Revised 2004.05.17 REV F
Created 2001.06.04

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Okay, here are the practices and habits that reduce gas consumption, the more you practice, the more you save:

Part A:  Reduce car use.  (Points: 70)

• 1. Use your car less.  Can you walk or ride your bike to the store?  Even in Canada, at least 6 months of the year you can do many errands on foot or bike. Your car will maintain a higher value and/or last longer if you drive it less. Healthy too! 10 During the summer months avoid using your car in the midday if possible, as ozone formation from tailpipe emissions is highest at that time.

• 2. Can you get to work or school  by public transport?  Or carpool?    35 You will save even more money when you tell your insurance company that you are using your car less for travel to work.

• 3. If you need your car for errands, do as many errands as possible in a batch.  Plan the order of visits to reduce travel distance.  Share errands with somebody.  Do errands on the way home from work if possible.    10 Remember that starting a cold engine uses more gas, and burns it less completely than starting a warm engine, so combining errands saves a lot of gas and reduces pollution.

• 4. Telecommute:  Can you work at home one or two days a week?  15 Use your computer and internet at home and avoid the car and traffic altogether.  Most people can't do this everyday, but once a week?  Talk about it at work and see what the possibilities are.

• 1. Do you (really?) need that big gas hog minivan, SUV or pickup truck?  100  (if you change from a large car or SUV to a mid sized car).  Some good news is that SUV's will be facing emissions standards similar to cars in California beginning in 2004, but even when they comply with those standards, they will still consume more and emit more than their lighter/smaller cousins.

• 2. Will a mid size or compact car do for most of your driving?        100 (combined with item 1 above, e.g.: score once)

• 3. Are the wheels aligned correctly? Tire pressure okay?  Tire rotations on schedule? 10 Taking care of your tires also helps them last longer, saving money and reducing pollution from tire disposal.  (Tires also use oil base and energy to manufacture).

• 4. Are oil changes done on time (6000 - 12000 km interval depending on use, consult your automobile owners manual) 5

• 5. Air Filter? Tune up?  15 "Out of tune" engines are responsible for up to 40% of air pollution according to the California Air Resources Board.

• 6. Is the car kept clean and free of "dead weight" (e.g.: trunk full of junk)?  A good wax job not only makes your car look great, but it reduces the adhesion of dust and dirt that increase aerodynamic drag.  Extra weight in the trunk or back seat needs more fuel to accelerate. Automotive engineers use a 5-10 rule of thumb: a 5% increase in weight equals a 10% increase in consumption. Keep your car light.      5

• 7. High octane (premium) gas.  This will increase mileage and therefore reduce pollutants.  However, the cost per km is higher regardless of the reduced consumption per km.  It's up to you.  (e.g.: the cost is 5 -15% higher, but the mileage improvement is only 1-2% at best).   2

• 8. Manual Transmissions are about 6% -10% (depending on use) more fuel efficient than automatic transmissions and cause less brake wear.  (Based on US DOE Model comparisons, see below)                           8

• 9. Ethanol / E85:  Where available, oxygenated fuels (Ethanol) reduce CO₂ emissions.  Verify your automobile owner's manual (warranty may be affected) and the actual blend at the pump before using.             25
  • These incclude E85 (85% ethanol; 15% gasoline) for Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV). There are over 6million of these in operation in the United States. Most owners aren't even aware of it!
  • http://www.e85fuel.com/information/vin.php for a list of vehicles that run on E85.

• 10. Synthetic Engine Oil:  Reduces friction and wear.  Claims of up to 10% fuel economy (probably exaggerated) and longer engine life (proven)  The oil has a longer life (about double) when compared to regular engine oils.  See links below          2   Oil additives do nothing to prolong the life of oil or reduce friction.

• 11.  Be careful when filling the tank.  When the gas pistol clicks, that's enough.  Trying to "top off" results in spills and drops of gas flying around.  Since most people pay with a credit card or a "quick pay" tag, it doesn't matter if the price rounds to the nearest dollar.  Further, especially in the summer, cool gasoline (stored underground) will expand in your gas tanks as it warms up, resulting in more spillage and waste (also consider refueling in the cooler evening hours).  Gasoline wasted is not only lost, it contributes to ground level ozone and smog when it evaporates.  Unburned hydrocarbons are toxic and linked to various types of cancer and other health problems.     3

• 1. Accelerate briskly, but not aggressively. (Accelerating 'gently' actually wastes gas according to tests done by Consumer Reports)   10

• 2. Corner gently.  Cornering is a form of acceleration.  Low cornering speed helps reduce gas use (and tire wear).         10

• 3. Anticipate traffic lights and let off the gas early to 'coast' to a stop.  (Saves brakes too). 10

• 4. Use cruise control when safely possible.  (Maintaining a steady speed saves gas)          5 - 10

• 5. Slow down: Instead of 120 km/hr, can you do with 110 km/hr?  On a 35 km trip, this makes a 1.6 minute difference in arrival time but consumes 5% (or better) less fuel (That's 75 mph and 68 mph respectively over a 22 mile distance).  Over the course of a 15,000 km year (at those speeds), you would save over $125 gas dollars (mid sized car) while reducing the chances of a speeding ticket.   The bigger your car, the bigger your savings.              5 - 10

• 6. Note that the most fuel efficient highway driving speed is between 80 and 95 km/hr (50 and 60 mph) for cars and light trucks when in the highest gear.                           10 - 15

• 7. Don't tailgate:  This causes harsher braking (wasting kinetic energy) and brusk accelerations (building up that kinetic energy again).  Anticipate traffic by looking beyond the car immediately in front of you.  Don't worry about the odd car that might cut into your lane.  5 -10 Tailgating also wears your brakes quicker and increases your chance of an accident, so avoid it.

• 8. Turn off the ignition when parked for errands or waiting for somebody.  In the winter, your car won't cool that much in 15 minutes, and in the summer, your a/c will get the car cool again in a few minutes.       5 - 10          Note that in most provinces it is illegal to leave a car idling.

• 9. Try to cool with ventilation and use A/C for minimal comfort, not to refrigerate the car.   20 - 30   When the outside temperature is 27°C (80°F) or less, ventilation is all you need to stay comfortable.

See links and disclaimers below, as well as an article by Dr. Evar D. Nering.

On to Gas Savings links

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e-meil: alan dot browne at videotron dot ca

Disclaimer: These tips are distributed freely without charge or profit. The tips above are my own opinion. They are based on various and many sources and my own experience and common sense or otherwise as referenced. I am not responsible for actual performance improvements being realized as a result of following the advice/tips above. I am not responsible for damage to your vehicle or property or other vehicles or property as a result of following or attempting to follow the tips above. I am not responsible for injury or death resulting from any person following or attempting to follow the advice or tips above. Driving safely is the responsibility of the driver.