Author |
Message |
Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 7:04 pm
I thought with the HIGH prices at the gas pump we can exchange ideas about how to save gas. I'm rolling down my windows and not using the air as much. In our area, EVERYONE uses their ac in the car. I have noticed some improvement already.
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 7:12 pm
I've heard that the air resistance from an open window is just as gas hogging as using the A/C, but if you say it's helping, yay! I've read that for every excess 200 pounds you carry in your car, you lose 1 mile per gallon. So either make your dh walk, or clean out the trunk (or take the in-law out of the trunk).
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 7:16 pm
I heard that too Hukd. I bet a lot depends on if you are Highway driving or just driving around town (at a much slower MPH) I heard you should buy on Tuesday. Supposed to be cheapest then, forgot the reasoning though...
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 7:18 pm
LOL Hukd! I never heard that before. That's interesting.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 7:27 pm
Oh, to clarify, I heard the windows open/AC thing. Not the 200 lbs thing...
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 8:04 pm
We've been driving 5 to 10 miles per hour UNDER the speed limit (70 on highways around here). It makes 10 miles to the gallon difference when we checked! We also coast down hills on our back roads, avoid quick take offs and coast to stops. Shoot, at this point, every little bit helps. Actually, DH is getting a moped this summer. We both work less than 4 miles from home, so he can use the moped this summer and DS and I will use the 35 MPG car when we need to go somewhere, rather than my 4WD Jeep. Unfortunately, we can't replace the 4WD (back, dirt roads and a 700 foot driveway that requires 4WD in winter), but we've been using it as little as possible!
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 8:12 pm
I actually went a full day longer without having to get gas by turning off the ac. I even did extra errands during the week. My husband drives the interstate and has seen a difference in his gas mileage. I was curious so found this article: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/20050804a1.asp
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 8:36 pm
Teach, I think a moped sounds like a good idea. Huk, you were right about weight. Here's an article with tips. I'm not sure if I'll do all of them, but there's good info here: http://www.opentravelinfo.com/travel-guide/uncategorized/how-to-save-money-on-gas-29-tips.html
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 8:43 pm
Huk, I thought I had read that years ago about carrying heavy loads caused you to use more gas. all 3 of my carpoolers weigh over 200lbs. so I wondered if that was true or an old wives tale
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 9:07 pm
More weight = more energy required to run the car = more fuel required. I hope they share the gas cost with you! Slightly overinflating your tyres helps, and driving with tyres underinflated is particularly bad for fuel mileage. I've noticed people driving more slowly around here, but couldn't think why - now I know! I saw the first gas over $4 today, at $4.01 for regular and $4.25 for premium.
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Bookworm
Member
12-18-2001
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 5:20 am
our local news station has done stories on this (actually they are doing another one tonight). One thing they found was to avoid quick starts and stops (like at lights). They drove the same route with quick starts/stops and slow starts/stops and the dramatic change actually surprised the reporter so much that they did it twice to make sure they had recorded everything correctly.
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Twiggyish
Member
08-14-2000
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 12:40 pm
I'm working at that Bookie! I like many of these ideas. It's hard making a change, but the prices at the gas pumps are outrageous!! One idea mentioned in the 29 tips website listed above is to turn off your car when you can. I used to keep the motor running when waiting to pick up my daughter at school. I've been turning off the car.. I know that's helping, too.
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Escapee
Member
06-15-2004
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 12:43 pm
I always thought starting your car up used a bunch of gas, more than just letting it idle.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 1:02 pm
That is a fallacy. It is much much more fuel efficient turning your car off even for short periods of time.
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Mocha
Member
08-12-2001
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 1:11 pm
I'm looking into taking public transportation.
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Dfennessey
Member
07-25-2004
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 1:14 pm
I am looking to walk to work this summer (i live about a mile and a half to work)
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Cinnamongirl
Member
01-10-2001
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 7:15 pm
Replace your air filter regularly. A clogged filter obviously will not work well and will hamper the air intake. Filters are very inexpensive and can boost your fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent.
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Nightcrawler
Member
02-12-2002
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 8:06 pm
the windows down or ac on i seen this on myth busters they used the same car with the same amount of gas in each car and they were on a race track going the same speed the one with ac on ran out of gas 1st the one with the windows down went about 25 miles more my window will be down
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Monday, May 05, 2008 - 9:19 pm
I'm counting days, the kids have four weeks and four days of school left. Once that happens, no softball practice, no games (some in different cities, though close by,) no track, no anime club, no running to two different schools twice a day. With school out, I also won't be picking up and dropping off my nephew, his mommy will be doing the driving. We really don't go too many places in the summer (me and the kids that is) and other than to my aunts or the grocery store for the big shopping trips twice a month, we'll be walking everywhere else. I already do the slower take offs and driving a few miles under the speed limit, and rarely use my a/c (I do use the vents though, but not a/c) thats just the way I drive (would hate to think of the even crappier gas mileage I'd get if I didn't do those things!) Darren had a pretty creative idea, or so he thought, lol. He told me he'd sell his car and buy a motorcycle and that'd save tons of gas. He's probably right, but I just rolled my eyes at him. He has a 60 mile round trip commute to work everyday, he's not taking my car and leaving me a motorcycle when it's too cold, windy, or rainy to get to work.
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Biscottiii
Member
05-29-2004
| Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 2:09 am
Stick to your guns War!!! Up here they're called "Donor-cycles" for a very good reason.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 7:29 am
There was a recent study about how much gas your a/c uses and it was determined that it uses less gas than driving a car with windows open. I don't drive much at all any more (one of the perks of working at home and living in a neighborhood where everything is walking distance). So I don't even know the price of gas here, other than other folks are yelping. And btw, if you do NOT live in California, I'm thinking you don't have all that much to yelp about. Gas is definitely at the $4 mark here. (Sorry, but I laugh everytime I hear the "national average" is something like $3.50; it's been months since gas was that low here.)
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Maris
Member
03-28-2002
| Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 7:48 am
Costa I paid 4.09 over a week ago here.
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 8:38 am
That's about what we paid last time we filled up my car too Maris. I have to get gas today (I could actually go another couple days normally on the little I have left, but Caleb has a track meet in Quartz Hill today and no way I'd make it out there) and haven't seen yet how much it is now. I grew up around bikers, saw too many of those guys killed or hurt to be comfy with motorcycles. Even the best rider can get in an accident, and at least when I was a kid, most of the time they weren't at fault. They're sitting ducks as far as I'm concerned.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 8:43 am
Well, like I said, I dunno what the prices are here. It's been weeks since I filled up my tank! 
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Scooterrific
Member
07-08-2005
| Tuesday, May 06, 2008 - 8:45 am
Costa... Bite me!!!
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