Gasoline prices go up, and the money in your wallet evaporates faster. There are several ways you can save on gas costs and reduce your gas consumption. However, you should think about it carefully and start making plans! One technique that is often used but attracts a lot of attention is hypermiling. However, think carefully because the hypermiling technique is illegal and very dangerous.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Car Maintenance
Step 1. Change spark plugs often
Platinum spark plugs are known to last 100,000 miles (160,000 km), but they are already dirty at 75,000 miles (121,000 km). Spark plugs are relatively inexpensive and (depending on the vehicle) easy to replace. If you're not very skilled or not very machine savvy, read a book about machines or make friends with a mechanic.
Step 2. Limit your vehicle usage
This article contains ideas such as carpooling, which is taking turns in one car with friends, combining trips and taking the first parking spot you find.
Step 3. Find a relatively cheap price of gasoline
This article provides tips to make sure you pay for gas at a competitive price.
Step 4. Take care of your car
A well-maintained car will run more efficiently and give you more mileage, which means saving money on gas.
Step 5. Efficiently refuel
This involves three things:
- Fill the tank full. If you have to refuel, fill it to the brim. The savings you make by adding IDR 100,000 today and IDR 200,000 the next day will be wasted because every time you have to walk to the gas station and wait for refueling. However, fill it up straight away to save money and time.
- Do not fill to overflowing. This wastes money and is bad for the environment because liquid gasoline can evaporate into the emission system where it can pollute the environment where gasoline should only be filled in the engine tank.
- Wait until your tank reaches 1/4 but no less than this. Doing this can extend the mileage because you are carrying lighter gas. It also gives you the opportunity to buy more gas when you find a lower price. However, in the rainy season, you have a high risk of thickening in the tank. Running a car with a tank below 1/4 can shorten the life of the electric pump and running with an empty tank can damage the pump.
Step 6. Add air in your tires to the manufacturer's recommended pressure every few weeks
This is best done when your tires are cold (not worn for more than a mile or so) – it's best if your tires are filled with higher pressure after a long ride, but filling when your tires are hot should be avoided unless your tires are very short of air to avoid inaccuracies. Overpressure is inefficient and can lead to poor handling and unequal tire life. Some gas stations, especially some Pertamina gas stations, have a free air pump that fills automatically to a preset pressure. This is very easy. (If the automatic pump appears to be overfilling air, check again with the air pressure gauge to prevent overfilling.)
Method 2 of 3: Buying a Different Car
Step 1. Buy diesel
Some diesel cars have the same mileage as popular hybrid cars. Buying a diesel car also allows you to use bio-diesel or used vegetable oil (WVO/SVO) fuel. Although the price of diesel can vary considerably from traditional kerosene.
Step 2. Buy a hybrid car
Hybrids don't just give you savings on gasoline, the U. S. government. and the state provides tax-free for people who use fuel-efficient cars. The federal deduction for using a fuel-efficient car is $20,000, but check before buying to see if the regulations still apply. Also, check with your insurance company as hybrid cars have high insurance costs.
Step 3. Buy a small car
Generally, small cars are lighter and have more mileage.
Step 4. Pay attention to the specifications of torque over horsepower when choosing a vehicle before buying it
Many engines produce maximum torque at RPM which is rarely used. Machines that produce maximum torque in the range between 2200 to 3000 RPM will produce useful power. Machines that work at maximum rotational power will be more efficient.
Step 5. Buy a motorbike or scooter instead of a car
They are cheaper and often reach 70 MPG or more. Riding gear is available for most weather conditions. A great example is the Kawasaki EX250, which costs around IDR 40,000,000, reaches 60-70 MPG on the road, and can go 0-60 MPH in under 6 seconds!
Method 3 of 3: Drive Smarter
Step 1. Avoid stopping with the engine running
When stopped, your car is in a state of 0 MPG which when starting the car uses the same amount for 6 seconds. Park your car and enter the restaurant instead of stopping at the drive-thru. Stopping with the AC on also burns more fuel. Also, avoid going very fast and you have to brake to avoid bumping into someone. When you brake, you waste the gas used for that fast run.
Step 2. Plan your trip ahead of time
This will prevent wastage of fuel and time. Plan to use alternative routes. Usually this path can prevent you from stopping at traffic lights and also save yourself from traffic jams. Try scheduling your trip when the traffic is light.
Step 3. Use the global positioning system (GPS) to help you navigate and find the quickest way to your destination
Avoid valleys and stops will increase your fuel mileage.
Step 4. Drive at a steady speed
Avoid fast acceleration and sudden brakes. Cruise control will keep you at a constant speed, even uphill and downhill.
Step 5. Avoid using cruise control if you are driving on hilly roads
Cruise control will keep you at the same speed which means you will not be able to anticipate the hills that will be passed and accelerate to pass them. This will make the car stop on an incline. It is more efficient to turn off this control and maintain normal driving flexibility.
Step 6. Avoid quitting
If you're heading for a traffic light, see if you can slow down to avoid a complete stop (because you reach the light when it's green). Acceleration from 5 or 10 MPH (8.0 or 16.1 Kmh) will save more fuel than acceleration at a stop.
Step 7. Anticipate stop signs and lights
Look far ahead; know your usual route. You can reduce gas faster. Gliding to a stop saves more fuel than using it to maintain speed until it stops. If it just takes you to the very back of the line of cars or a stop sign a few seconds later, it won't add any time to your trip. Slide down to slow down before the highway slopes: if you catch the truck halfway rather than the start, you're not wasting time. In some cities, if you know the streets well, you can calculate the speed to pass all the green lights. Usually this is around 35-40 MPH (56-64 Kmh).
