You don't have to torture yourself and buy a Prius if you want to see high MPGs. Jalopnik readers have ten tips for getting better mileage in the car your already own.
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There are a lot of extreme modifications you can do to increase your gas mileage, but we don't think they're all worth it. Of course the most painfully extreme is buying a new, beige, boring hybrid. There's a whole community of hypermilers who block off their cars' grills with cardboard to cut drag, build their own streamlined bodykits, and draft semis on the highway. None of these changes are practical.
Of course, the best way to cut your fuel bill is to drive less, and we know ten ways to help get you on public transportation.
And whatever you do, don't fall for any of these fake fuel-saving scams.
Photo Credit: Toyota
10.) Do Your Routine Maintenance
No single change to your car is going to make to a sizable bump in your fuel economy, so you need to do them all together: properly inflate your tires, replace your air filter, change your oil, replace your spark plugs, check your wheel alignment.
Suggested By: RayHMKishimoto, Photo Credit: Asim Bharwani
9.) Shift Earlier
High RPM are not your friend. Shift like your grandma for better economy.
Suggested By: MooseKnuckles, Photo Credit: Peter Gorges
8.) Stop Braking So Much
On the highway, maintain a safe distance from the car ahead and keep your speed level. Don't tailgate, as you'll end up braking and accelerating, braking and accelerating. This eats into your fuel economy.
Suggested By: Ash78, Photo Credit: sparktography
7.) Stop Mashing The Gas
Change your driving style. Relax behind the wheel and don't pull away from the lights aggressively. Smoothly accelerate like grandma is in the car and you'll get better mileage.
Suggested By: Bullitt417, Photo Credit: Albert Lynn
6.) Clean Your Car
Those dead bodies in your trunk? Dump ‘em. Your fifty-three copies of Top Gear Magazine, EVO, and CAR in the back seat need to go. You're burning fuel carrying that shit around.
Suggested By: lonestranger, Photo Credit: Raphael Orlove
5.) Record Your Gas Mileage
If you keep track of your gas mileage over a long period of time, you'll notice that you're driving more efficiently and getting better fuel economy. That's just how humans work. A simple spreadsheet works, but we like the DashCommand app paired with a Kiwi Wifi OBD II scanner. It gets you all your info on your iPhone.
Suggested By: End User, Photo Credit: DashCommand
4.) Plan Direct Routes
Plan your trips to avoid the typical trappings of ‘city' driving. Taking the one way into downtown that has five lights, seven stop signs, and a train crossing is going to burn more fuel than if you re-route yourself over the highway.
Suggested By: Metroid_SR388, Photo Credit: PINKÉ
3.) Travel Off Peak
Get up earlier to skip stop-and-go traffic. You're getting terrible mileage when you're stuck bumper to bumper on the highway.
Suggested By: My X-type is too a real Jaaaaaaaaag, Photo Credit: C. Elle
2.) Carpool
Hauling your coworkers to the office will cut into your gas mileage, but you'll save when they pick you up and you leave your car in the garage. It's up to you to decide if the fuel savings are worth hearing about your coworker's divorce.
Suggested By: For Sweden, Photo Credit: pellethepoet
1.) Combine Your Errands
Simply combining your trips and errands is a great way to spend less time behind the wheel. Basically, the less you drive, the less you spend on gas. It is the ultimate way to increase your fuel economy.
Suggested By: Joe_Limon, Photo Credit: Municipal Archives of Trondheim