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No matter what vehicle you drive there are two factors involved in improving gas mileage.

Those are the maintenance of the car and the way you drive. Maintenance is the easiest factor to approach and your driving habits actually have more of an impact on mileage.

Using the correct motor oil for your engine, regular tuning and maintenance and proper tire inflation are the three keys to keeping your car at it’s most fuel efficient.

Typically you will save 4 percent of your fuel usage if you tune your engine rather than letting it fail its emission test. You can save as high as 40 percent on fuel usage if something dramatic had to be fixed like a faulty oxygen sensor which would mess the ratio of fuel and air. Typically, however, if gas is $2.75, a tune up can save you the equivalent of 11 cents per gallon in increased fuel efficiency.

Tires with the correct air pressure last longer and are safer for you. The owner’s manual will tell you what pressure the tires are to be pumped to it is also on the inside of your car’s door jam. The maximum level of pressure which is printed on the tires should not be followed. Cars run more economical when their tires are inflated properly, it will make your car 3 percent more fuel efficient, per gallon that’s a saving of 8 cents.

3 to 6 cents per gallon is not a bad saving when considered it is achievable by just using the proper recommended oil.

All those mechanical savings add up to about 25 cents per gallon, and that’s nothing to sneeze at.

Bad driving habits, however, can cost you more than $1.50 per gallon by consuming your fuel at a much higher rate. Mechanical problems can be solved quickly but when it comes to bad driving you cannot get a mechanic to fix that.

Speeding and stopping quickly, rapid acceleration all contribute to the worst kind of driving habits. That kind of driving can lower your gas mileage by as much as a third on the highway (think only 10 mpg instead of 30) and five percent around town. around town that is 5 percent. Per gallon it is costing you 91 cents extra.

Driving too fast is second in line when it comes to fuel wastage. With speeds over 60 mph it costs you an extra 11 percent of you mileage for every 5 mph you speed making your mileage waste away. So traveling at 70 mph you will lose 50 cents per gallon, that is just an increase of 10 mph.

Other habits to change are carrying around excess weight – 100 pounds costs an extra 6 cents a gallon and idling. Your engine can be slowed yet still maintain it’s speed through the use of overdrive gears while driving on the highway, cruise control also saves your mileage.

By tackling these problems your mileage can be improved greatly, so get your car properly maintained and remind yourself to keep up good driving habits you will save money on fuel.

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