Gas prices are finally at a point where I agree they are high. In the past I've always tried to keep our gas prices in perspective vs our counterparts in Europe - they pay a lot - but once we hit $4 I really started to think gas was too expensive; so, with that in mind, I've been trying out a few different techniques to try and help save some money by improving my overall gas mileage while driving. So far the results have been pretty good.
Before I go into the various steps I've been using I will show you the different numbers I managed to achieve. These aren't unattainable or ridiculous claims like I've seen around the net but numbers I think most people can manage if they just pay a little more attention while they are driving.
I drive a 2003 BMW 325i. The federal govt rates it as getting 18mpg in the city and 26mpg on the highway - or an overall efficiency of 21mpg. Pretty crappy. Almost all of my driving is city driving. I live about 4 miles from the office and don't deal with a lot of traffic. However, my neighborhood has a lot of stop signs I have to deal with before I get on the main street to work. Previously I was getting approximately 19mpg for my round trip commute. My gauge currently reads 26.3mpg from city driving. Where I noticed the biggest difference, however, was on the highway. Last week I had to drive about 30 miles to take my car in for it's 30,000 mile service and managed to avg 41mpg on the trip! I was pretty stoked. To prove it was no fluke I managed another 40mpg on the way back. It was fantastic.
So, how am I seeing a 36% improvement in fuel efficiency in the city and a whopping 57% improvement on the highway? Well, honestly it is pretty easy but it does take some getting used to. I also don't know what kind of additional wear these tips may put on other systems in your car such as your engine and transmission. It may be that in the long run I'm not saving myself any money if I'm doing damage to other stuff and causing them to wear out early. However, for the sake of argument, I will assume these are good tips.
- Don't race off the line - I used to be one of the people who always accellerated pretty hard off the line when a light went from red to green. I still get myself moving but I don't gun it.
- Idle in neutral - When I'm at a stop light or sign I put my car in neutral. It isn't much but if you are in drive your engine and brakes are working against either other so put it in neutral and force your engine to take it easy.
- Coast - Some people suggest you coast with the engine off but I don't - this not only sounds crazy to me but I hear it is unsafe as well. Instead, when I'm in the city and I know I'm going to have to stop due to traffic or a light I'll start to coast in neutral well before I reach the stoppage. It is amazing how many fewer lights I hit by doing this. The best way I've heard this described is to "drive like your riding a bike."
- Don't be afraid to slow down - Our highways have a speed limit of 70 so you don't want to go too slow but you can go slower than the speed limit. I drive about 65 on the highway if the ground is level but when I'm going up hill I let my car slow down to about 55. I stay in the right most lane and watch out for other traffic to make sure I'm not causing a problem. When I'm going down hill I let gravity take over and I end up going around 75. Basically the amount my gas pedal is pushed in NEVER changes. It might cause your foot to fall asleep on a long drive but if not it works really really well. This is about all I did to get my highway miles up to 40.
- Don't use cruise control - I love cruise control but gas milage doesn't. In fact it does exactly the opposite of what the last point suggest. In cruise the car gets MORE gas going up the hill and the engine fights gravity on the way down hill. The only time cruise is worthwhile is if you are on really flat ground - say traveling through Nebraska. Otherwise use it only if you want to hurt your mileage.
- Avoid Red Lights - slow down if you see one coming but try to keep moving - it is easier for your car to accelerate from any moving speed than it is from idle. Figure out what speed is ideal for going down a specific road in town that lets you hit all greens on time. It might take some practice but it not only saves you money on gas but is a much more relaxing drive when you have no reds.
- Pay Attention to Cross Walks - The little signs that tell pedestrians to cross and not to cross give you an early warning about an upcoming yellow/red light. If you see the walking guy flashing try to get through the light (safely).
- Use parking lots - if you are at a part of town where you have to go through a bunch of red lights to get around a big building - or you can cut slowly through the parking lot - go through the lot. For instance in a town near us a major traffic lane goes around a big grocery store/shopping center. There are 5 stop signs and a red light in the process of going around that place - or 2 stop signs in the parking log. You not only save time but you save a little fuel and aggrevation.
- Park Through - find a spot you can pull straight out of when you go to leave. It is more economical to maintain your direction. If you have to back into a spot that's fine - your car is more efficient when it's been running than when it's cold. There probably isn't a huge benefit here but you will end up parking further away most of the time which is good becuase now you're getting a little cardio in!
That is about everything I do right now to help me save on gas. I don't use my break unless I have to and I try to get every last foot out of any momentum I have. First and foremost though don't do anything that endangers you or the others around you on the road. You can still save money while being safe. That means no drafting!