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Article Title:
==============

How To Meet Or Exceed The Estimated MPG On Your Vehicle

Article Description:
====================

Most of us simply cannot run down to the local car dealer and buy
a brand new, highly fuel-efficient hybrid car. Somehow, we just
have to make the best of what we have available to us. In this
article, I am going to assume that you are just like me, and I am
going to assume you need to figure out how to get the best gas
mileage out of the vehicle you have in your driveway. So, what
can YOU do TODAY to reduce your cost of driving from here to
there and back?


Additional Article Information:
===============================

1457 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line
Distribution Date and Time: 2008-07-15 10:24:00

Written By: Butch Taft
Copyright: 2008
Contact Email: mailto:articles@...



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How To Meet Or Exceed The Estimated MPG On Your Vehicle
Copyright (c) 2008 Butch Taft
Automotive Webmasters
http://www.automotivewebmasters.com



With gasoline at or above $4.00 per gallon, all of us are
painfully aware of the effect of fuel prices on our budgets.
Suddenly the fuel efficiency or lack thereof of a SUV, Hummer, or
large car becomes painfully evident. Even with a fuel-efficient
small car, the impact on our wallets catches almost everyone's
attention.

Most of us simply cannot run down to the local car dealer and buy
a brand new, highly fuel-efficient hybrid car. Somehow, we just
have to make the best of what we have available to us. In this
article, I am going to assume that you are just like me, and I am
going to assume you need to figure out how to get the best gas
mileage out of the vehicle you have in your driveway. So, what
can YOU do TODAY to reduce your cost of driving from here to
there and back?

Slow Down. What? S...L...O...W... D...O...W...N (Taxi Humor)

When you have to drive your car, the single thing that you can do
to most dramatically reduce the cost per mile is to SLOW DOWN. I
know that you didn't want to hear that, did you? Whether
commuting or traveling on the interstate, we all want to keep up
with the traffic, which is probably going 10 to 20 mph above the
speed limit, if traffic conditions allow it.

Many decades ago traffic jams began to back things up on the
Golden Gate Bridge and traffic engineers began exploring ideas on
how to move more cars across the bridge in less time. The answer
was to reduce the speed limit from 50+ to 40 or less. With less
distance between the cars at the slower speed, the total number
of cars per hour across the bridge went UP dramatically.

Every car consumes energy to run. For most of us this means
gasoline. The engine-transmission-rear end-power train
combination requires a certain amount of fuel per second for any
given speed. While the specific data varies for each power train
combination, a graph of speed versus miles per gallons
(http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml) shows the
maximum miles per gallon (and the lowest fuel cost per mile)
occurs between 45 and 60 miles per hour. Above 60 the MPG drops
rapidly.

For some cars, the computer and the instrument panel can team up
to show your estimated MPG data, in real time. If you have the
information available look at it - it can help you understand how
to achieve the most fuel-efficient operation of your vehicle, in
whatever conditions you drive.

According to the DOE/EPA web site (http://www.fueleconomy.gov),
aggressive driving (high acceleration, high speed, rapid braking)
can reduce you gas mileage by as much as 33%. If you drive with
tire squealing starts, 80-mph interstate cruising speeds, and
"stand on the brakes" stops - you are paying a dear price at
the gas pump.

If you hate $4.00/gallon, eliminating these fuel inefficiencies
could give you the equivalent of $3.08/gallon gas. Does that
sound good to you? All you have to do is slow down. Now, slowing
down to 60 may feel a bit frustrating at first, but just think of
all the dollars you are saving, every time you get into your car!
What's really important to you... fast acceleration and fast
driving, or lower driving costs and more driving distance?

Minimize Drive Time

Aside from riding your bike to the grocery store, instead of the
car, you can also reduce your car's expense by carefully
planning your errands to minimize your total miles driven. Make
one Saturday errand trip rather than 3 or 4. Think ahead. Shop
once a month, instead of twice a week, or only stop at the store
on your way home from work. You would be amazed at how much fuel
you can save by reducing your need to drive.

Properly Inflate Your Tires

What else can you do? Check your tire pressure and adjust to the
recommended pressures. Soft tires consume more energy flexing and
rolling than hard tires. The Owner's Manual lists the
recommended tire pressures, and there is an information plate on
the car, usually around the driver's door, giving the same
information.

