My simple way of saving gas money!

[UPSer]

As I travel about 50 miles round-trip a day Mon-Fri (4am & 10am) on a highway I tend to use a good amount of fuel. As some people I know they leave last minute and rush to work. Which means they tend to drive faster to work. I myself try to leave early enough where I can drive the posted speed limit rather than going above 70 mph. Which I've learned can get expensive. I've saved easily $30-40 EACH WEEK! But I do have to use premium fuel.

 

Also using cruise control will save you a LOT of money. Believe it or not.

[54regcab]

Beating the stop and go traffic helps a lot also.

[romadant]

Beating the stop and go traffic helps a lot also.

 

Good tip. I drive about 40 miles each way, 80 miles per day. If I leave at 6:45 to make it to work by 8:00 it takes me the full hour & fifteen minutes and much of it is stop and go. If I leave at 6:00 I make it in less than an hour, less stop and go... and an added bonus it's a lot less stressful!

[mdj2000]

As I travel about 50 miles round-trip a day Mon-Fri (4am & 10am) on a highway I tend to use a good amount of fuel. As some people I know they leave last minute and rush to work. Which means they tend to drive faster to work. I myself try to leave early enough where I can drive the posted speed limit rather than going above 70 mph. Which I've learned can get expensive. I've saved easily $30-40 EACH WEEK! But I do have to use premium fuel.

 

Also using cruise control will save you a LOT of money. Believe it or not.

I leave early too, but not to drive slower, so I can actually drive faster because driving the speed limit on the highways around Boston during rush hour isn't an option, you're lucky if it's not a parking lot, lol. I leave at 6am and get in around 6:45am and I'm only 15 miles from the City.

[Annuit CÅ“ptis]

If you really want to save $$ on fuel, and not get stuck in the stop and go mess, do like me and ride a motorcycle

[rotor]

Or ride a 50cc scooter 90 mpg

 

A co-worker of mine drives 50 miles to work each way so a 100 mile round trip. He recently got a prius. He whent from ~$ 500 in gas to ~$ 200 per month. He uses the savings from gas to pay for the car. He says if he goes easy on the gas he can do +50mpg. YMMV

[davex07]

On the subject of gasoline expenses, I remember that maybe about a year ago, everyone was up in arms about increasing gas prices, and the prices were not too different from what they are now. How did the oil companies slide these increases past the consumer with no resistance?

[meathead]

On the subject of gasoline expenses, I remember that maybe about a year ago, everyone was up in arms about increasing gas prices, and the prices were not too different from what they are now. How did the oil companies slide these increases past the consumer with no resistance?

 

Lubricant?

[Annuit CÅ“ptis]

...

How did the oil companies slide these increases past the consumer with no resistance?

 

Quite easily, apparently

 

XOM is up 2% today, and their CEO just got awarded a $20,000,000 bonus for his performance throughout the year. Hopefully some of this volatility will die down, it's making me nervous

[Jen23514]

On the subject of gasoline expenses, I remember that maybe about a year ago, everyone was up in arms about increasing gas prices, and the prices were not too different from what they are now. How did the oil companies slide these increases past the consumer with no resistance?

 

Lubricant?

 

[romadant]

On the subject of gasoline expenses, I remember that maybe about a year ago, everyone was up in arms about increasing gas prices, and the prices were not too different from what they are now. How did the oil companies slide these increases past the consumer with no resistance?

 

Because people (me included) have a very short attention span... we've been conditioned to accept these prices and we've forgotten that gas was ever below $2.25/gal. Now everyone would gladly accept $2.50/gal gas.

[uscgbeachbum]

There is a concept out there called hypermiling which deals with squeeking every last mile out of each tank of gas. Some people overdo it like blocking your radiator with cardboard to make your car more aerodynamic. One of the biggest things I've learned is to not go over 2000 rpm unless you are on the highway and need to. My buddy has a 2003 Civic and drives 60 mph on the highway (posted speed is 70) and he gets 45 mpg highway.

