Fuel for thought: Five gas-saving tips
The price of gas has come down slightly since last year, but its still high. Here are a few simple ways to get the most bang for your fuel buck:
• Don’t drive aggressively
. Rapid acceleration, followed by heavy braking, can reduce your fuel economy as much as 33 percent at highway speeds and 5 percent in city driving.
• Use cruise control. This helps you avoid “speed creep” — the tendency to speed up gradually, which uses more gas.
• Watch your climate control.
Turning your heater or air conditioning on high affects fuel economy.
• Check filters.
Replace your air filter regularly — in addition to protecting your engine, it can improve your gas mileage as much as 10 percent.
• Stop idling
. Idling burns fuel, so turn off the engine when you know you’ll be there awhile.
