Are You Wasting Gas?

As fuel prices rise, we as consumers must begin to educate ourselves on ways to save money.  For some of us who drive older model cars, purchasing a new, more fuel-efficient car may not be an option.  There are ways that you can save on gas in your vehicle, regardless of the year it was made.

According to edmunds.com there are ten ways you can increase fuel-efficiency.  We have chosen to highlight the top five.  The first tip is to keep your speed between 40 and 60mph.  This can fluctuate with large SUV’s or pick-up trucks (should drop by 10mph or more).  The second tip is to avoid E85 ethanol.  Ethanol drastically affects fuel efficiency because gasoline contains more energy than alcohol.  “The EPA says you’ll get about 7mpg less with E85 (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) than with 100 percent gas.”  The third tip is to shut your vehicle off when you are not driving.  Did you know that a hybrid uses this concept to reduce fuel consumption?  This is accomplished by the hybrids automatic ability to switch off their engine while stopped in traffic.  The fourth tip is to avoid accelerating hard when leaving stop signs.  This can be a difficult concept for many teenagers, but it will drastically change your gas mileage.  The fifth tip that may be hard for teenagers is to avoid driving around aimlessly.  In other words, you should not “cruise.”  In addition to this idea, you should use cruise-control whenever possible.  This will keep you from random accelerations that will reduce your mpg.

As with any vehicle, keeping it properly maintained and serviced is also crucial to your gas mileage.  To have your used Toyota serviced, contact your local St. Louis Missouri dealer today.