101 ways to improve your gas-mileage

Using less fuel to get to the same destination is easy. It is not necessary to drive slowly or buy a smaller car. Some ideas only require as little as parking your car in a different way or losing some weight by leaving that heavy toolbox you use once a year at home. We're talking fossil fuel here, a liquid that took millions of years to come into existence; isn't it a strange idea to consume a couple of liters per day? My car only uses 1 liter of unleaded petrol every 23 kilometers (70 miles to the gallon), to me it's almost a sport; an ever ongoing competition with myself. Here's how to do it:

The logical solution 0:1

1. For short distances, use a bicycle! A cold car engine uses more petrol and pollutes more. Also a cold engine runs less effectively resulting in a very bad gas mileage. Just starting a car for a ten minute drive not only pollutes terribly, it also takes much more fuel.
2. If you have to drive a car, be sure you know where you're going. Always have a road map on board. If you're in a new area try to remember the names and locations of some big cities so you have something to go on. Or even better, buy a navigation system.

Things that do not affect your driving style

1. Be gentle to a cold engine A cold engine runs worse, consumes twice as much as a warm engine, and wears out sooner. Drive calmly and carefully the first couple of minutes.
2. Park your car facing the direction it has to go in on the next trip. A warm engine is smoother to handle, it also uses less gas. Just turn your car when you arrive, not when leaving.
3. Drive long distances or combine rides. As mentioned before it is important not to have a cold engine. Do short distances by bike or foot. If really necessary combine a couple of shorter distances into one drive. This way the cold engine doesn't have to be started again and again.
4. Save weight. Don't toss around all kinds of junk you don't need. Clean up the car once in a while and loose unneeded stuff. Also, only refuel until you're down to your last liter.

   

   I've been storing all data of my car on a spreadsheet for over 5 years, by combining gas milage and amount of petrol tanked, I proved that it really pays off to drive all the way to the last drop of fuel (of course to a certain limit).

5. Use cruise control. A steady speed saves gas. If your car is equipped with such a device, do use it whenever possible.
6. Get in gear Choose the right gear. When the engine runs quietly and the car goes smoothly that's the right one. About 1500 to 3000 RPM is OK.
7. Use electrical appliances carefully The worst one is the rear window heater, this takes about 3 to 5%. Also remember to turn off fog lights when not needed any longer.
8. Close the windows, use the vents. Manufacturers did everything possible to make air float around the car and make it run smoothly. By opening the windows this is disturbed, resulting in a need for more power meaning more petrol. Saves 5 to 10%.
9. Don't overdo with air conditioning This might result in over 10% more gas consumption. Use wisely.
10. Remove ski-boxes, imperials and other obstacles When not in use, please do remove boxes and other wind catchers on top of the car. Driving with open windows might take some extra fuel, but this is even worse. Can save 10 to 20%.
11. Start and go. Take a seat, adjust the mirrors, buckle up, turn on the radio, put on some sunglasses, have a sweet, read directions as to how to get there and then start the engine! Especially in winter conditions: the worst thing to do is start the engine and then go outside and clear the windows. Nothing worse than a cold engine.

Things that improve your driving style!

A relaxed driver uses less petrol. In the ideal situation one drives at the same speed all the time, never needing to brake and gain speed again. Look far ahead and act so you can keep your speed. In an extreme way the rule is: "if you have to brake you were going to fast in the first place".

1. Anticipate! It is amazing to see how drivers watch and act like pedestrians. Cars drive towards red traffic lights, queues or stop signs at full speed and then brake at the very last moment. Try to understand what people are going to do and react before they do so. If someone is about to merge into your lane without seeing you, simply release the gas, and don't wait until they almost hit you and then hit the brakes (and call them names). Look out for:
   • traffic lights when red, release the gas and just roll to them
   • corners don't rush to a corner and then brake, reduce speed and don't break
   • road signs reveal what's ahead and act upon it in advance
   • blinkers on cars show what someone is about to do act in advance (i.e. release gas)
   • low speed. Lost? About to make a strange turn? Again release the gas because you have to brake later anyway.
   • fast cars, idiots about to force you to make way. Ignore them but do not gain speed to keep ahead.
   • brake lights ahead indicate are a good moment to release the gas already.
2. When you have to stop for traffic from the right ("traffic from the right has the right of way"), look ahead before you're at the crossing street:

   

   the car in the first picture sees (dotted line) if he/she has to stop before the actual crossing. He/she can drive along if no car comes out of the street or he/she can break easily if a car does come out. If you look too late, you'll have to loose speed every time you're near a street because you cannot look at your current speed. By looking ahead you can drive faster, react faster and because of the constant speed save fuel!

