Power Steering, Great Ways To Save Gas

Hypermiling is a term used to describe a set of techniques or driving habits used to get the most miles possible from a tank of gas. Although hypermiling driving techniques are often associated with hybrid cars, they are gaining popularity with owners of all types of vehicles due to current gas prices. Some of the simpler methods can make a small difference, while the more extreme techniques are not practical or safe enough to be worth the effort.

Coasting down an incline can save fuel because the engine doesn’t have to work to keep the car moving. However, it is against the law in many places to coast down hill in neutral or with an open clutch due to safety concerns. Turning the engine off while coasting is not a safe tactic because power steering and brakes are lost and there is a chance of the steering wheel locking. The benefit gained from coasting is also lost because fuel must be used to restart it.

Another trick that is becoming popular among hypermilers is to brake only when necessary. The principle of this hypermiling driving technique is to conserve energy by reducing the need to accelerate again. Conserving forward momentum is a good strategy, but extreme examples such as taking curves at unsafe speeds and rolling through stop signs should be avoided.

By optimizing your traffic route you can travel a shorter distance or avoid stop and go traffic. It may even be possible that a slightly longer route is more fuel efficient than a shorter route if it has fewer stops. Traffic with frequent stops hurts gas mileage because it takes more energy to accelerate than to maintain a steady speed.

Since tires create rolling resistance relative to their contact surface, some hypermilers overinflate their tires in an effort to increase gas mileage. It will reduce the tires drag against the road, but it will also lower traction and cause uneven tire wear. Having to replacing prematurely worn tires will likely offset any money saved from the small increase in gas mileage.

While it’s true that drafting a bigger vehicle may decrease wind resistance against your car, it’s one of the more dangerous hypermiling techniques. Following a large vehicle too closely reduces your field of vision and gives you less room to stop safely. Other drivers may find this irritating and likely won’t understand that you’re trying to improve your gas mileage.

Driving the posted speed limit is one of the simpler hypermiling techniques, but is a safe way to improve fuel economy. Most speed limits will keep the cars engine in an optimal rpm range which means less wasted energy. Cruise control is not only a great way to maintain the speed limit, but is also the most fuel efficient way to maintain speed.

Recently, I’ve been doing some reading on new ways to save and be frugal. I stumbled on a “new” method that just about scared me to death.

Hypermiling: The act of changing the habits of how you drive.

It sounds great, until I read about what habits they want you to change. Of course, there are many safe ways to drive smarter. But some of the tactics are not only unsafe, they are illegal in some states.

One method mentioned was to tailgate a semi truck. They create huge “air wakes” that reduce drag on your vehicle to almost nothing. But driving that close behind a semi-truck can be a very fatal concept. One sudden move by the truck, and you put your life, your passengers’ lives, other drivers lives and even that trucker’s life at risk.

A second tip was to put your car in neutral and turn off your engine while driving. Power brakes and power steering both rely on the engine running to be effective. In some states, this act is illegal. The reason it is illegal is because it is very dangerous. If you have to take sudden action, you are less in control of your car than it was designed to be.

I have to go on the record as stating that there is nothing — and I mean absolutely nothing — that is worth putting so many lives at risk to save an extra mile or ten per gallon. Even if you save 200mpg, it isn’t worth it. There are, of course, smart ways to save money while driving.

Safe ways to save money while driving

The obvious way to save money while driving is not to. Walk, ride public transportation, or even a bicycle. I’ve mentioned on my blog ways to go without a car. But if you have to have a car, there are several safe and effective measures to save money while driving it.

1) Keep your tires properly inflated. Tires that are under-inflated can sap an extra 5mpg from your car. If they are over-inflated, you are at a much greater risk for blowouts and losing control on the road.

2) Maintain your car’s oil, belts and filters. It’s an inexpensive way to reduce your cars gas usage. A clogged air filter will take another three to ten miles per gallon off of your car’s mileage. But there’s more to it than that. Keeping your car’s oil, filters, belts and plugs maintained will take care of the majority of engine failures, which means a huge savings in future car repairs.

3) Drive the speed limit. Drive defensively, not aggressively. Driving aggressively will reduce your gas mileage and increse the wear-and-tear on your vehicle. But by driving the speed limit, you not only increase safety, you save money. It’s a win-win.

4) Keep track of gas prices in your area. You can find many gas-price-tracking sites online. Knowing which stations routinely charge less can save a few pennies here and there. Knowing what time the station chain raises and lowers prices. The station on the hill from our house is consistently lower, and after talking with the manager, I discovered that they always change the prices at 9am, 3pm and 9pm. By watching the websites, I can guess when prices are going to go up. If I fuel up at lunch, before the gas prices increase, I save even more.

5) Resist buying treats while fueling. When we stop for fuel, I have a soda addiction. My wife has to gently remind me so that I won’t go in and buy a soda while the pump is running.