accelerate at high RPMs and Cruise at low RPMs
Try to accelerate at or near your peak torque (this is the most efficient zone for the engine) and once you get to your desired speed shift up into a higher gear to bring the RPM to around 1500. Try experimenting to see if it makes a difference. your fuel consumption will be slighter higher while accelerating but the time you spend accellerating will be reduced which brings the average fuel consumption down. I used to accelerate at 1500-2000rpm, I decided to try accelerating at 2-3000rpm and my fuel consumption has improved by about 10%-20% over my last two fuel ups!
posted by Mikes1992 on August 27, 2015
this tip works for 91% of voting Fuelly members.
Consider the effect of speed/lack of.
It's no secret that higher wind resistance upon your vehicle hurts your fuel economy. However, what many people may not realize, and test have proven this, is that aerodynamic drag increases exponentially as headwind/vehicle speed or both increase. For most vehicles, the optimal speed for maximizing fuel economy is between 40-50mph. As you go faster than that, the aerodynamic drag increases at an increasing rate to your speed. Popular Mechanics ran a test of a Toyota Camry once. At 45, it achieved 35mpg. At 55, it was about 30, and at 65, closer to 25mpg.
posted by jldude on August 23, 2015
this tip works for 89% of voting Fuelly members.
Z-Max
I've been using this in my car oil, car/truck fuel, transmission both auto and manual, power steering, and 2 stroke equipment for about 17 years, pretty close to when it came out. It has saved 2 frozen 2X engines, kept me form losing an aluminum block engine, and just adding it to the oil will pay for itself in 1,000 miles.
posted by scotpeden on August 16, 2015
this tip works for 2% of voting Fuelly members.
Make it a game!
I have a terrible lead foot. The only way to fix it, and of course save gas and money, is to make it a game to get the best MPG. Not only will you save money on gas, you'll also drive safer, be less likely to get a speeding ticket, save excess wear and tear on your car and brakes, and learn some patience along the way. That's what helped me from the hight 40's MPG into the mid 50's in my '94 Geo Metro.
posted by mt999999 on August 14, 2015
this tip works for 94% of voting Fuelly members.
Watch the station's gallons
Some stations deliver more MPG than others. Watch for patterns. Sometimes it's the fuel, but other times the station owner has set the station's pumps to read high. (The station where I worked did this.) I notice one Chevron regularly says I've used 10-15% more fuel than another Chevron 12 miles away. Ironically, they also charged 16 cents more per gallon. I noted this discrepancy on several earlier tanks, but it was when I started using Fuelly that it came to mind. (SG said I got > 35, "actual" mileage was 30.5.)
posted by mperry on August 14, 2015
this tip works for 35% of voting Fuelly members.
Modern A/C System DO use more fuel!
On my 2015 VW Golf, I've been carefully watching my MPG. Now that the temps are consistent and my driving is too, I can monitor my fuel economy with A/C on and off. My route consists of 70% highway. 4 total fillups have been monitored 2 with it on and 2 with it off. I saw 2 MPG LESS with A/C on then off. The new systems are more efficient, but they still will consume a noticeable amount more fuel, especially in city driving.
posted by buyingconstant7 on August 13, 2015
this tip works for 88% of voting Fuelly members.
Torque
Find the cross point of the Torque & Power curve of your engine and try and ride/drive close to this area, it will generally give you the best MPG.
posted by Neo19 on August 8, 2015
this tip works for 28% of voting Fuelly members.
Proper Vehicle Maintenance
A car/truck that is running properly will be more efficient. Take good care of your vehicle. Just because modern technology has almost completely eliminated traditional "tune ups" doesn't mean you should neglect your car, though - a clean air filter, fresh oil of the correct weight for your engine, properly inflated tires, clean throttle body, spark plugs changed at the maintenance interval recommended in the owners manual, etc can do wonders for your fuel economy. Also, taking care of your car won't just save you money at the pump, but also keep up the resale value and increase the longevity of your car's engine, transmission, etc.
posted by mistaake on August 7, 2015
this tip works for 99% of voting Fuelly members.
Test your routes
Try different routes (provided they don't add a lot of extra miles on), and note traffic lights, their patterns, and if there are stop signs. As obvious as it sounds, a stop sign means you'll always have to stop/go, whereas a stoplight you have a chance of a green light.
posted by falas on August 5, 2015
this tip works for 99% of voting Fuelly members.
Go shopping in early morning or late evening
If your schedule allows shop early morning on weekends and late evening hours on weekdays especially in summer time. You can avoid traffic (=better MPG) and use less A/C. Less crowd at the store also means you get your shopping done quicker.
posted by karlbohm on August 3, 2015
this tip works for 94% of voting Fuelly members.
Be light footed!
Throttle position (gas pedal) is the most directly controllable determinant of your fuel efficiency. While some may argue that your RPMs are the most obvious link to efficiency, you certainly won't be doing your mileage any favours if you are flooring it at 2000 RPM in 5th gear trying to go up a steep grade without losing speed! Counter-intuitive as it may seem, it is sometimes beneficial to downshift into a lower gear (raise RPM/torque) to reduce the amount of throttle necessary to maintain speed and increase efficiency.
posted by frabjousferret on August 1, 2015
this tip works for 97% of voting Fuelly members.
