Save Money On Gas: Driving

Olivia Romero
May 29, 2006

How you drive your car can determine how much money you will save on gas. Here are some tips on how to save money on gas when driving your car.

If you have a standard transmission you should always drive in the highest gear possible. In many cars gas efficiency will go down by 10% if you have the air conditioner running while you are moving. If you have a lower temperature setting on your A/C, use it. Run the A/C until the interior gets cooled down and then turn it off and let the fan circulate the cool air. You should never run your AC with your windows open.

Cars that were built after 1990 don’t need to warm up before driving in the morning. For the first five minutes of driving, don't exceed 35 mph. The engine actually warms up better if it is driving instead of idling in your driveway.

Driving the speed limit will help you out as well... maybe as much as 10%.

Accelerate slowly when you are leaving a stoplight. The fastest person through the intersection just gets to spend more money on gas. If you follow the tip of driving in high gear, you won't be accelerating all that much anyway.

Try buying 87-octane gasoline (Regular). Read your car manual. Some vehicle advertisements tell you to use premium gasoline, but the owner's manual actually says that 87 is fine.

Turn the engine off when you're stuck at a light or waiting for a train to pass or when you don't expect to move for a few minutes. When the engine is idling and not moving, you end up with 0 mpg.

Revving the engine is a huge waste of time and gas as well. Unless there is a mechanical problem with your car, there is no need to do this before you turn your vehicle off. If there is a mechanical problem, consider fixing it before it turns into a more expensive problem later on.

Following these tips can give you an advantage over gas prices at the pump.

Click here for more information on how to increase your gas mileage and reduce emissions!