Get a tire pressure gage and check the tire pressure in each tire
when it's cold. Record the pressures and note how many PSI below
recommended pressure each tire is. Drive to a service station.
Recheck the pressure in each tire - it will probably have gone up
some from the initial cold check as rolling and friction warmed
the tire. ADD air to each tire to increase the pressure by the
number of pounds each tire was low as recorded above (even if the
new hot pressure is higher than the recommended cold pressure).

Make Your Car More Aerodynamic - Reduce Drag

Another savings idea - reduce vehicle drag as much as possible by
removing car top luggage containers, ski racks, etc. If you feel
you must use such devices, understand there is no free lunch - it
will cost you in reduced fuel economy. Also, reduce the total
vehicle weight as much as possible by removing any unnecessary
weight in your vehicle. If you put sand bags in the trunk during
the winter, to improve your traction on snow and ice, get them
out of your vehicle when the ice and snow have gone.

Good Maintenance

Keep your engine running in good order. That means regular
tune-ups, air filter changes, and proper oil viscosity selection.
Remember, every little bit helps.

Other Resources

A number of web sites offer other information. See
(http://www.fueleconomy.gov/) for U.S. Government data and for
suggestions from Consumer Reports, try:
(http://www.consumerreports.rog/cro/cars/new-cars/resource-center
/green-car-guide/green-car=guide.htm)

Don't Be Duped - Avoid Magic Bullets

If there are DOs, there must also be DON'Ts. We love to believe
in magic potions, silver bullets, and conspiracies. For
generations we have been bombarded with commercials and
advertisements about stuff to dump in the radiator, in the oil,
in the gas, or hang on the car, which will fix our problems and
make everything much better. Some of these things work,
sometimes. More often than not, they offer false hope and little,
if any, practical benefits.

One of the recent popular subjects is running you car on water.
Many web sites talk about hydrogen-oxygen powered engines,
hydrogen boost from water, etc. It is true that burning hydrogen
produces heat, and water is a by-product of that process. Some
automobile manufacturers are even experimenting with hydrogen
engines, fuel cell propulsion systems, etc.

However, the basic method of getting hydrogen gas, in the "water
powered car", is electrolysis of water using an electric
current. Unfortunately, the electrolysis process requires more
electrical energy to separate the hydrogen and oxygen out of the
water than you will gain by burning the gases in an engine.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxyhydrogen)

Yes, it is true that some people are claiming fantastic results
using the water-powered car technology, but you may also note
that most the people making these claims are the same people that
are hoping you will spend your money with them.

They say, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".
Wait until these technologies are well proven, by reliable and
independent testing facilities, before depending on them to save
you money or reduce the operational expenses of your car.

Final Thoughts

If at the end of the month, you can increase your MPG and/or
decrease the miles you drive, you will save money.

Studies have shown that the average person can increase their
fuel mileage by at least 30%, by simply changing the way they
drive. If you can increase your fuel mileage by a mere 30%, then
you can expect to save about $23 per month on every $100 you
currently spend on gasoline for your vehicles.

If you can drive 20% fewer miles than what you drive right now,
you could expect to save another $15 on every $100 spent.

If you drive as much as my wife and I drive, you can expect to
save $46 per month, on your monthly $200 gasoline expense, just
by improving MPG by 30%. Then by cutting your driving distance by
only 20% per month, you could expect to gain another $30 savings,
bringing your overall fuel savings to $76 per month.

Every dollar counts these days.

We are not stopping at simply trying to increase our fuel
mileage. There are actually people in this world who are beating
the Estimated MPG on their vehicles, sometimes by as much as
+100%. We will be happy if we can simply beat the Estimated MPG
on our vehicles by a mere 20%. Think of it this way; every gallon
of gasoline saved is $4 earned! And I am all for increasing our
earning power!






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Butch Taft writes about modern transportation for the website:
http://automotivewebmasters.com As fuel prices continue to rise,
people are thinking about what they can do to "reduce the pain
at the pump." So much so that many people are have put summer
vacations on hold. The author of the Automotive Webmasters ebook,
"How To Increase The Fuel Mileage Of Any Vehicle" is already
beating the Estimated Highway MPG for his vehicle, in city
driving, and he will teach you - in his ebook - how to do the
same: http://automotivewebmasters.com/ebooks/increase-mpg.php


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