Three Tips to Improve Gas Mileage

In our latest blog entry, we at Patrick Cars want to lay out the three easiest things you can do to improve your vehicle’s fuel economy while on the road this summer.

·        Use cruise control

·        Cruise control is the simplest way to save on gas this summer and improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Cruise control can help you become a more fuel-efficient driver because your car is doing the heavy lifting and maintaining a set speed. The constant change in acceleration and deceleration of the driver placing their foot over the pedals can end up wasting more gas than driver’s may realize. Cruise control, in short, eliminates or reduces the amount of time a vehicle slows down and then accelerates on the highway. This keeps the engine and transmission operating in their most efficient modes.

·        Avoid excessive acceleration

·        By excessively accelerating, you are wasting gas. Aggressive driving tendencies such as speeding, accelerating, and braking tend to waste more gas. This is because aggressive driving forces your car to switch gears at a faster rate than is optimal for fuel efficiency. Excessive acceleration and other aggressive driving tendencies can lower fuel economy by as much as 33 percent.

·        Limit excessive idling

·        Leaving your car running while parked is also another way to waste gas. Typically, your car being left on and in park can use anywhere from a quarter to half gallon of fuel per hour depending on your engine size and if your air conditioner is being used. It is more economical to turn off your engine when you stop for more than 60 seconds outside of the flow of traffic and start it up when the time comes.

In the event that you’re just looking for something new, look no further than Patrick Cars. Our inventory is expansive and ever-growing and we are sure to have something for you here. Feel free to browse our selection of cars and, when ready, visit any of our eight locations to get yourself into something new. If you have any questions feel free to give us a call at 888-819-6958.