Thursday, May 15, 2008; Posted: 4:35 p.m. (CDT)
Gas prices are at record highs both nationwide and statewide. Even when adjusted for inflation, prices are still higher than ever. KSBI-TV's Kealey McIntire tells us how to make your vehicle more fuel efficient, plus we dispel some rumors.
With prices reaching $3.66 a gallon in Oklahoma, the cost of hitting the road has become painful, but a handful of actions can provide relief.
First, check your tire inflation. Chuck Mai, Vice President of Public Affairs of AAA Oklahoma, says if your tires are under inflated by two pounds, that can eat up to one percent of your gas mileage.
"Remember when you were a kid on your bicycle with under inflated tires? Remember how hard that was to pedal? Your car is going through the same thing," explains Mai.
Next, check your air filter. Mai says a dirty air filter can rob you of 10 percent of your fuel economy.
Then there's the ages old debate of window versus the air-conditioner. Mai says open the window if you can while driving in town, but use the air-conditioner on the interstate.
"On the highway you're better off with the windows closed because of the drag. The air-conditioner can increase your fuel consumption by 10 percent," says Mai.
Mai says keep your speedometer at 55 while driving on the highway if you really want to up fuel efficiency. Going 65 miles per hour instead of 55 miles per hour uses 20 percent more gas. Going 75 miles per hour instead of 55 miles per hour uses 25 percent more gas.
"So if you can go 65 instead of 75 say on the Turner Turnpike, you'll save a bundle," says Mai.
It's rumored fuel efficiency will increase if you opt for the more expensive, higher octane premium.
"Premium will neither improve your performance nor give your car more power," says Mai.
Some consumer reports even indicate cars for which premium is recommended will be fine with regular gasoline.
It's also rumored there will be less evaporation if you pump gas at the slowest speed.
"I don't know if that's been proven. I think people are really stretching," says Mai.
Mai also says anything you buy to pour into your tank to boost efficiency doesn't work.
"AAA has investigated all of them and we've found none that work. Anybody that comes up with an idea, we'd love to hear it, but so far we haven't found one that substantially raises your miles per gallon," says Mai.
You'll also get more miles per gallon if you gas up in the early morning or late evening during the summer. Filling up during the day in the heat of summer means more gas is evaporating and less is going into your tank.
