Thursday, January 19, 2012

How To Get Great Gas Mileage Without An Electric Vehicle

ByTom Clay

With gas prices on the rise you may consider buying a new electric or hybrid vehicle. You can still save money and conserve energy using your old car if you follow some simple tricks to get the best gas mileage out of your car.

As electric vehicles are just making its way into the United States' markets, with only few states being offered an opportunity to invest in an electric car, other means of conserving energy needs to be revealed. Listed below are the top three tips on great gas mileage without an electric vehicle:

1) Be a responsible and smart driver. Don't drive aggressively by speeding and getting into aggressive behaviors with other drivers. Follow the designated speed limits. The speed limits are not only designed for your safety, but can also aid you in conserving fuel energy by driving at lower speeds. The lower the speed driven, the less fuel is used, thus increasing the amount of miles a driver can reach per gallon.

Being an aggressive driver by pressing on the gas pedal quickly and with great force causes a surge of gas to be released to power the vehicle forward. Slowly engaging the vehicle forward by pressing on the gas pedal at a steady pace from any complete stop, uses less fuel energy.

Opting to use a vehicle's cruise control option also is a way to deter excessive pressing on the gas pedal or driving above the set speed limits. Using the cruise control option is great for long drives at a steady pace, such as on long highway trips. This helps maintain the vehicle at a constant speed with no surges of fuel.

2) Don't let a car idle for longer than 30 seconds. Many drivers have this habit of letting a car idle for long periods as they wait in bank lines, fast-food drive through lines, or wait for a passenger they are picking up. It is best to turn off the vehicle to save fuel energy. Many drivers believe that idling a car, rather than shutting a car off and restarting it again saves energy, but that is not true. If a wait will be longer than 30 seconds, it is always better to turn off the vehicle. If it's a hot day and as you wait you want to remain cool with running the car's air conditioning, think twice. It's better to roll down the windows and breathe some fresh air.

3) Follow a regular vehicle maintenance plan. Vehicles usually come with a maintenance guide from the dealership. This guide shows when vehicles should receive services, either by mileage or by a specific time period. Another option is to switch to energy saving motor oil, which has been shown to give a vehicle better performance. With regular maintenance, a vehicle runs smoothly and gets better gas mileage. Maintenance includes keeping the vehicle's tires well-inflated to the manufacturer's recommendations.

These tips can save a vehicle owner from unnecessary fuel expenses. Just taking some simple steps to maintain your vehicle and drive smartly can make any car more fuel efficient.

Tom Clay has been living and working in Pasadena, TX since 1977. He is an experienced and knowledgeable insurance agent, with a great staff of friendly, helpful people who pride themselves on getting you the best deal on insurance, Pasadena! We are available online at www.TomClay.net

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

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