Keep your tank full to prevent water build-up-To get the best mileage, keep you fuel tank full. On cold nights, moisture can condense in the air inside a half-full tank and drip into the fuel. If your tank is 95% full, there is almost no air left inside to sweat out moisture that can foul up your fuel.

Drive the extra mile for cheaper gas-As a general rule, it pays to drive five miles extra to save a dime a gallon on your gas. Nearly all gas stations along freeways and highly traveled streets will charge more than other, less obviously located stations. Also, the oil industry redlines different neighborhoods using a system of price zones. UCAN has worked hard to make “zone pricing” illegal, but it still persists. To learn if you live in a high-price zone, check the prices in your area at our price tracking site, Fueltracker.

Get on the inside lane and stay there-If you’ve seen Days of Thunder or the Nascar circuit, you know the key to winning is getting on the rail and staying there, partly because it is a shorter distance around the track than the outside lane. Wandering across lanes costs you as much as 1.5 MPG.

Idling wastes precious gas-Idling for long periods will absolutely shoot down your good MPG figure. If you’re going to be idling for more than a minute, you’ll save gas by shutting your engine off and then restarting when it’s time to move.

Open windows are a drag-Your car was designed and tested in a wind tunnel to zip through the air with the least amount of drag. It’s tested with the windows closed. When you open them, it causes burbling and can significantly reduce your MPG. When you’re on the freeway, it’s cheaper to keep the AC on with the windows closed.

Increase tire pressure by four pounds-Look in you owner’s manual or below the door-catch on the driver’s side door for the correct tire pressure for your vehicle and try increasing it by four pounds. Drive your usual routes for two weeks. Check the tires every three days to keep the pressure constant. Now check your mileage. It should be much better. Yes-your ride will feel a little “firmer,” bumps will hit a little harder, but for the added mileage, it’s worth it. And no, the added pressure won’t hurt the tire. It may even help since it won’t “squish” as much when it hits the pavement and carries the load. If you can get three more MPG, that’s 60 extra miles on a 20-gallon gas tank.

Keep track of maintenance-You’ll never really know how well you’re doing in the fight for better gas mileage without keeping good records on you car. Start with a gallons and miles log. Fill up your tank; then keep a notebook with the number of gallons to the tenth, the price, and your current odometer reading. On the next fill up, write down the same items and figure your MPG. Similarly, track your tire maintenance by recording when you bought them, what wheel they go on, how long they last, what repairs, when you rotate them, and at the end, how many miles each tire gets when it is replaced. Last, keep records on your engine, wheel bearings, and drive train. Your engine chart should show when the last service was, when you had your last tune up, your wheel bearings lubed, oil and oil filter changed, battery checked, brake fluid, checked, and radiator, cleaned and flushed.

Check oil weight-Do you still use 30-weight oil in you car? Ask your mechanic the next time you have an oil change. Straight 30-weight will cost you. We recommend using 5-30 or 5-40 depending on how hot the summers are where you live. It should stay in your car year-round. The oil acts as if it’s 40-weight when the weather is hot, getting enough to lube the vital parts without thinning out in the heat. When it’s cold, the 5-weight end of the oil works well by letting you start your engine easily and still lube it.

Brakes shouldn’t be a drag-Dragging brakes can kill good gas mileage. Often only one is dragging. Test you car by driving down a level road without a crown. Hold the steering wheel loosely. Does the car start moving gradually to one side or the other? If so, the brake may be set too tight on that side and it’s dragging, slowing down the wheel and moving your car that direction. Check your front brakes. Are both wheels freewheeling? Do this on an oil rack. If one is dragging, have a mechanic loosen it up.

The cost of staying cool -Your air conditioner costs you money and drains as much as 30 horsepower from you engine on a hot day…but it’s better than having a heat stroke. Most air conditioners cost you about 3 MPG when running. So on a long hot drive your MPG will be lower.

Running on Fumes: The Emergency Long-Range Mileage Plan-Imagine you are crossing the desert and the gas gauge is reading “E.” You must travel 60 miles to get to the next station and you know that you only have about a gallon in your tank. Can you make it? Possibly, but you’ll need to use our Plan. Here’s how it works:

1. Start your car and slowly accelerate to 20 mph.
2. Turn off your engine, shift into neutral and coast as far as you can until you stop.
3. Repeat the two previous steps.
4. Hills can be a problem. The trick is to power up them, then gently coast down at idle on the other side. Note: On most cars, the steering wheel will lock when you turn the key to shut off the engine. Turn it off to kill the engine, and then turn the key on again so you can steer again. Good luck.

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