Step 8. Keep a safe distance
Do not stick with the bumper of the car in front of you. You'll be accelerating and braking more for those inconsequential and dangerous narrow distances. This also gives you room to take into account the timing of the traffic lights. Also, ignore the cars stuck behind you. They'll stick with you whether you're running at the speed limit, or 100 MPH (160 Kmh) over the speed limit. Let him pass you.
Step 9. Go slow
Air pressure increases as speed increases. The energy expended to overcome the air pressure also increases. The air pressure resistance is at 40 MPH (64 Kmh). On top of that, every MPH lowers your mileage. Go at a minimum speed and according to the road and your schedule. Driving at speeds below 60-65 as the air becomes denser, in aerodynamics, the faster we walk. To be clear, the most efficient speed is in top gear, as this gives the best “speed per RPM” ratio. This is usually around 45-55 MPH (72-89 Kmh).
Step 10. Slow down from a standstill
This is an adjustment that has a dramatic effect on your fuel mileage; Don't step on the gas right away from a traffic light or stop sign!
Step 11. Avoid shop fronts where you will spend time waiting for pedestrians and other cars to pass
Step 12. Use the air conditioner only on the highway
On low speed, open the window. This improves acceleration and lowers fuel consumption, but not as much as AC at 35-40 MPH. Better yet, at any rate, open the vents or windows when it's cold outside. Air conditioning – if used too often – will eat up 8% of your fuel.
Step 13. Shift to neutral if you are not comfortable downshifting
The vehicle's standard transmission will probably save gas on a descent to maintain speed (although the engine brake is safer on a downhill). Don't do this in hybrid cars, they use "regenerative engine braking" to generate electricity and charge the battery. This strategy will actually damage your brakes. This strategy is also not recommended for automatic cars.
Step 14. Park in the shade
Gasoline actually evaporates from your tank, and faster when you park in the open and in direct sunlight – rainy or dry season. Parking in the shade also keeps your car cooler, and you'll need less air conditioning to cool off when you get back. If no shade is available, park so that your tank (the actual tank under the car, not the filling pipe) is facing away from direct sunlight. Also, the fuel system should now be airtight. Your tank cap should have a seal. Make sure the seal keeps the steam in and the air out.
Tips
- If you're always stuck in traffic, try to do something near your office until the road is clear, instead of fighting the traffic jam.
- Many of these tips change if your engine is turbocharged or diesel. For example, a diesel engine uses almost no fuel when it stops. Diesel trucks are often left to stop overnight to warm up the engine or recharge the driver, with very little fuel.
- Learn how to slide at a traffic light, using force only when needed to get the car moving. Learn the road terrain and use the potential of the engine brake to make the car move “free”, and save gas.
- Manual transmissions save an average of $1,000 (Rp 12,000,000 off the price of a new car, and don't need the regular transmission maintenance that automatics require (and most people don't do this when the warranty runs out – so buying a used automatic can be risky)., the manual transmission has a slightly better mileage than the automatic transmission.
- Pay close attention to what you spend on the car and how many miles you drive so you can quickly notice changes in vehicle power. It also helps you focus on saving.
- The far right lane is usually smoother than the left lane. Vehicles veer off the right lane, which means there is a gap to fill.
- Most car modifications do not increase mileage. Additional wings increase acceleration. Power boosters often reduce mileage. However, if your car is turbocharged, it might increase the mileage. The increase in mileage will not be felt if you drive aggressively because of the increase in power.
- Every one MPH faster gives you less benefit than before. The speed of 10 MPH (16 Kmh) is a big difference from 5 MPH (8.0 Kmh), but the difference is very small between 55 MPH (89 Kmh) and 60 MPH (97 Kmh), unless you are on a long journey. Many people increase their speed without a second thought, and get nothing but inflated gas costs. Assuming all goes well (and when?) at 5 MPH (8.0 Kmh), even 15 MPH (24 Kmh) faster on the highway on short trips will result in nothing but annoyance as you keep stopping due to slow traffic.
Warning
- Filling tires with the correct air pressure can save money on gas.
- Frequently turning the engine off and on will cause the engine to break down quickly. Do not turn off the engine if you have only stopped for less than a minute.
- In very cold weather, it is recommended that you turn on the engine for a while to warm it up, rather than just turning it on and then off. You may save on gas, but your engine oil won't run until it's completely liquefied, so you'll be spending more money on inspections.
- Derivatives can be very dangerous. All the savings in the world mean nothing if you crash while saving on gas. Driving carefully will save you more money than dangerous driving, and may save lives. Slowly. Careful.
- Most fuel-saving devices don't work, and some even reduce fuel mileage. Twisting pipes, fuel pills and fuel magnets don't help with fuel mileage. Even if the mileage does add up, the price of the tool usually has the potential to drain savings.
- Be careful changing gears to neutral when walking downhill. You will feel like you are going faster than you thought. This is actually “illegal” in some jurisdictions. This is illegal in all jurisdictions. “Slide” removes the engine from the transmission. This causes an uncontrolled rate. If you read the driving manual you will know that sliding is against the law. This is not wise to do because the reaction of the engine as a result of you removing it from the transmission.
- Motorcycles and other uncovered vehicles are extremely dangerous. Some, but not all, of these hazards can be reduced by driving carefully.
