Gas Mileage 101

When I began driving oil was $.10 a quart and gas was $.18 a gallon. We were not so much concerned about gas mileage or oil consumption. In fact, we often made jokes about driving into the filling station, always full service, and asking to have the gas checked and the oil filled. Some of the cars in the 50's were real oil burners!

When I entered my freshman year of college I traveled the PA Turnpike from eastern Pennsylvania to Ohio and paid more in turnpike tolls than I paid for gas! I was driving a two cylinder German NSU Prinz. It got great gas mileage...some where in the neighborhood of 60+ mpg... and less then $2.00 to fill the tank.

Inflation has caused some big changes in the numbers! Today we should be more concerned about gas mileage with prices at $3.00 a gallon.

Have you noticed that the price for maintenance on your car has increased? In the last 2 years the price of motor oil has doubled!

The information below is borrowed from another source and is included here because I find it rather amusing!

12 Proven Ways to Improve Your Gas Mileage

1. Keep your engine tuned up. Incorrect fuel ratio, bad spark plugs and incorrect spark timing can have a big effect on gas mileage.

2. Don't use your air conditioner (A/C) unless you really need it. The A/C compressor puts an extra strain on the engine.

3. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Under inflated tires cause more resistance to travel.

4. Avoid stop and go traffic by taking alternative routes or less congested travel times.

5. Ask other people with the same type of car what kind of gas mileage they get, it may alert you to a problem with your car.

6. Use a good engine oil, preferably a synthetic or standard oil treated with a friction reducing oil additive. These have been known to improve fuel economy by as much as 12%.

7. Reduce the weight in your vehicle as much as possible. (Good excuse to get the mother-in-law out of the car....)

8. Use your cruise control whenever possible.

9. Keeping your highway speed at 55 mph can improve you gas mileage by as much as 25%, compared to 75 mph. (Yeah, I know--this one's tough for us too)

10. Avoid trying to increase speed while climbing a hill, your engine is already working hard trying to overcome gravity.

11. Keep your windows closed when possible. Open windows actually reduce gas mileage compared to using the A/C.

12. Remove accessories, such as luggage rack, etc. that lower the aerodynamics of your vehicle.

Now, I don't know who comes up with these tips but it has to be some journalist who read it from another web site (oh, yea, it's called research!) and knows little about the subject. Buried half way down in the list is the only single improvement that will make a significant increase in mileage and save you money in normal every day driving. Oil, lubrication will make a difference in mileage.

What do I find so amusing?
Take a look at some of these tips.............

For example look at the first tip; 1. Keep your engine tuned up. Incorrect fuel ratio, bad spark plugs and incorrect spark timing can have a big effect on gas mileage.

It is a correct statement. But cars today do not require a tune up. Fuel ratio and spark timing are both controlled by the ‘computer'... you can't change or tune it up. You could have an EPROM chip reprogrammed for more power, such as trailer towing or racing, but that would not fall under a tip to improve your gas mileage.

Secondly, spark plugs in today's engines will last 100,000 to 150,000 miles. Most people will trade their car long before the spark plugs need changing. Look for the spark plugs and see if you can find them... have fun!

You can see them on this engine... but it's 35 years old and the 4 spark plugs are very easy to change. On your car they are hidden under or behind something!


I love tip number 2. Don't use your air conditioner... and 11. Keep your windows closed when possible. Oh, yea... I live in Florida, it's hot! The summers are hot where you live! I work and live in A/C and I am not going to ride around with my windows up and the A/C off just to think I am saving gas! There's a journalist some where out in space who needs to get back on his meds!

Here's another good one..... 12. Remove accessories, such as luggage rack, etc. that lower the aerodynamics of your vehicle. Your vehicle came from the factory with a luggage rack. Try to remove it! Your car was not designed to be a perfect aerodynamic hunk of metal and plastic. Like removing part of the car will create an imaginary increase in gas mileage!

What about tires? 3. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Under inflated tires cause more resistance to travel. Unless your car has really poor tires and are dangerously under inflated ... an accident just waiting to happen... don't expect to much of an increase in fuel mileage where the rubber meets the road. However, always keep your tires properly inflated for your own protection. Factory original tires will produce better fuel mileage then the tire store replacements. So, make sure you ask about the fuel efficiency from the new tires before purchasing. If the sales person doesn't have the answer find different tire store!

4. Avoid stop and go traffic by taking alternative routes or less congested travel times. Red traffic lights cost you mileage...big time! But the state doesn't mind because while you're waiting for the light to change they are making money. The more gas you burn the more money the state makes from the sales tax.

9. Keeping your highway speed at 55 mph can improve you gas mileage by as much as 25%, compared to 75 mph. Speed has a high cost, so slow down a little. Keeping your speed down while traveling, 55 or less, will save 2 - 5 mpg. But on the other hand, we are living is such a maniac society where slowing down may be too dangerous.

You can improve your highway mileage by holding a steady speed. Don't drive with the 'pack'. Drive just a little slower or a little faster than the other drivers. It's much safer also.

Buy a smaller vehicle. Horse power costs money! The more horse power the more fuel you'll burn. But don't get sucked into the hybrids... they too, will cost you a lot of money. It's a transitional fad that will go away in a few years, and besides you'll pay big bucks when it needs maintenance. And when you consider depreciation on a hybrid the over all cost per mile is much higher than the numbers the car salesman will be throwing at you.

So... What’s the bottom line. You will not improve the gas mileage of your car more than 20%. Take good care of your car. Use the best lubricants available and if it’s paid for, then just keep driving it. We are still driving our 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 220,000 miles on it. (I changed the spark plugs just once.) And remember, the interest on a new car loan will cost more than you’ll save in gas!

If you are considering a new car look at the small diesels from VW. Fantastic mileage, proven technology, and low operating cost. Did you know that it takes more crude oil to produce gas than it does to make diesel fuel? Drive a diesel and save oil.