We've thought about it, discussed it and did it:

- Buy gas early in the morning
- Over-inflate your tires
- Turn off AC and roll down the windows
- Leave your tailgate down (pickups)

Read the rest and you decide...
Gas-saving Myths to Ignore

 

I have been able to pick up an increase in MPG by cutting of the A/C when going up hill and turning it full blast when going down an incline using very little throttle if any at all.. When there are no cars behind me I will use as little throttle as I can to be able to reach the top and start down the other side.. If the hill is long and steep I will shut off the ignition and coast with the clutch in or in neutral, turning the ignition on while I can still accelerate while on the slope and use less throttle as I am going up hill again.. The biggest waste of fuel I ever see is people that tailgate the car in front of them and can't see around them.. Every time the lead car slows a little the tailgater is on his brakes and back on the fuel as the guy in front pulls away... I have ridden in cars with drivers that will speed up when they know there is a tight curve ahead they will wait until the last moment to brake for generally when they are in the middle of the curve and approaching a stop sign or a car that dropped off speed before entering the curve... People will drive at or above the speed limit as they approach a red light and then slam on the brakes to avoid rolling into the intersection....I'll bet that the majority of those that are forever complaining about getting poor fuel mileage or constantly replacing brake pads are driving with their foot either on the brake pedal or throttle and don't have a clue about strategically analyzing which cars are moving in which lanes and making better time by not having to brake and accelerate continuously... Often a short quick burst of speed to break away from the zombies on their cell phones and Big Gulps will save you on gas time and frustration.... It's a matter of practicing good driving habits and avoiding those with bad habits more than buying a certain brand, octane rated fuel, tire pressure or A/C temperature.... If you are approaching a red light with a lot of cars waiting for it to change there is no reason to get there before the light changes by stepping on the gas when you will have to brake to a complete stop and then need to start rolling again using twice the energy than you would have by lifting off of the throttle and down shifting letting the engine slow you with the fuel injectors deactivated until you are almost to a complete stop or you are able to lightly apply throttle to keep moving. I've been up a long time and ranting, but at least some of my ranting should make sense to at least some one.

 

Lol... I'm up too TC. Not rants, good points that come with seasoning... and lesser testosterone levels... I just thought it was an interesting read worth sharing...

Don't forget about those who stop at convenience stores with the car running then complain about carjackers.

 

I try to avoid using A/C as much as possible and drive with the windows open except when I need to go on the interstate hwy. Coyote, I must try your method of using A/C on the downhills and off when climbing---great idea. I always try to park under a tree or in shade whenever possible in the summer. Helps to start with a cool car.

 

Want a gas-saving tip... that people around here seem to like using in their Prius....

Don't stop at signs or lights.

Don't use any of your lights when driving at night.

Personally, I don't care. Even with prices creeping up to $5 a gallon here, I'm just gonna drive however I feel like... that includes stopping when "legally" required to do so, even if I'm the only car in the intersection. I hate rolling through.

 

People that get into the habit of not coming to a complete stop, not using turn signals or assume that other drivers will stop or signal before turning are asking for trouble.... I'm not too wild about driving the speed limit when on a road with very little traffic and I am completely in control of the car.... Sometimes I drive under the limit if doing so doesn't infringe on some one behind me from driving the speed limit.

 

The old saying is <45 keep your windows down. At 45+ use the air conditioning. However the best ones I have found are reduce weight, moderation while accelerating and self control.

 

Modulation... or moderation?

Tex, what bothers me, more than not signalling for a turn.... people signalling midway through the turn. I just don't get the point in that. You've stopped, backing up traffic. Started your turn to the point where EVERY is clearly seeing you turn... then you turn on your turn signal?

For myself, I rarely use turn signals if there's no one around. If there are people around, then I'll use it if my turn is going to affect them (or isn't painfully obvious). If I'm sitting in a turn only lane, 9 time south of 10, I won't have my signal on. If I'm in an intersection by myself and I want to turn when I get my green light (no dedicated turn lane)... I won't signal, until a car comes up from the front or behind me.

 

Sorry, in my earlier post, I meant drivers not using headlights and taillights. They're driving in "stealth mode" or some stupid shit.

 

Haha, moderation. I would blame autocorrect, but I was just distracted watching basketball.

 

Well, I will blame auto correct... it appears I have more mistypes on my tablet than on my desktop... and can't seem to catch the auto correct.

9 times out of 10! Not south, dang it.

 

Doesn't help that new cars nowadays have DRL and illuminated dashboards which gives a false sense that your light switch is turned on. Cars with auto sensors is no prob. Those without sensors leaves the tail lights and markers off.

Then again none of these are gas savers....

 

They are very roundabout way of "saving" gas. No lights, less drain on battery. The higher the voltage on the battery, the less the alternator runs (that assumes the car is generally "smart" enough and able to connect/disconnect the alternator). And if the alternator isn't producing drag on the engine... at least, that's how I imagine folks seeing the "reasoning" (as flawed as it is).

I can understand the poor sense in people with DRLs... but at least they have SOME kind of light. But for the folks that don't... I wonder... doesn't SOMETHING go through their heads?

"Hum... kinda hard to see things... maybe I should turn on some lights... nah."

Hell, there were a couple of times, just to get an idea. On a road through a forest preserve, at night, I decided to flip off my lights and just have my parking lights with my DRLs... WAYYYY too dark for my comfort. I was pretty terrified of going off the road (it constantly S-curves left and right).

There was a time I got "surprised" by a car going the opposite direction. I never saw it coming. After I passed that car, all I could think of, was... "thank goodness I had no intention of turning just then... cause I would've pulled into his path and gotten hit by him."

 

Alternator... battery drain... that's a stretch Goobs specially with the new "smart" cars... all quarterbacked by the ECU.

But as far as lights go, I try to give them the on/off, on/off signal but some just don't have a clue...

 

Well, it's either that stretch... or just saying they're clueless/assholes.

 

They're drunk. For some reason turning on lights is the first thing people forget to do in the car when they've had too much to drink. And cops know this, it's one way they quickly find drunk drivers when they feel like catching them.

 

I forget if it was myth busters or some other myth show but they rated three different drivers with good driving records. The results they all failed a couple of tests. if your angry or tired you are sometimes prone to being impatient or even reckless, So it's a state of mind I thought it was really interesting thought I would just throw that out there. It was interesting to watch, almost forgot they said city drivers are the biggest offenders cause to be honest were all guilty of this, when i go ten blocks and sit at ten lights, sometimes can get real frustrating

 

I always found my gas mileage when I delivered pizza was worse when I would turn off my car at houses then when I kept it on.

 

You might save gas but not a good practice if you don't want the car leaving without you in it... Just my take.

 

I'd lie if I didn't say it wasn't a concern!