The office I work in recently upgraded to a larger building but its a lot further away from where I live. I love where I work so I'm not considering leaving it or anything but I am feeling the bite of having to pay for more gas every week. A friend was telling me about hypermiling and some of it sounds like something I could feasibly do while other aspects (like never exceeding 45mph on the freeway). Has anyone tried this and, if so, how did it work out for you?
In trying to find out more about hypermiling, I found anLog In that included a bit more about it. I don't know that it's for me; especially trailing semis on the freeway to avoid winf-resistance, but I might adopt some of the practices to save on gas, like trying as much as possible to not actually stop the car unless absolutely necessary. I feel like if I pick and choose different aspects of hypermiling that feel safe for me, I can still see some savings.
This sounds interesting, but I don't know very much about it. I think I'll have a look later to learn more, thanks. I would use caution if you decide to try trailing a semi. If you are close to them and directly behind them, they can not see you. The rule of thumb is that if you cannot see their mirrors, they cannot see you. Just something to keep in mind. As for savings on gas, have you triedLog In or a similar service? You can check the site (even includes maps) for the cheapest gas nearest the locations where you buy gas. They also have an app, I believe, if I remember correctly. While keeping your speed down (and keeping it level) are said to help with savings, there are some other things you can do as well that are safe and pretty painless. Finding the cheapest place to get gas is a good start. Some store cards also give you a discount (a Walmart gift card gives you 3 cents per gallon off at Murphy's, etc.). You might be able to pick up some discounted gas cards at some gift card exchange sites as well. They buy, sell, and trade (do you homework first... there are some mentioned elsewhere on this site).
Thanks for your response! I used to be pretty adept at finding the cheapest places to get gas but then I read all of this stuff about gas stations that use unregulated amounts of detergent and I'm on a budget so I need my car to last!
Have you also checked your owner's manual to see which gas is best suited to your vehicle? Many people think that the highest octane (and highest price) is always better, but that isn't necessarily the case. Higher octane is for high performance engines (the way they are built), but it doesn't necessarily equate to higher performance for the average vehicle. Both higher and lower octane than recommended can create issues. I read anLog Inthat says many gasoline products don't contain enough detergents. These are used to keep your engine cleaner and avoid build up. If you have to replace a gunky fuel pump... it's expensive (talking from recent experience). Have you compared gas reward programs as well?
I haven't checked the rewards programs out but that's a good idea. I checked my owner's manual ages ago to make sure I was putting the beast gasoline in but I should give it a refresher glance. Thanks!
Coasting is a bad idea cause it angers other drivers. Iv'e tried it before out of desperation. Of course, you can get away with it without bothering other people or raising the attention of law enforcement, assuming, of course, your on a fairly empty highway or road. Now in regards to the trailing tractor trailers idea, I'd have to say that could be suicide. A lot of those big truck drivers are on the edge anyway and many take drugs to stay awake. Of course, the above being said, I'd say a better way to increase gas efficiency is to simply visit an oil changing business every few months. It might run you nearly 100 USD, but in my opinion, it's worth it.
