How to Save on Gas Prices

It's tough to find ways to save on gas, as many will just tell consumers that they need to find alternatives to driving a vehicle. But in rural areas and for those who have long commuting times to get to work, this isn't a viable option. Thus, finding ways to be economic on gas becomes one's goal as gas prices continue to soar.

It has long been said that using the air conditioning or heat excessively will drain gas mileage. This is true, but only in certain situations. When cars have their windows down while going high speeds, it has been proven that the drag that the window creates is less fuel efficient than having the air conditioning on at a moderate level. Thus, it's best to use air conditioning when traveling fast, and less so when at "stop and go" locations.

Any kind of extra stress that is exerted on one's motor will always cause more fuel to be burned. This means that fast accelerations and high speeds will waste much more fuel than the contrary. Revving an engine or even stopping too suddenly can degrade gas mileage. In this case, it's best to take the "granny approach" and drive with extra caution.

Even though car manuals sometimes claim that cars should be run on the highest grades of fuel, this is not true. Cars that can accept low grades of fuel should, since this gives cheaper prices for just about the same amount of mileage. Purchasing gas with a higher octane rating may help improve mileage, but not enough to actually justify the price difference.

Two other options help dictate gas mileage: weight and tire inflation. Weight, for instance, might be putting extra drag on one's engine, or even causing a car to be less aerodynamic via a lopsided vehicle. Excess weight can also put more strain on tires, which should always be checked for accurate inflation. A tire that is not properly inflated will always decrease gas mileage considerably.