Gas Saving Tips...

[Matt]

Everyone post all your tips here on how to save money on gasoline.

CONFIRMED:
1) If you have more than one vehicle, try to drive the one with the best Miles per Gal as much as possible.
2) Check and see if your car actually needs Premium or Super gas... some owner's manuals actually reccomend just Regular... you could save 10, 20, 30 cents a gallon.
3) Use sites like GasBuddy.com and GasPriceWatch.com to find cheaper stations.
4) Use Wal-Mart Gas stations, but buy a Wal-mart gift card first to save 3 cents off each gallon (NOTE - some stations may not participate in this)
5) Get a cash back credit card to get 5% off gas purchases (Citi Dividend Cash Back one is an example)


RUMOR/MYTH:
1) Apparantly using air conditioning uses more gas... I always thought this was electric, though.
2) Adding some water to the gas tank instead of actual fuel... I think this one will just mess up your car as water does not burn.
3) Sign up for ExxonMobil speedpass to save 5 cents a gallon... This ended, hopefully they start it again.

[Spartacus]

MAKES SENSE:
1) Get off your lazy ass and walk.

[brian23987]

Or ride a bike.

[ScorpZ]

Try car pooling, you'd all save alot of money that way
3-4 people in a car sharing the price... all get to work at the same time/your location at the same time and it'll cost you all less each.

[bluedragon]

dd for drunk people.... then stop at every gas station and fill pretend to fill up asking them for money to pay for it with.

[Jeff K-DSA]

RUMOR/MYTH:
1) Apparantly using air conditioning uses more gas... I always thought this was electric, though.
If your car uses an older air conditioner setup that's reliant on freon(?) that mechanism is powered by the motor and thus burns more gas. Modern cars though are using the electrical system already present in the car that's at a full charge as long as the motor is just idling, though even with the motor off it still works proving that theory.

2) Adding some water to the gas tank instead of actual fuel... I think this one will just mess up your car as water does not burn.
Not sure, but as you said...water doesn't create fire, just steam, and somehow I think that would blow something up under pressure, or at the least add a nice rusting issue to the engine/tank/lines.


Here's one I know that works to add to your GOOD list.

Accelerate like a granny...well not that bad. Unless someone is baring down on you as you turn into a major road, start slow. Never when accelerating let the engine say go over 3 (3000rpms) on the dial. At lower points of speed where the gears shift often and gas can be chugged like mad, by doing this makes it sip as the pedal (pump) for gas just opens a bit, and not a lot.

[chipotleattack]

1) Apparantly using air conditioning uses more gas... I always thought this was electric, though.

I just read about this online last week. Air conditioning does use more gas. It takes away about 10-15% off your mileage per gallon. They said that it's best to just open your windows if you're not driving on freeways and let summer breezes come through...which doesn't really do much when it's 100 degrees outside. If you're on the freeway it's best to use the air condition though because if you leave the windows open it creates wind resistance and drag and that'll make you use 10-15% of your gas...or something like that.

Agh...Jeff...I accelerate too fast. That's why my gas meter goes down so fast...dammit.

[Matt]

Here's anohther one...

CRUISE CONTROL - use it... it can give you 5% better gas milage.

NO IDLING - idling uses some gas, so turn the motor off... also means you're helping the enviroment (less polution)

[MAX]

Here's a tip.

If you can't afford the gas, you shouldn't be driving.

I can, and I do. =)

[Jeff K-DSA]

Yah about idling there is a simple rule.

*IF* you know how long the idle will be it's simple.

>1min = leave it on
<1min = turn it off

Apparantly after 60seconds you save more gas turning it off than doing a restart of the engine, but doing it before that cut off gobbles more. No idea really how much, but I guess enough for someone to bother even announcing such a study.

[bountyhunter]

Here's one I know that works to add to your GOOD list.

Accelerate like a granny...well not that bad. Unless someone is baring down on you as you turn into a major road, start slow. Never when accelerating let the engine say go over 3 (3000rpms) on the dial. At lower points of speed where the gears shift often and gas can be chugged like mad, by doing this makes it sip as the pedal (pump) for gas just opens a bit, and not a lot.


unless, of course, you drive an rx-8/rx-7

[MoN]

I thought the AC taking up gas was common knowledge...

Anyway, here's a tip:

Push your car to your destination. Easily achieved, plus no gas is used.

[Jeff K-DSA]

Steal a few horses and drag you car just like the DeLorean in Back to the Future 3.

[bluedragon]

hoard gas in your basement until people find out. then start carrying an automatic and charging 30 dollars for a gallon.

[Jeff K-DSA]

^^Sadly there are a good deal of idiots that will really do that. Problem is, it's these bastards that cause the shortages. Panicy idiots run out and buy all they can and run the stations dry before their weekly refills.

[MoN]

Weekly? No, I'm sure it's more like every other day, or twice a week. (Depending on how busy the place is...you know, if it's in a dead spot, yeah, weekly maybe.)

[Kaizoku_Kouji]

Jeez, I just got back from vacation, and the prices you see when driving through sprasely populated areas are astronomical, seeing as there's a lot of the time about 1 station every 25 miles or so.

Anyway, here's a tip:
Use public transportation. If you have a college/university ID, a lot of the time the PT systems in your town will let you ride for free (I know I can). Also, just the basics like biking, walking, and carpooling are all great ideas.

[Rensa]

I use public transport; it's extremely cheap in most Melbourne. I go 20kms each way to and from school every day. On a concession card (applicable if you're doing secondary or tertiary education), it's $2 a day, or $8 for a week. Must more economical than the costs associated with cars (fuel, maintenance, insurance, rego...).

[bountyhunter]

Weekly? No, I'm sure it's more like every other day, or twice a week. (Depending on how busy the place is...you know, if it's in a dead spot, yeah, weekly maybe.)


yep. My dad's station usually gets refilled every other day.

[no arab with a gas station jokes, plz]

[Jeff K-DSA]

I just used weekly as an idea...I know it varies.

Yesterday was fun.
4:30AM: Gas - $3.19
10:30AM: Gas - $3.09
4:00PM: Gas - $2.89

Not bad seeing that kind of drop in a few hours that's for sure. Let's see it keep recovering and that would be great.

[Spirit Icana]

Anyway, here's a tip:

Push your car to your destination. Easily achieved, plus no gas is used.

Easily achieved? Yeah, I would tend to agree if the population didn't consist of beings outside you and me.

[bountyhunter]

I think they're using the hurricane as an excuse to push up gas prices.

That's just wrong.

[Jeff K-DSA]

Nothing new though, but I dunno who ever actually would track it on a website, but everytime there has been a hurricane before in the gulf prices have risn, just like when the gouge on holiday weekends.

There's no other real reason it went that high to then drop 36hours later a whole 40cents. It's all those bastards primarily at the futures reporting on the NY Mercantile Exchange who pull prices out of their asses after guessing any possible fears of the future they can come up with...then cross that price they screw oil companies with with their loss of production ability due to (not pumping oil but) refineries being waterlogged and damaged not running at full speed. That's what did it.

[MoN]

Any true business would not do that. Best to browse around. Maybe store managers change the prices, but I doubt corporate would approve of such gouging without reason. (Although I know corporate is evil, I just doubt they'd want FBI on their asses)

Anyway, gas is 2.89 still at 'my' store, while it's 2.99 and 3.09 at other stores. We're basically the cheapest in Jax.

[Tidus 1233]

Another thing in China more people are driving, so that means China needs more gasoline so prices everywhere go up :angry:

[bountyhunter]

I'm doubting you drive at all. so shut up.