November 26, 2004 08:43 PM
Tips For Saving Fuel
Excerpt: Seven easy things you can do to save gas--and money--today.
With gas prices approaching $2.00, drivers can benefit from many different strategies to save fuel. The obvious first step is buying a fuel-efficient car.
To get the best fuel economy, choosing a four-cylinder engine rather than a V6, or a V6 rather than a V8, is usually the way to go. Small, light cars tend to be more miserly with fuel than larger vehicles. Consumer Reports' monthly road tests include our fuel-economy measurements for city and highway driving and for overall driving and we list the most fuel efficient cars that we have tested on our Web site. You can also visit the EPA's Web site, www.fueleconomy.gov to find data on fuel-efficient cars.
However, once you've bought a vehicle, you can even go farther for less money if you follow these tips:
No loitering. Don't let the engine run at idle any longer than necessary. After starting the car in the morning, begin driving right away; don't let it sit and "warm up" for several minutes. An engine actually warms up faster while driving. With most gasoline engines, it's more efficient to turn off the engine than to idle for any longer than 30 seconds.
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