Before You Buy

Buy a fuel-efficient car. Pay special attention to the fuel economy figures we post for every car on the site.

Be aware that buying a car that requires premium fuel will cost you considerably more at the pump. If you drive a car that gets 20 mpg 15,000 miles a year, you will pay an additional $150 per year (assuming premium fuel costs 20 cents per gallon more than regular).

After You’ve Bought

Buy gas with the proper octane rating for your car.

Keep your car’s engine tuned and its tires properly inflated and aligned.

Avoid putting the pedal to the metal; accelerate smoothly instead.

At highway speeds, it’s more fuel-efficient to close the windows and turn on the air conditioner. At speeds over 40 mph, open windows create wind resistance that increases fuel consumption.

The most fuel-efficient speed range is 35 to 55 mph.

After starting a cold engine, don’t let it idle for more than 30 seconds; instead drive slowly for several miles until the engine temperature warms up.

If your car is equipped with cruise control, make use of it. By automatically controlling speed you reduce a driver’s natural tendency to speed up and slow down while driving.

If you think you’ll be waiting for more than a minute - at a railroad crossing, for instance - turn off the engine.

If you have a car with a manual transmission, take the time to learn the proper shift points.

Fuel Consumption Facts:

Misaligned front wheels can increase fuel consumption by 2%.

Underinflated tires can increase fuel consumption by 5%.

A malfunctioning thermostat in the cooling system can increase fuel consumption by 7%.

Worn spark plugs and other ignition components, as well as clogged air filters, can increase fuel consumption by 11%.

Altogether, these maladies could increase your fuel costs by a whopping 25%. The point here is obvious: a well-tuned car uses less fuel.