Thursday, September 11, 2008

Best Gas Mileage Cars - Not The Ones You Thought?

by Leona Allen


The best mileage cars aren't necessarily the ones you might think of. Along with the Toyota Prius hybrid, are a few. We don't think of as top fuel efficient vehicles.

With gas prices soaring to all-time highs, and very little relief in sight, there are very few alternatives to ease the strain on our wallets. We can drive less, find ways to improve our gas mileage and go further for the same amount of money, or look for alternatives such as hybrids or even bio diesel.

The best gas mileage cars are invariably the newest models, and few of us are driving brand new vehicles. Buying a new car because it saves money on gas defeats the purpose.

The $21,100 Toyota Prius is the current top performer, with a Combined EPA estimate of 42 mpg. In addition to the Prius it Toyota's Corolla, the Honda Civic hybrid, and the Mini Cooper. Surprisingly, the Toyota Altima is on the Top 10 list.

While many of the top gas mileage cars this year are ones that might come to mind right away, like the hybrid Toyota Prius, some aren't so obvious.

Few people are predicting that oil will stabilize anytime soon. That means that the price of gas probably won't stabilize anytime soon either. The one benefit, if it can be called a benefit, is that people are a lot more cognizant of their energy and gas consumption.

While the price of gas continues to rise, we can do the things that improve our overall gas mileage. If it isn't possible to drive the best gas mileage car, we should make an effort to keep our tires properly inflated, tires and brakes in alignment, and our engines tuned up regularly.

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Thursday, September 4, 2008

I Improve My Gas Mileage by 40% - Here's How You Can Too!

by Mark Alison


I learned to improve my gas mileage by nearly 40% - without spending anything extra to do it! It didn't cost me anything, but I end up saving almost half of what I used to spend on gas!

The first step to improve gas mileage is to figure out just how many miles you are getting already. This is done with a simple gas mileage calculator. By dividing the number of miles driven by how many gallons used, you'll come up with an accurate gas mileage.

The next step on the way to improve my gas mileage involves simple maintenance of my car. Ensuring that I have clean oil and a clean air filter, I can get 10% more mileage for the same amount of gas. Thick or dirty oil makes the engine run, the less efficiently.

I can further improve my gas mileage another 5% by making sure I have a clean air filter. Clogged or dirty air filters interfere with the oxygen in my engine needs. This results in poor combustion and uses more gas.

a simple but effective way to improve my gas mileage is by handing properly in late its tires. Improperly inflated or low tires, create more friction in order to roll. This causes the engine in to work harder in order to move the car forward. By simply checking my tire pressure whenever I fill up my tank, I get a significant gas mileage improvement.

Another way to improve my gas mileage is by lightening my load. Every 50 pounds I take out of the car translates to a 1% gas mileage improvement. This is a great excuse to finally clean out your trunk and backseat.

By far the biggest gas mileage improvement comes from changes in my driving. By scheduling my errands during less busy times of day, I avoid congestion, idling, in stop and go traffic. Peak drive times used up all lot of unnecessary gas.

That is how I and prove my gas mileage by almost 40%. Simply maintaining my car, and employing some common sense and a little planning goes an awful long way. By combining these steps, it means I have to fill up my car. Only half as often as I might have otherwise. That comes down to a tremendous savings, no matter how you look at it!

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