Improve Gas Mileage

Gas prices are at record highs, and people are asking, “How can I get better gas mileage?”. These are some of Alliance's tips for improving gas mileage or MPG in your car truck or other vehicle. We suggest keeping your car well maintained with the tips below while making some modifications to the way you drive. If you're not sure what all you can do to increase gas mileage, ask any Alliance employee and we'll be sure to get your car running in top condition.

Driving Habits

• Keep your car clean. Mud on the undercarriage can weigh a significant amount and decrease MPG (Miles Per Gallon).

• Consolidate your daily trips and errands. This will also save you the engine wear associated with restarting your engine.

• Avoid air conditioning when possible. However, when driving at higher speeds, open windows also creates drag and decreases gas mileage.

• Don’t use a lead foot, remember, the gas is not a switch and every time you break you will need to accelerate again. Gradual changes of speed.

• Don’t idle for too long. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a wait of 15 seconds or more.

• Clear out the trunk. More weight, means more mass to accelerate and stop, meaning worse gas mileage, stopping, and increased suspension wear. Avoid speeding. Everyone at Alliance knows this is hard to resist, but you can improve your gas mileage about 15 percent by driving at 65 mph instead of 75 mph. In fact, the drag exerted on your car exponentially increases as you drive at increased speeds.

• Use overdrive as soon as your speed is high enough and conditions permit.

• Use cruise control. Keeping a constant speed is ideal for improving your gas mileage and can reduce fuel consumption by 10%.

Servicing Your Vehicle

• Improve the spark to your engine by having spark plugs and spark plug wires replaced at the appropriate intervals. Note that most newer cars have iridium or other exotic spark plugs that last much longer than traditional spark plugs, so check your manual or ask an Alliance technician if you need yours replaced. Improving spark insures that the air fuel mixture will be burnt optimally, and reduce gas consumption.

• Improve your air intake by replacing your paper air filter at the recommended intervals or buying a high performance washable air filter.

• Insure that your exhaust system is working properly by having it inspected. Helping air get in and exhaust out of your vehicle will improve overall performance and gas mileage.

• Reduce friction in the engine by using high-quality or synthetic motor oil that meets or exceeds manufacturer reccomendations.

• Ensure you have the proper amount of oil. Check your oil frequently. Low or overfilled oil makes your engine work harder.

• Change your filters. Dirty filters can sometimes increase the amount of fuel your vehicle is using by 10 percent.

• Keep tires properly inflated and aligned. Check regularly to ensure your wheels are fully inflated and your alignment is good. Get regular engine tune-ups and car maintenance checks. A lot can go wrong with a car. Damaged spark plugs or transmission problems can also contribute to poor gas mileage.

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