Buy a motorcycle or scooter
My 4 cyl Nissan truck = less than 25 mpg...My Honda Shadow 750 55 + MPG. 2 years ago (at 51 years old) I wanted to buy a full size truck, but didn't want to increase my fuel cost. I ended up buying a new Honda Shadow 750. My fuel efficiency is well over 55 MPG and I enjoy riding so much that I am riding over 20,000 miles per year! Parking is easier, insurance is low, maintenance is low, and fun factor is high. The new truck? Never got it. Why should I buy one when I am always on my bike?
posted by gene46 on July 28, 2015
this tip works for 73% of voting Fuelly members.
Coast In Gear
Lift off & let the engine do the braking instead of only using the brakes & a modern fuel-injection engine will use no fuel at all & older engines will use very little. Why? The engine is essentially stalled & is being kept moving by your momentum.
posted by Deaks25 on July 28, 2015
this tip works for 86% of voting Fuelly members.
APPROACHING BUSY MAJOR INTERSECTIONS
PROBLEM: The light turns green, you're in the left lane but can't go because cars ahead are unable to turn left due to on coming traffic. Other times, you're in the right lane but can't go because cars ahead are unable to turn right, because pedestrians are blocking them. SOLUTION: As you approach the red light, see if anyone in either lane has their turn signals on. If you see a signal in the left lane, pull behind into the right lane and vice versa. If all things are equal, choose the lane with the fewest cars. More cars in a lane increases the odds that one of those cars will be attempting to turn. Doug in Oakland, California
posted by ChewChewTrain on July 28, 2015
this tip works for 63% of voting Fuelly members.
Save $$$ with Better MPG and with Paying Less for Fuel
Saving $$$ is nice reward for challenging ourselves with hacking the MPG game. Another way to save $$$ is by paying less for gas. You might want to try a phone app called "Gas Buddy", which shows you prevailing gas prices in your area. Doug in Oakland, California
posted by ChewChewTrain on July 26, 2015
this tip works for 73% of voting Fuelly members.
Medium Thick Commute Traffic / Your Best MPG?
Recently, I got some surprising MPG results. "That's odd," I thought, "because my hypermiling techniques haven't changed." So WTF? I recalled I had been making more freeway trips in slower moving commute traffic. Slower commute traffic is your "excuse" to drive 40 or 45mph-ish, where your air resistance is much less. During non-commute hours, when others are driving 70mph, if I were to be traveling at 40mph, other drivers would use my car for target practice. So, the lesson is that light commute traffic can be your best MPG friend, because it gives you the cover to drive at slower freeway speeds. Doug in Oakland, California
posted by ChewChewTrain on July 26, 2015
this tip works for 82% of voting Fuelly members.
How to save on petrol prices.
Instead of driving your own car use someone else's :)
posted by Drive2Fast on July 22, 2015
this tip works for 28% of voting Fuelly members.
Coasting does help
When coasting, kick your manual (not auto) into neutral, well in advance of slow traffic. You'll maintain speed and use little fuel. If you may be stopping, downshift, and you'll save slightly more fuel (as your injectors turn off), but slow down quicker. Occasionally I have to commute 70 miles. I climb 2 hills and see as much as 1 MPG trip improvement, per the scangauge, by coasting. It also gains momentum for the next hill. (They are steep hills, for a freeway.) It is counter-intuitive, but the gauge doesn't lie. Oh, and after driving it 130K, the Neon still has its original brakes.
posted by mperry on July 20, 2015
this tip works for 57% of voting Fuelly members.
Don't top off at the pump
When you fill up, wait for the pump to click and then stop. I used to top off without realizing that almost 100% of that fuel is wasted either directly back through the pump to avoid spillage, or in your car itself because it is "over full" I saw a 3mpg improvement when I stopped topping off, all because I was paying for gas that never made it into my engine!
posted by jimbobbeng on July 15, 2015
this tip works for 65% of voting Fuelly members.
Clear the Clutter
I try to keep only the essentials in my car. Hauling extra weight means higher fuel costs.
posted by PressFit on July 13, 2015
this tip works for 97% of voting Fuelly members.
driving style
For cars with manual transmissions, shift sooner and drive slower. which often means just driving the speed limit. It's obvious, not much fun, but saves fuel. When I use the highest possible gear that doesn't lug the engine, I can get 12% better fuel economy.
posted by tstad9i on July 12, 2015
this tip works for 94% of voting Fuelly members.
Traffic Signals / Be Familiar with Patterns and Timing
Most of us repeat patterns of driving, such as going to work. For example, from my experience I know when I turn the corner at one signal the next light will surely be red. In that case, if traffic behind me allows, I simply crawl around the corner slowly enough to roll through the next signal as it turns green. Improve your MPG by becoming aware of your signal timings.
posted by ChewChewTrain on July 12, 2015
this tip works for 99% of voting Fuelly members.
Freeway Game / Whoever displays up their brake lights loses!
In stop and go freeway traffic, have you ever noticed the car ahead of you riding the bumper of the car ahead of them so closely that they are constantly displaying their brake lights? THEY'RE AN IDIOT!
posted by ChewChewTrain on July 12, 2015
this tip works for 95% of voting Fuelly members.
