6 Tips to Get More Out of Your Gas Tank

The economy is in the pits- inflation is through the roof- gas prices seem to go up every day and in times like these, we’ll take any piece of advice to help our financial situation that we can get.

Instead of one piece, we’ll give you six.

Living in Wyoming, we often have to drive long distances to get where we need to be and the many miles and subsequent trips to the gas station keep adding up; but that’s just part of the Wyoming lifestyle… right?

Wrong.

Familiar with the area and the lifestyle we share, the Better Business Bureau of Northern Colorado and Wyoming has imparted a few simple tricks for you to get better mileage out of a tank of gas.  So with no further delay, here they are:

1.         Check the correct octane for your vehicle. Look in your owner’s manual; find out what kind of octane your car needs.  87 octane is almost always the most affordable octane to use, so using 89 octane of 91 octane might not be the cheapest; but if it turns out you’ve been using the wrong octane, correcting your mistake might help you cut your trips to the gas station.  Also, if you’re using the wrong octane, you’re taking away years from your vehicle, which would be more expensive in the long run, as you’ll have to buy a new car or truck sooner.

2.         Keep your engine tuned. The Better Business Bureau cites studies, proving that poorly tuned engines often increase fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent.  Take a look in your owner’s manual and you will likely find a schedule or guideline regarding the frequency of tune-ups for your vehicle.  Don’t be afraid to read the information in your owner’s manual, there’s helpful information in there.

3.         Don’t let your engine idle. This might be inconvenient or worrisome in the cold winters of Wyoming, but engines warm up faster while driving, rather than running idle.  The Better Business Bureau points out that it is more efficient for most gasoline engines to be turned off and started back up, rather than to sit idle for more than 30 seconds.

4.         Drive efficiently. This one is simple, but can be difficult on long stretches of Wyoming highways and interstates.  Follow posted speed limits.  The faster you drive, the more fuel you consume.

5.         Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. Every car has a label from the manufacturer stating correct tire pressure.  Regularly check your tires to make sure they are at (or at least very close to) the posted pressure.  Some labels display a psi range; if your car has a range of healthy pressures posted, use the higher number, it will allow the greatest fuel efficiency.

6.         Anticipate Driving Conditions. Keep an eye out for other drivers to make sure you don’t have to brake or accelerate suddenly.  Smooth and steady driving is the best way to efficiently use fuel.

Those are just a few quick and easy tips that, if followed, might save you a few trips to the gas station.  For more consumer tips and information, check out wynco.bbb.org for the latest advice from the Better Business Bureau, or, keep listening to KOWB, AM 1290 and keep reading kowb1290.com, for up to date local news and information!