[romadant]

There is a concept out there called hypermiling which deals with squeeking every last mile out of each tank of gas. Some people overdo it like blocking your radiator with cardboard to make your car more aerodynamic. One of the biggest things I've learned is to not go over 2000 rpm unless you are on the highway and need to. My buddy has a 2003 Civic and drives 60 mph on the highway (posted speed is 70) and he gets 45 mpg highway.

 

I've seen a couple articles/blogs about people doing stuff like this. They'll use duct tape on all the seems in the car, take out the rear seats to save weight, remove the spare tire to save weight, remove the passenger seat to save weight... and then it get's even crazier - they'll look for places to park on a slope so they can roll out of the parking place instead of starting the car to back up, they'll add a very small amount of acetone to their gas tank (don't try this) to get better mileage, etc. etc. etc. I'm sure it works to some extent but a little too much for me Besides, with my truck it would be like trying to polish a turd.

Edited December 12, 2007 by romadant

[bosshaug]

TIP #1: Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning

when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all

service stations have t heir s torage tanks buried below ground.

The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets

warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the

evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum

business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline,

diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an

important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But

the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the

pumps.

TIP #2: When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the

nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger

has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you

should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that

are created while you are pumping. All hoses a t t he pump have a

vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the

liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being

sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're

getting less worth for your money.

TIP #3: One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas

tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more

gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space.

Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage

tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero

clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the

evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every

truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon

is actually the ex act amount.

TIP #4: VERY IMPORTANT: Another reminder. If there is a gasoline

truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO

NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the

gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that

normally settles on the bottom.

[LustfortheMoment]

I use my AMEX BLUE CASH to get 5% off on fuel.......... . There are other 5% cards out there as well.

[54regcab]

The temperature 10' under the ground remains a relatively constant 65 degrees in most parts of the country, that's why no temp compensation is used for the tanks.. The difference between morning and night is less than 1 degree, myth busted. The temperature of the fuel in the truck varies a lot based on outside temperature, good thinking to temp compensate. At cooler temps less fuel evaporates while filling up so filling early is a good idea. As an added bonus stations are typically less busy so less time idling waiting for a pump.

[hurricanesfans27]

The temperature 10' under the ground remains a relatively constant 65 degrees in most parts of the country, that's why no temp compensation is used for the tanks.. The difference between morning and night is less than 1 degree, myth busted. The temperature of the fuel in the truck varies a lot based on outside temperature, good thinking to temp compensate. At cooler temps less fuel evaporates while filling up so filling early is a good idea. As an added bonus stations are typically less busy so less time idling waiting for a pump.

 

 

this suit says otherwise. and if the ground temp does in fact stay the same how come they install heaters in canada for the tanks but not coolers in the south?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/1...ists_were_.html

[HoldenMcGroin]

TIP #1: Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning

when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all

service stations have t heir s torage tanks buried below ground.

The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets

warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the

evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum

business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline,

diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an

important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But

the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the

pumps.

TIP #2: When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the

nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger

has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you

should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that

are created while you are pumping. All hoses a t t he pump have a

vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the

liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being

sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're

getting less worth for your money.

TIP #3: One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas

tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more

gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space.

Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage

tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero

clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the

evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every

truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon

is actually the ex act amount.

TIP #4: VERY IMPORTANT: Another reminder. If there is a gasoline

truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO

NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the

gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that

normally settles on the bottom.

 

 

Tip 3 sounds pretty good, my second half of a tank always seems to go way faster than the first half. I just hate having to stop more often for gas.

[Penny-Wise]

TIP #4: VERY IMPORTANT: Another reminder. If there is a gasoline

truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO

NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the

gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that

normally settles on the bottom.

 

I don't know where I heard this, but I have followed this advice for many years. It just makes sense.

