How To Get The Best Gas Mileage By Becoming A Hypermiler - Top Tips To Get The Best Gas Mileage |
|---|
|
Richard Legg
2 July 2008
Have you heard of the latest craze to get the best gas mileage from your car or truck, its called "Hypermiling"? To be a hypermiler involves the use of any tip or trick, (and sometimes even a complete change in driving style) to squeeze every last MPG out of your vehicle. And not surprisingly with the ever increasing gas prices, it's catching on in a big way.
Hypermilers have certainly been the subject of discussion in car and driver forums across the internet, and they have had a fair amount of publicity in the media. So is this Hypermilling a new idea to get gas mileage improvements, or is it just a re-hash of all the old tricks for saving on gas we have all heard before.
Well it seems that a lot of these tips go way back to the 40s and 50s when gas was in short supply and being rationed due to the effects of a world war. Some of those tips and techniques that were tried back then are now standard ways to make gas mileage improvements and have become well established, and a lot of these tips are now just common sense.
For instance a heavy car that is loaded down with excess weight is going to use more gas than one that is running lighter. With the minimum amount of weight being carried around in the form of useless baggage the gas mileage improvements can be considerable. Even by removing things that you will not need on a daily basis such as a heavy bag of golf clubs from your trunk could save you a few cents a gallon.
If your car has cruise control then use it, as this is another way to improve your fuel economy. A 2005 study carried out by the Automotive Website Edmunds.com showed that using cruise control at highway speeds could give you on average a fuel economy saving of 7%.
If you are a fast driver or one that accelerates quickly and then has to break just as quickly then you are going to use a lot more gas than a driver who is a steady Eddie. Keep to the speed limit, accelerate and break smoothly and don't rev your engine while stationary (at red lights etc) just letting it idle as it should will save you gas.
Keeping your car well maintained and in a good running condition will also give you good gas mileage improvements. Have your car serviced at the recommended intervals as an engine that is running in tip top condition will use far less fuel than one that is coughing and spluttering just because it is in need of a simple inexpensive tune up.
Other thing are just a matter of common sense, things like making sure that your tires are properly inflated will not only save you gas, but will also give you a safer ride, as under inflated tires are a safety hazard.
These are just some of the tips and tricks that you should be using to be a hypermiler and get the best gas mileage from your car, added together they will give you some definite fuel savings.