With gas prices still hovering above $4 per gallon, your upcoming summer road trips are already more expensive this year than last and you haven't even left the driveway. Following are some tips to help you save a few dollars at the gas tank this vacation season:
Slow down. According to fueleconomy.gov, gas mileage typically decreases at speeds above 60 miles per hour, "Each five miles per hour you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas," the site says.
Keep your tires perfectly plumped. You can improve gas mileage up to three percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Underinflated tires lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every pound-per-square-inch drop in pressure of all four tires. Do yourself a favor and by a $10 pressure gauge (available at any hardware or auto accessory store) and look at your vehicle's owner's manual or the door jamb for the proper level of inflation (not the tire itself, which shows the maximum tire inflation pressure). Make sure you check the tire pressure when the tires are cold, as internal pressure increases when the car has been on the road for a while and the tires heat up.
Sign up for an E-ZPass account. If you haven't already Velcro-ed the little beige box to your windshield, you should do so before your next trip. E-ZPass boxes keep you out of long lines, which saves you idling time and gas. The electronic toll-collection system is offered on most toll roads, bridges and tunnels across 14 states from Maine to Virginia and west to Illinois.
Every little bit helps. Did you know you can boost your gas mileage by two 2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil? Fueleconomy.gov recommends looking for oil that says "energy conserving" or "resource conserving" on the API performance symbol. This ensures it contains friction-reducing additives that form films to reduce the friction of moving engine parts and to help improve fuel economy.
Pass on premium gas. Most vehicles that call for premium fuel (which was averaging $4.23 per gallon earlier this month, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report -- up from $3.20 one year ago) can run perfectly well on regular. On its Tips for Saving Fuel page, Cars.com says, "Technically, this makes the car less efficient, but not to a degree that negates the cost savings from the cheaper fuel grade." Not every car is forgiving enough to be fed regular fuel. Check your owner's manual to find out if higher-priced gas is required or just recommended.
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