February 16, 2010
Will Driving In 3rd, 2nd Or 1st Gear Help Conserve On Gas?
I was told that if I drive my automatic in 3rd gear in city driving that it could save on gas is this true? Will driving in any other gear other then drive help lower the gas bill?
Related Product:
Garmin nüvi 1300 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS NavigatorThe thin nüvi® 1300 has a widescreen display, yet it’s slim and light enough to take along on all your travels. This affordable GPS comes ... Read More >
Related Posts
Filed under Gas Conservation FAQ by on Feb 16th, 2010. Comment. 
Leave a Comment
Comments on Will Driving In 3rd, 2nd Or 1st Gear Help Conserve On Gas?
You want to be in the highest gear possible without the engine lugging.
No it wont, in fact it’ll probably make it worse. In the lower gears your engine will turn at a higher RPM, which uses more fuel.
Conserving on gas has many components to it, not just driving in different gears. Those gears were created for more rough driving such as up mountains, hills, and unequal platforms. But accelerating too quickly, highway stop/go traffic, etc etc, these things can wear out gas quicker as well.
Gas bills especially nowadays SUCK, and I suggest driving very very carefully, don’t speed up/slow down/etc, repeatedly even if other people are highbeaming you or being ridiculous out there, they’re morons and a**wipes who don’t have to worry about you or your bills at the end of the day, so I suggest doing basic things like that first,
but the gear thing, honestly I don’t think it’s worth driving in different gears on regular roads, if the car doesn’t REQUIRE it.
Also obviously shop around for gas stations which offer the lowest prices, and prices change weekly if not daily.
Also we can’t predict when crude oil prices will raise or drop, and our current administration has ties with oil, SO, perhaps one reason why everything is so sky high isn’t JUST because of supply and demand.
DO all that, pray we get a different administration and a better president, and hopefully things may change.
No, your car is smart enough to know what to do.
Try these things:
Try and predict when you are going to come to a stop and coast (in drive) as far as you feel comfortable. Most new cars will actually shut off the gas to the engine in a coast situation and the transmission will keep the motor spinning.
Put 5psi more than normal in your tires. This will decrease rolling resistance.
Keep your car clean inside and out. Excess dirt can be a drag (literally) on your fuel economy as can excess wieght in the car.
When negotiating a turn where you don’t have to stop, coast up to and THROUGH the turn, getting on the gas only when you have straightened out the wheels.
Make sure your car is in good tune. Chenge the oil when you are supposed to and also the air filter.
Driving in the highest gear, 4th or 5th maybe, in your case will yield the best mpg