Cold Weather Gas Saving Tips

Just like during the hot weather months, the cold weather tends to bring a few difficulties and problems that you will need to deal with. These problems and difficulties can also extend to your vehicle as well as your daily life. Use one of these cold weather gas saving tips to help lower your gasoline bill. By implementing a few of the methods listed here you will be able to save quite a bit of money. You will be amazed at how quickly the little things add up.

• Don't rush. One of the biggest gasoline wasting habits, both during cold weather and warm, is driving unnecessarily fast or aggressive. A rather simple example of this can be seen when you look at the behavior of most vehicles that are currently on the road. It is estimated that the fuel efficiency of most vehicles begins to drop off after you hit 60 mph. In addition you will need to avoid speeding, swerving, sudden acceleration, and sudden stops, since aggressive driving during the winter months isn't only dangerous, but also wastes fuel.
• Tune the engine. Take the opportunity to get your engine tuned regularly. A good rule of thumb is to get your engine tuned whenever the weather changes. The reason for this is that a properly tuned vehicle can, and will, operate much more efficiently. In addition, by getting your vehicle regularly tuned you can help prevent major problems from developing.
• Check the tires. Believe it or not, most vehicles operate much more effectively and efficiently with properly inflated tires than they do without. If you don't already know to what levels the tires should be filled, then talk to a tire expert to find out. In the event that you still have the original tires on your car, then all you should need to do is look in the owner's manual for that information. Remember that, often times, tires will need to be filled to different levels during the winter and summer months.
• Remove extra weight. This is particularly an issue with smaller cars and other vehicles. Extra weight can cause the vehicle to not perform as well as it normally would, so remove as much of the extra weight as possible. The easiest way to do this is by simply removing all the snow and ice that may have piled up on it before you drive anywhere. While it may not seem like much, snow can end up being heavier than it looks.
• Don't break new trails. Another small thing that you can do to dramatically increase the fuel efficiency of your vehicle during the winter months is to avoid breaking new trails. The added resistance that comes from the snow and ice on the road, while it may not seem like much, can add up to making your vehicle work harder than it needs to. This can be easily be solved by traveling only in lanes that have been freshly plowed, or by following behind other vehicles that break the trail for you.