For you to be in good shape and not be scared about spending at the end of the month, we separated some tips to help save on car gas consumption .
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7 tips to save gasoline
Know how much your car consumes
Do you know how much your car consumes? If you still don’t know, it’s time to find out! This super simple information will help a lot when saving gasoline. On the manufacturers’ websites, it is possible to find this data. To find out on your own, just fill the tank and run high mileage. Then, fill the tank again, check the mileage and the number of liters you have used and divide one number by the other. For example: if you spent 22 liters to cover 250 kilometers, the account would be 250 divided by 22, which is equal to 11.36. In that case, the vehicle did 11.36 km/liter. Knowing this, you can plan better to travel to any destination!
Check tires and wheels
Poorly calibrated tires make the engine forcing more to turn, increasing gasoline consumption. For you to have an idea, a tire calibrated with the wrong pressure can increase consumption of 1.5% to 3%. But rest assured that the solution to this is simple! Just maintain the proper pressure, according to what is indicated in the vehicle manual. Does this calibration process need to be done every 15 days, combined? It is also important to pay attention to the alignment of the car. When the wheels are not aligned, they drag, which shortens tire life as well.
Keep only what you need in the car
It is very common to leave clothes, bags, and even child seats inside the vehicle. If you can avoid this, we recommend it, okay? That’s because cars with more weight require more of the engine, and the more it is forced, the more fuel will be used. Keep an eye!
Pay attention when driving
If your car is manual, be careful not to push so hard when changing gears, okay? Changing gear inappropriately can force the engine and, as we have already said, increase fuel consumption. To avoid mistakes, just look at the owner’s manual. In it, you find the ideal rotation and speed for changing gears. Over time, more experienced drivers learn to “hear the engine” and know, simply by hearing, what is the right time for each change. Taking it easy to accelerate also forces the engine less and helps you save.
Check the fuel source
Do you know that station that is charging a liter of fuel well below average? The tip is always to remember the famous saying “cheap is expensive” and be wary! Fuels of dubious origin are consumed much faster, in addition to harming the engine, since the vehicles were made to run with 27% ethanol in gasoline and nothing above that.
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Always clean filters
It is important to keep the air and fuel filters clean and make changes as required by the owner’s manual. Otherwise, the spark plugs may clog, forcing the engine.
Be a good driver
Our last tip, but no less important, is that you pay attention to your behavior in traffic:
Use the gearbox.
- Gradually reduce the speed when the traffic light turns red, instead of leaving it in neutral.
- Stop accelerating the car before turning it off.
Max Anthony
Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.
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