If you are a driver, you know better how much all drivers hate it when the gas price goes up as we have to pay more at the gas station for a refill. Whether we are planning a vacation or we have a long commute to work each day, that is bad news for our budget. Add to that, the ever-increasing traffic jam, you will have enough stress thinking of your next refill. Unfortunately, geopolitical tensions that occur all the time around the world inevitably contribute to losing money out of our pocket.
If you are on a budget, how are you going to hold to that and still drive the same distance? In this post, we will consider a few tips by changing our driving habits to save on gas.
Here are some driving skills.
Save Gas By Shifting To Neutral When Standing Still
When you are stuck in a big traffic jam, but your engine is on, you’re getting zero miles per gallon. Idling in a traffic jam is a fuel-economy killer, as is idling to pass a construction zone or waiting while a train crawls by.
If you shift your automatic or manual transmission into neutral, you will notice that shifting calms down your engine and consequently the rpm will drop slightly. So, you can shift into neutral even for a long traffic light, and that would indeed save gas.
Idling an automatic transmission in Drive drains your fuel as it puts an extra load on your transmission. How is it putting that extra load on it? You have to hold the brake pedal which otherwise would have allowed the vehicle to move forward. Note here that you are also causing unnecessary heat to your brake discs. In neutral, your engine is resting – or at least as close to rest that a car ever gets. This shift is even more consequent when you have the air conditioner running altogether, so the engine strain less hard while idling. And, this goes the same way for a manual transmission.
Shut Off The Engine When Waiting In A Long Queue
Even one minute of idling consumes more gas than a restart. So, if you expect to be stopped for a minute or more, shut off the ignition. However, this does not mean at every red light you come to, but some experts advise that even a 30-second stop is worth a shutdown.
It’s not for nothing that nowadays cars are equipped with a start-stop system that automatically shuts down and restarts the engine to reduce idling time, thereby reducing fuel consumption. The engineers behind those engines know the fuel-saving value of shutting off an engine. To mention a few examples, you have this technology equipped on the MINI line since 2008, Citroën C2 and C3 models since 2006, Volvo introduced their DRIVe Start/Stop technology in 2009.
If your vehicle is not equipped with an automatic start-stop system, use your judgement, and when standing at a fast-food drive-through, if it looks like the queue won’t be moving for a while, adopt the habit of turning off that engine, and you will save on gas. Despite this may seem little savings, over one month, you will be saving enough to stay within your budgeted travel expenses.
Don’t Rev Up The Engine At Stoplights
Some people are inclined to press on the pedal – sometimes every second. It is as if they are counting each second with a press on that accelerator pedal. Each press is pumping out gas, unless you don’t care about it, and fuel economy is none of your concern. However, you may need to rev the engine to prevent the engine from dying. And here, you may need to consult a professional mechanic.
On An Upward Pavement, Hang On With The Brake
When waiting on an upward pavement, do not use the clutch or automatic transmission to keep the car from sliding back. Do you remember the time when you were taking your driving test? Yes, in the usual way like you have learned at the driving school, keep the car from drifting backward by pressing on the brake pedal. This way, you will put less strain on the engine and save on gas.
Turn The Engine Off When You Leave The Car
Do not stop and leave your car for a while, for instance, when you are opening a manual gate. Avoid leaving the engine on while making a phone call, or dropping off the dry cleaning. Sure, that might keep the interior cool in summer, but your gas is just burning away uselessly.
By just paying attention to these useful driving tips, you can yield good results at the gas station. Hope these tips are helpful, keep them in mind whenever you’re driving.
