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by: JonButtress
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Fuel prices are up, up and up. They will come down a bit as summer ends, but the days of cheap gas are over. Sorry, but it is true. To overcome this problem, you need to consider how you and your car can become more efficient. Here are some factors to consider

Ah, that new car smell. While the odor might be appealing, it is important to know the gas mileage will not be. New engines need a few thousand miles to break in. Until that happens, you'll get poor gas mileage. Don't panic. It will improve.

Having a lead foot is expensive. Quick acceleration and heavy braking can reduce fuel economy by up to 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent around town. Consistent speeds produce better mileage.

Repeat after me. Actually, don't. Repeating is a big gas waster. What am I talking about? Keep a journal of how many times you run out to do something every day. Group them into as few trips as possible and you'll make your gas buck go father.

When it is cold outside, it takes a while to get your body running when you head out, right? Well, the same thing goes for your car. If it is cold outside, you can county on your cars miles per gallon going down.

Given that cold weather trips are bad, you should just let your car idle while it warms up, right? Actually, letting your car idle to warm-up doesn't help your fuel economy, it actually uses more fuel and creates more pollution. The proverbial catch-22 situation.

Aerodynamics are the biggest factor in gas mileage. The air resists things moving through it. If you put racks on your vehicle to carry bikes, luggage and what have you, you are creating drag and lowering your gas mileage.

Running electrical accessories decreases fuel economy. The big one for most cars is the air conditioner. Operating the air conditioner on maximum can reduce your miles per gallon by between 20 and 25 percent.

There are a few other factors to keen in mind. A tuned engine burns fuel efficiently, so make sure yours is. While correctly inflated tires are important, making sure your car is aligned properly is equaly so.

If you want to drive a car that gets poor mileage, you are going to have to be ready to pay. The world demand for oil is going up and supplies are not keeping up. The days of cheap and easy to get fuel are simply over.

About the Author

Jon Buttress writes about fuel issues for HybridDealerDepot.com, where you can find Arizona hybrid car dealers.

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