Maximize Mileage

There's a lot more to the mileage you get than just the car you drive. Of course, the fuel efficiency you can achieve has upward limits based on the kind of car you own, but most cars do not operate at maximum efficiency.

Here's a few things you can do:

Keep your tires inflated to the correct psi
Ensure that your car is properly tuned
Use the right motor oil
Freshen up your air filter
Don't drive like a jerk
Rideshare, unquestionably the most effective

Tire Pressure

Keeping your tires inflated to the correct psi is probably the easiest thing you can possible do to get the most miles out of your car. When you gas up, check your tire pressure. Air is free at plenty of stations, and it only takes a few seconds. Be sure to use the tire sizes recommended by the manufacturer of your car. The right tires at the right psi can improve efficiency by up to 3%. Return to top.

Tune Up

A tune up can do plenty to keep your mileage on track, especially if things are drastically wrong. If you're getting mileage far below your car's best performance, it might be the oxygen sensor. Misaligned tires can also rob you of good performance. It's a good idea to get a tune up every once in a while anyway. Return to top.

Energy Conserving Motor Oil

The right motor oil is another relatively easy way to maximize your mileage. You should be changing your motor oil every 3,000 miles, so why not replace it with what's best for your car. Energy Conserving motor oil with friction reducing components can help your engine operate smoothly. Return to top.

Fresh Air Filter

A new air filter will cost you around $30 and can improve your mileage up to 10%. That's a purchase that will definitely pay for itself. At $2.00 per gallon and for a car with a 15 gallon tank, it'll take you about 10 fill ups to earn back the cost of the air filter in saving at the pump - that's far less than the life of the filter. Return to top.

Drive Like Grandma

Unrelated to keeping your car in good shape, the way you drive has a huge impact on the mileage you get. Aggressive driving, while also dangerous, is terrible for fuel efficiency. Engines in the vast majority of cars today are designed for performance rather than efficiency. To get a car designed for performance to operate efficiently, smooth, slow acceleration and deceleration are crucial. In addition, top speed should also be kept within the speed limit. As your car runs faster, the engine operates outside of its most efficient range; every 5mph over 60mph makes you loose around 6% of your mileage. Return to top.

Rideshare

Carpooling is not just for soccer moms. If you split your daily commute with another person who would ordinarily drive alone, you go the same distance and pay for half the gas. Ridesharing is something anyone can do without a financial investment of any kind. Check out our rideshare directory to find or provide a ride in your state. Return to top.