3. Try to see what's in or around a corner before entering. People might not have looked before making the turn and don't know you're there. This is not only dangerous, but when you know already you can save gas by slowing down. Otherwise you know it is free, perhaps take all the width and drive the ideal line and keep your speed (not slowing down, so not using extra fuel gaining speed again).

   

   the first driver looks ahead (green dotted line), knows what's after the corner and can act accordingly. The second driver only sees (red dotted line) what's around the corner when already in it, leaving no time to adjust speed or break for oncoming traffic.

4. In a traffic jam, do not stop and go. Instead try to find a speed that will keep your car rolling slowly. It saves gas, is less demanding on the engine and will keep the traffic behind you rolling as well!

1. Go really slowly, but don't get hit. Driving too slowly makes one a moving hazard. If an average car moves at the speed of a truck, one might easily get hit from behind. The trick is to find a truck and stay behind it. The other cars see the truck and expect it to go slowly anyway! This will save over 20%!
2. Do not turn on your headlights in broad daylight. Eventhough is not safe, it will save about 2 or 3% on gas mileage.
3. Don't loose speed, it takes petrol to gain it again. If you don't loose speed by rounding a corner, you don't have to gain it afterwards. Basically this leaves two options: go around corner like crazy (my favorite) or release the gas way before the corner. In any case try to make a ideal curve:
   
   going trough a corner as if it were a straight line saves tires, looses less speed and demands less from the car.
4. Drive behind large vehicles, then there's less wind on your car and your engine needs less energy to move the car.

1. Keep the car in good condition. This especially means checking the air pressure of the tires now and then. Broad, flat, soft tires are heavier to roll than small, round and hard tires. This can save 2 to 3% on fuel.
2. In some countries it is recommendable to change the fuel filter on a regular base. For example in Australia there is a lot of contamination in fuels, like rust, water and other foreign materials, and when filters clog up, the consumption of fuel can increase.
3. Change your car's air filter regularly. Change it every two to three months, otherwise your car will run too rich (in fuel mixture), and guzzle too much gas. The time interval depends from country to country. Much dust and pollution will wear out an air filter much faster.
4. A clean car has better aerodynamics (streamline) and therefore runs a bit more efficient.
5. Increase the tire pressure a little. Steering will be lighter and the car feels lighter, but road handling is less safe.
6. The MPG club, Himac, and this guy alter cars and engines to safe fuel. I am not a member of these clubs and organizations, nor did I ever try their products.
7. Over the period of November 1992 to August 1998 I kept records of gas usage, including date and brand. The following table shows my gas usage per brand, always using "Euro95" unleaded petrol (95 RON). Do not value this very highly! Driving style varied and some brands are used less than others:

   Brand	Average usage (kilometers per liter)	Minimum	Maximum	Number of times used
   Avia	21.6	23.1	20.8	5
   Total	21.0	24.0	19.2	17
   BP	20.6	22.3	18.5	30
   Aral	20.6	20.6	20.6	1
   Q8	20.5	21.6	20.0	3
   Esso	19.9	23.7	16.4	42
   Shell	19.9	21.8	16.3	34
   Van Zijl	19.7	22.2	16.6	24
   Mobil	19.5	22.4	16.7	84
   Texaco	19.4	22.6	16.7	26
   Elf	19.0	20.3	17.6	2
   Fina	18.2	18.9	17.1	3

That's not a 101? Any more ideas? Suggestions? Corrections? Mail me at: ivo@pimpernel.nl