Gas Conservation Tips

We have the best gas-savings tips, all under one roof!

Add 3-5 pounds OVER the manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure to your tires, for less rolling resistance. (Not recommended in winter, slippery, icy or wet conditions) — jmooneyham.com

An extra 100 pounds in the trunk can reduce fuel economy by up to two percent. Removing non-essential stuff can save you at the pump. — ftc.gov

Avoid ‘topping off’ your tank. Chances are that even if you manage to prevent some gas running onto the ground you’ll still lose some due to expansion once it warms up in the tank. — jmooneyham.com

Avoid driving on dry pavement with front axles engaged on four wheel drive vehicles. It causes needless, wasteful friction. — jmooneyham.com

Avoid jackrabbit starts and stops. You can improve in-town gas mileage by up to five percent by driving “gently.” — ftc.gov

Avoid unnecessary idling. It wastes fuel, costs you money, and pollutes the air. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a wait. — ftc.gov

Buy the lowest octane gas your car will run on without problems. — jmooneyham.com

Call ahead first. You can save gas, wear and tear on your car, and money too by comparing prices, checking delivery times, opening and closing schedules, etc., via phone before ever going anywhere. — jmooneyham.com

Change your oil. Clean oil reduces wear caused by friction between moving parts and removes harmful substances from the engine. You can improve your gas mileage by using the grade of motor oil in your owner’s manual and changing it according to the schedule recommended by your car manufacturer. Motor oil that says “Energy Conserving” on the performance symbol of the American Petroleum Institute contains friction-reducing additives that can improve fuel economy. — ftc.gov

Check and replace air filters regularly. Replacing clogged filters can increase gas mileage up to 10 percent. — ftc.gov

Clean off all ice and snow in winter to reduce excess drag and weight. — waystoconservegas.com

Combine errands. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. — ftc.gov

Consider carpooling. Many cities make it even easier by matching up commuters. — ftc.gov

Consider living closer to where you work, or working closer to home. — nh.gov

Consider shorter vacation and recreation trips; learn what’s special in nearby nature, culture and history. — nh.gov

Determine gasoline mileage periodically. Declining mileage can be an early indicator of mechanical problems or a need for servicing. — nh.gov

Ditch the drive-thru! One test in Toronto found that you can get a fast-food breakfast faster and burn less gas in your car if you park and go into the restaurant. Considering how much idling cars do in drive-thru lanes, this isn’t surprising. — green.yahoo.com

Do not buy “aggressive” tread tires if you do not need them. — nh.gov

Do not rev engine before shutting it off; this wastes fuel and can dilute motor oil, leading to excessive wear on engine parts. — nh.gov

Don’t tailgate. It necessitates constant braking and acceleration moves. — jmooneyham.com

Don’t fly flags on your car – they add drag. — funandsafedriving.com

Fill your tank at the coolest time of day. Fuel is denser when it’s cool in the early morning or late night.. Your engine consumes fuel by weight but gas pumps dispense fuel by volume. The colder the fuel is when you pump it, the more of it you get for the same money. — funandsafedriving.com

Follow your owner’s manual recommendation for the right octane level for your car. For most cars, the recommended gas is regular octane. Using a higher octane gas than the manufacturer recommends offers no benefit — and costs you at the pump. Unless your engine is knocking, buying higher octane gas is a waste of money. — ftc.gov

For any stop you expect to last more than a minute, shut of your engine rather than letting it idle. — nh.gov

For shorter errands, consider walking or bicycling. — nh.gov

Gas savings gadgets? Steer clear. Be skeptical about any gizmo that promises to improve your gas mileage. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has tested over 100 supposed gas-saving devices — including “mixture enhancers” and fuel line magnets — and found that very few provided any fuel economy benefits. Those devices that did work provided only a slight improvement in gas mileage. In fact, some products may even damage your car’s engine or cause a substantial increase in exhaust emissions. — ftc.gov

Get a credit card with 5% rebates on gas, use it for all your fuel purchases and guarantee yourself an automatic 5% savings. — funandsafedriving.com

If we, in America, had 35-mpg cars today, like they currently do in Europe, we would use 55 BILLION less gallons of gas per year! — green.yahoo.com

If your car has an instantaneous mpg indicator, use it to improve your driving efficiency. — nh.gov

Keep your engine tuned. Tuning your engine according to your owner’s manual can increase gas mileage by an average of four percent. — ftc.gov

Keep your tires properly inflated. Under-inflated tires can increase roll resistance and, thus, fuel consumption dramatically. — waystoconservegas.com

Keeping your tires properly inflated and aligned can increase gas mileage up to three percent. — ftc.gov

Lose some weight! We all weigh about 24 more pounds per person than we did in the 1970s. That weight, when we’re driving, has to be moved around with our cars. If we could lose those 24 lbs. and reach 1970s sizes, America would used nearly one billion gallons of gas less than we currently do. — green.yahoo.com

Never ‘rev up’ your engine before shutting it off. It accomplishes nothing anyway. — jmooneyham.com

Park in the shade and/or leave windows slightly open to reduce the need for air conditioning. — nh.gov

Park your car in the shade to reduce gas evaporation. — jmooneyham.com

Remove bicycle or ski racks in between trips. — funandsafedriving.com

Remove unnecessary stuff from your car. Excess weight equals more fuel consumption. — waystoconservegas.com

Stay within the posted speed limits. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 miles per hour. — ftc.gov

Studies have shown that altering traffic lights to ensure maximum flow can reduce gasoline consumption in cities by between 10% and 20%. Already, lots of places have intelligent traffic light systems that use sensors to detect when and how often to change lights. — green.yahoo.com

Try to take one less car trip per week. — nh.gov

Try to work or study at home at least part of the time. — nh.gov

Use API certified “Energy Conserving” motor oil, either conventional or synthetic. Use the service classification and viscosity specified for your vehicle. Example: SJ and 5W-30. Follow use/change interval in vehicle owner’s manual. — nh.gov

Use cruise control on highway trips. — nh.gov

Use overdrive gears and cruise control when appropriate. They improve fuel economy when you’re driving on the highway. — ftc.gov

Use your emergency brake instead of your clutch to hold your manual transmission car at a standstill on hills. — jmooneyham.com

When purchasing a vehicle, consider buying the most fuel-efficient vehicle that will meet most of your needs, and rent a larger vehicle or a different kind for infrequent needs; a “hybrid” vehicle that combines a high-efficiency gasoline engine with an electric motor for greater fuel efficiency; fewer power options such as automatic transmission and especially air conditioner; 2-wheel drive if you really don’t need 4-wheel or all-wheel drive. — nh.gov