Learn How to Get Better Gas Mileage

What you've heard

-It's easy to get better gas mileage.
-There are lots of great products that help you get more miles per gallon.
-Getting a tune up is the best way to get better fuel mileage.

The Truth

-When it comes to improving mileage it is TRUE that it is easy! The first and most important thing to remember when it comes to getting better mileage is that you can do it by the way you drive. The most important things to remember are:

1) Excessive acceleration and braking uses LOTS of fuel.
Every time you step on the gas pedal it puts more fuel into the engine. If you speed up really fast it uses more so it's best to accelerate slowly when possible. Many times I see people speed away from traffic signals only to slam on their brakes at the next red light. This is very bad for fuel mileage.

2) Speeds above 60 mph reduce gas mileage
If you want to get more miles per gallon SLOW DOWN. This is probably the most effective way to get better gas mileage for the average driver. Many people travel too fast and lose fuel economy because of it.

3) Excessive idling wastes gas
If you plan to be stopped for more than a minute or two then turn the engine off. When your engine is just sitting there idling and the car is not moving it is a complete waste of fuel, it is only being used to keep the engine running. There are people that even turn their engines off at red lights to help save fuel. I cannot say that this is a great idea, but it shows how dedicated some people are to saving gas. So remember to just turn the engine off when you can instead of letting it idle.

4) Keep your car maintained well.
While this is a very important thing to do it is probably not the most effective way to get better gas mileage. The other items listed above are generally way more effective. This does not mean that you should just neglect your car. The best thing to do is follow the factory maintenance schedule found in your owner's manual and follow the tips in this article. If you do BOTH you will see the best results.
I have heard of people who "overmaintain" their cars to the point that it is a waste of money. It does not do any good as far as saving gas to change your air filter every month or two. It is always best to stick with the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual.

-I do not know of ANY product that will improve fuel mileage to the point that it is worth buying. I have seen all kinds of products including magnets, mileage boosters, engine oil, stickers, weird chemicals, etc. that all claim to improve fuel economy. Many of them even claim to have been tested by "independent third parties", however I have never heard of any that work, or work well enough to buy them. The best thing you can do is NOT BUY THEM. Just like there is no way to "get rich quick," there is no way to "increase fuel mileage by 20%" quick. The ONLY good way to get better gas mileage is to follow my advice above.

-Getting your car tuned up is NOT the best way to improve fuel mileage for the average car owner. The BEST way is to change how you drive. While it is important to keep your car maintained, that is not the best way to get better mileage.

Leave get better gas mileage and go back to do it yourself.