Reader Tip #1
Here in California in the congested freeway zones, the best way to save on gasoline besides the great ideas you already published is to avoid crowded freeways during rush hours.
This is not always possible for working people, since they have to attend work at certain hours, and the avoidance of drive times is not feasible.
However, if an employee can get his employer to allow telecommuting (work from home one or more days per week), or allow flex-time (working hours that are not the usual 8 to 5), then the drive time congestion might be avoided.
Sometimes, just driving to work 30 minutes earlier than normal and staying 30 minutes longer at the end of the day has a dual effect: possibly getting more work done while the office is quiet, and missing the bulk of the slow freeway traffic. This can be measured very easily by just doing it and seeing if the heavy traffic can be avoided.
Nothing burns more gasoline and reduces mileage more than stop-and-start driving in low gears while stuck in traffic, and the endless idling of the car engine while not moving at all.
Running the car's air conditioner is optional, and takes a lot of gasoline. If the driver can stand a little more heat, there are considerable savings by not running A/C, or at least running it sparingly.
Taking junk out of the trunk of a car, which does not need to be hauled around all the time reduces the weight of the car and consumes less gas. From Guide: Cleaning out the trunk makes my little Focus climb the mountains without having to downshift so much. No congested freeways here but on Friday night, it usually takes at least two tries to get through our county's only traffic light.
Reader Tip #2
We drive regularly from NC to NJ and NH in a 2001 Pontiac Montana mini-van. To reduce the fuel cost, we fill up at a Red Birch station stop on Route 220 North in Ridgeway, VA. Fuel cost is usually 10 to 15 cents per gallon cheaper than Greensboro, NC prices, and cheaper than other stations farther north. From Guide: We drive this route from High Point, NC to West Virginia and usually gas up around Roanoke but will look for the station you suggest.
Before getting underway, we determine whether we will be carrying passengers on the trip. If not, we take out the third row bench seat. We also removed the storage box in the rear - all to reduce weight.
On the highway we keep the speed to 55, even in the 65 and 70 mph areas. It adds an hour to our trip to NJ, but raises our average mpg from 23 to 30. As a result, we make the trip to NJ on three quarters of a 25 gallon tank of gas, whereas, we used to have to refuel in PA.
Despite the extra hour, we discovered another side benefit: we were much more relaxed and not nearly so tired at the end of the trip.
Reader Tip #3
Make sure the lungs and heart of your vehicle are clear of carbon build-up.
Your air and fuel induction system is built to keep the air leaving your vehicle as clean as possible. This is done by re-circulating the exhaust gas back into the engine through the EGR valve. This along with fuel additives leave burnt carbon on the intake valves and the combustion chambers. This affects your air/fuel mixture and the engine's computer compensates and that results in poor fuel efficiency. Solving carbon build-up takes more than a bottle of injector cleaner at a discount store.
Those may help if you put one in every tank of gas, but once carbon builds up a professional needs to use a professional strength cleaner, ask your technician for the one that works best. From Guide: My Dad used to find a long straight stretch of highway and “open ‘er up” to “blow out the carbon” but your suggestion seems much safer.
Reader Tip #4
If you drive a pick-up, leave the tailgate down to reduce drag and increase gas mileage. From Guide: I have taken the tailgate off my pick-up. I've been averaging around 20mpg which I think is pretty good for a full size pick-up.
Got a suggestion on how you save money on gasoline that you'd like to share? Email your suggestion to retireplan.guide@about.com and I'll publish it.