[54regcab]

The temperature 10' under the ground remains a relatively constant 65 degrees in most parts of the country, that's why no temp compensation is used for the tanks.. The difference between morning and night is less than 1 degree, myth busted. The temperature of the fuel in the truck varies a lot based on outside temperature, good thinking to temp compensate. At cooler temps less fuel evaporates while filling up so filling early is a good idea. As an added bonus stations are typically less busy so less time idling waiting for a pump.

 

 

this suit says otherwise. and if the ground temp does in fact stay the same how come they install heaters in canada for the tanks but not coolers in the south?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/1...ists_were_.html

 

Underground temperatures are relatively constant from day to night unless heated/cooled from an external source. The biggest factor in underground fuel temperature is how long ago it was filled up and what the temperature of the incoming fuel was. Of course you don't want to fill up right after the tanks are filled for the reasons listed above. Besides it takes a 14 degree difference in fuel tempature to make a 1% difference in volume. Underground fuel isn't going to be 60F in the morning at 74F in the afternoon w/o an external heat source or being mixed with much warmer fuel.

Edited December 16, 2007 by 54regcab

[trying_to_fix]

There is a concept out there called hypermiling which deals with squeeking every last mile out of each tank of gas. Some people overdo it like blocking your radiator with cardboard to make your car more aerodynamic. One of the biggest things I've learned is to not go over 2000 rpm unless you are on the highway and need to. My buddy has a 2003 Civic and drives 60 mph on the highway (posted speed is 70) and he gets 45 mpg highway.

 

You may be saving *some* fuel by not revving over 2000 rpm but in the long run this is not very good advice.

 

For one, unless you car is a diesel, most of you car's power is at higher RPM's. So you are lugging the engine and creating a huge workload for it at these lower engine speeds. Plus the oil pump is not pumping as much oil into the car and again straining the engine. Your best bet is to shift where the torque is highest - therefore your engine is most efficient.

 

Also the 2000 RPM and 60 in a 70 MPH creates an issue of safety with other vehicles. If everyone else is going 70 and they come upon you, you are a potential accident waiting to happen. Same thing when attempting to merge into a highway while feathering the throttle.

 

Better to look at the long-term picture than trying to save a few pennies today. If not a more expensive engine rebuild or even worse an accident could be in your future.

Edited December 19, 2007 by trying_to_fix

[Jen23514]

I use my AMEX BLUE CASH to get 5% off on fuel.......... . There are other 5% cards out there as well.

 

I'll have to check into those !

[54regcab]

There is a concept out there called hypermiling which deals with squeeking every last mile out of each tank of gas. Some people overdo it like blocking your radiator with cardboard to make your car more aerodynamic. One of the biggest things I've learned is to not go over 2000 rpm unless you are on the highway and need to. My buddy has a 2003 Civic and drives 60 mph on the highway (posted speed is 70) and he gets 45 mpg highway.

 

You may be saving *some* fuel by not revving over 2000 rpm but in the long run this is not very good advice.

 

For one, unless you car is a diesel, most of you car's power is at higher RPM's. So you are lugging the engine and creating a huge workload for it at these lower engine speeds. Plus the oil pump is not pumping as much oil into the car and again straining the engine. Your best bet is to shift where the torque is highest - therefore your engine is most efficient.

 

Also the 2000 RPM and 60 in a 70 MPH creates an issue of safety with other vehicles. If everyone else is going 70 and they come upon you, you are a potential accident waiting to happen. Same thing when attempting to merge into a highway while feathering the throttle.

 

Better to look at the long-term picture than trying to save a few pennies today. If not a more expensive engine rebuild or even worse an accident could be in your future.

 

Few 4cyl vehicles (the ones that use the least fuel) can maintain highways speeds without exceeding 2,000 rpm. I know our Honda CR-V runs 3,000 rpm @ 75 MPH. Our Ford F150 (5.4L V8) runs 2,000 rpm @ 70 but uses considerably more fuel...