With the cost of gas on the rise, most of us don't have the luxury to just go out and buy a more fuel efficient car no matter what the numbers add up to be. Then the talk of Hybrids with their gas saving electric engine won't benefit freeway drivers as much nor will low mileage drivers be effected (battery replacement after 5-8 years is another major cost). So the thing is what do you do?

Regular Maintenance

This may not sound like a no brainer but your car is constantly fighting friction. Friction from the engine, friction from the tires, friction from the paint, etc. Properly inflated tires, frequent oil changes and washed cars can improve gas mileage significantly. Also anything that makes the engine function more efficiently helps like changing spark plugs, and making sure the engine timing is correct is also helpful.

Be a Slower Driver

Not telling you to drive really slow but slow down to the speed limit. Cars are designed to work best at a certain RPM and in the last gear. The last thing you want is for the full power of the car to come in to propell you to your designed speed. Stomping your foot on the pedal will drain the car of fuel. Even driving above the speed limite on the freeway will use more gas than staying around it. The reason is cars are tuned to get the best out of the EPA standard. That means maximizing fuel economy for their test. Since the EPA isn't designed to rate cars based on racing, you can be sure that if you drive like one, don't complain when you only get 22mpg when the car is rated at 30.

Don't Be Lazy

Honestly how many times do you need to circle the parking lot looking for the closest spot to Fresh Choice? Park further away. It's easier to get parking and you don't drive as far. Parking lots much like stores are designed for easy access to come in but a maze to get out. Walk a little and get some exercise and save yourself gas from hunting for close parking spots and fighting with others for stealing spots.

Modify For Power and Effieciency

There are lots of legal modifications that can be done to the car to save gas and get more power from the car if you are light on the pedal. There are two rules. Either make the engine more effiecient with what it's got or give it more of what it needs.  If you make the engine more effiecient, it needs less gas.. sometimes even as simple as creating more HP requires you to press the gas pedal less. There's 3 things you can do.

1. Get rid of excess weight. Clean out the car of stuff you don't need to keep hauling around.
2. Let the car BREATH better. This means changing the intake system and exhaust system to something that is more free flowing.
3. Burn the fuel smarter. Upgrade the ignition system in your car to one from MSD or Jacobs so that it smartly burns all the fuel.

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