4 Things You NEED to Know About Fuel Economy

Sometimes, gas can seem like an investment.  Month in and month out you dedicated hundreds of your hard earned dollars to the cause of getting of starting at point A, and ending at point B.  Over the years, consumers have *functioned according to quips and tips they’ve heard from friends, performing certain gas saving tips to waver the financial storm.  In today’s blog, we discuss 4 myths about gas.   

1.)    Pumping Up Your Tires

Ok.  First and foremost, proper tire inflation is important.  Under-inflated tires can lead to accidents and poor handling.  According to on-the-road driving tests by both Consumer Reports and auto information site Edmunds.com, underinflated tires reduce fuel economy, so proper inflation is key. But you should never over-inflate your tires. They'll get you slightly better fuel economy because there will be less tread touching the road, reducing friction. But that means less grip for braking and turning. The added risk of a crash isn't worth the extra mile a gallon you might gain.

2.)    Changing Your Air Filter

A clean air filter WON’T save you gas.  Engines have sensors that automatically adjust the fuel-air mixture as an increasingly clogged air filter choles off the engine’s air supply.

3.)    To A/C or not A/C

We all know that A/C creates extra work for the engine, increasing fuel use.  However, car air conditioners are so much more efficient these days that using the A/C will only drop the fuel economy by about a mile a gallon.  When driving on the highway, it’s important to use you're A/C because as fuel use increases

4.)    Bolt-ons and Pour-ins

Sometimes consumers add “gas-saving” additives to their gas to improve the fuel economy of their current vehicle.  Drivers who try them will swear they work. In reality, it's probably an automotive placebo effect, says Reed. Buy one of these devices or additives, and you're like to pay extreme attention to your fuel economy and how you drive.