As the temperature rises, you may find yourself paying more and more to fill your car up with gas. By raising your miles per gallon, you will not have to stop for gas as often, reducing the amount you have to pay. Below are five tips to reduce MPG and save your wallet for those summer trips to paradise.
- Check the Air Filter: Your car moves as a result of air mixing with gasoline, which creates the energy necessary for the vehicle to be propelled forward. Therefore, cleaner filters require less gasoline, as it takes less energy to get through the filter. Replacing your air filter when necessary will save gas, causing your vehicle moves farther on the same amount of gas.
- Check Your Tires: Make sure your tires are inflated to the recommended pressure. If your tires are under-inflated, they will not move as far on account of a reduced surface area It is recommended to check the pressure of your tires once a week to ensure they do not fall below the intended pressure.
- Close Your Windows: Keeping your windows down creates drag, since some of the wind will flow into the car rather than past the car, further opposing the direction of motion. This means that your engine will have to work harder in order to overcome the power of the wind. Keeping your windows up reduces the drag of your vehicle, meaning that your vehicle will not have to expend more gas to simply move.
- Slow Down: Driving faster expends more energy once it passes its optimal speed. Most cars will have their advertised MPG at about 55 miles per hour; anything over that ultimately wastes gas. If you can spare the time, drive slower to conserve energy.
- Cut Down on Weight: It takes more energy to move a heavy object than it does to move a light object. Embrace spring cleaning and empty out the dead weight sitting in your car. By removing any unnecessary objects in your vehicle, less gas will be expended to move it.