How To Save Gas By Hypermiling

Getting your first car can be a real thrill. Finally you have the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want and with whomever you want! This newfound freedom is quickly undermined by the realization that you have to pay for your own gas, oil changes, fuel filters, car repairs and auto insurance. While some of these expenses are inevitable, there is one thing you can do; save gas by hypermiling! In this article, you will learn about some of the hypermiling driving techniques motorists are using to save money, without sacrificing their independence on the road.

The first step many hypermilers take is to track their mileage, so they have a clearer understanding of what works best for their vehicles. They can compare how they drive on Monday to how they drive on Tuesday. They can glance down at something called a Scan Gauge to see how many MPG they’re using or even how much money a certain trip cost them in gas. The Scan Gauge isn’t exactly cheap (with a price tag around $160), but the installation is painless. Experts say that being conscious of how accelerating, braking and driving techniques affect your gas mileage can really make an enormous difference and most drivers save an instant 10% of gas this way.

One of the most sacred rules of the road for all hypermilers is to only brake when you have to. While most people are inclined to speed ahead to the stop light and abruptly slow down if the light doesn’t change in time, the conscientious hypermiler will take his foot off the gas as soon as he sees the light is red and will slowly coast up to the intersection. This is also sometimes called “timing the lights” because often the light will change when the hypermiler gets there. Another trick is to take a 10 to 15 second buffer after the light turns green and the other cars accelerate. By leaving extra space ahead, drivers can see the brake lights well in advance and avoid hard braking. Some drivers say they save gas by watching their mileage go up over 70 MPG even while sitting in traffic!

Some people decide to save gas by modifying their cars. Most vehicles out there are not built specifically with gas mileage in mind, so there’s much to be accomplished by making some basic changes to the existing structure. For instance, some hypermilers add something called a “grill block,” which goes over the grill of the car and prevents air resistance (to save about 5% of your overall gas mileage.) This is one of the cheapest and easiest mods to install. To save another 4.5%, you may want to purchase “smooth wheel covers” or “rear wheel skirts” to reduce wind resistance further. The more drastic measures may include removing alternators, swapping engines, changing from automatic-to-manual, or converting to alternative fuel and electric designs. One driver converted her Volkswagen to a corn oil/diesel mod for $3,000. Or, in some cases, it could be as simple as inflating your tires and having your air filter changed every oil change. There are many ways to save!

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