New and Used Car Talk Reviews Hot Cars Comparison Automotive Community

The Largest Car Forum in the Philippines

Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    832
    #1
    Busting some myths:

    http://biz.yahoo.com/cnnm/070515/050...pf=family-home


    Using a special additive or cutting off your A/C won't really cut your gasoline consumption. But myths like these run rampant in the minds of American drivers.

    Right now, the price of gasoline is again setting record highs. The average price for a gallon of regular hit $3.087 Tuesday, the third record in a row.
    So before you attempt a half-baked scheme to stretch your gas dollars, here's a look at what's fact and what's fiction when it comes to fuel economy:

    Nothing but gimmicks
    There have been additives, special magnets and even a pill that has promised to improve a car's fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent in some cases.
    While the promise of stretching your gas dollars seems awfully lucrative, especially when they cost under $20, most of these products provide a negligible, if any, improvement in fuel efficiency, said Rik Paul, the automotive editor for the publication Consumer Reports.
    Consumer Reports and the government's Environmental Protection Agency, have tested dozens of these products finding that none of them offer any significant improvement in fuel economy.
    "With all the pressure car companies are under, if one of these inexpensive devices dramatically did improve fuel economy, they (automakers) would be all over it," said Paul.

    Windows, air conditioning - who cares?
    There's the old saw that leaving your windows rolled down creates an aerodynamic drag on your car, cutting down on fuel efficiency. And there's the notion that the fastest way to drain your gas tank is by running your air conditioning.
    Don't believe either one.
    In two separate studies conducted in 2005, the automotive Web site Edmunds.com and Consumer Reports compared the fuel economy of both a sedan and an SUV at highway speeds with and without air conditioning and how open windows affected gas usage.
    What they found was no significant difference in fuel economy in either sedan or SUV under either condition.

    Don't wait until Wednesday
    Some drivers insist the best time to buy gasoline is on a Wednesday, when pump prices have cooled from the weekend run-up when oil companies typically raise prices.
    That's true to a point, says Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service. Gas prices tend to be higher on the weekend, but there's no ideal day of the week to purchase your gas.
    Geoff Sundstrom of the motorist organization AAA notes that gas prices fluctuate from day to day and are determined by gas station owners who look at a variety of factors including wholesale gasoline prices, competitors' prices and food and drink sales if they have an attached convenience store.
    Drivers who want to bargain-hunt for inexpensive gas should instead check out Web sites like Gasbuddy.com, which allows consumers to find the cheapest gas in their area simply by entering their zip code.

    Restart your engines
    It's probably a myth that goes back to the days when cars were equipped with carburetors, but many drivers believe that starting up and turning off your car repeatedly is a fast way to drain your gas tank.
    But because of modern fuel-injection technology, drivers actually save gas by turning off their engine than letting their car needlessly idle, says Consumer Reports' Paul.
    Granted it's probably not sensible shutting down the engine every time you get stuck in traffic, but if it looks like you might be at the drive-thru for more than 30 seconds to a minute, it's worth turning off your car, says Paul.

    Tips you can use
    So what are some fuel-savings tips you can trust?
    Make sure your tires are properly inflated for starters. Besides posing a safety hazard, underinflated tires can reduce your fuel economy slightly, based on Edmunds.com's 2005 study.
    Removing excess weight from your car can also help save you gas. The Department of Energy estimates that drivers can save anywhere between 3 and 6 cents a gallon (assuming gas prices of $2.97 a gallon) just by removing those golf clubs and other unnecessary weight from your trunk.
    If your car comes equipped with cruise control, make sure you use it, especially on long trips. Edmunds.com's study revealed that using cruise control at highway speeds offered an average fuel economy savings of 7 percent.
    [SIZE=3]But the biggest fuel saver is driving the speed limit and driving sensibly. Rapid starts and stops and exceeding the speed limit will dent your pocketbook.[/SIZE] Just by adhering to one of those, the Department of Energy estimates that drivers can save anywhere between 15 and 98 cents a gallon, again assuming pump prices are at $2.97 a gallon.


    I've read a lot of comments from some forums on the same myths and this item may conclude on some confusions.

  2. Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    2,105
    #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Vroom-Vroom View Post
    cutting off your A/C won't really cut your gasoline consumption.
    I don't know about new vehicles, but turning off A/C will save a few. even power is better at low rpms.

    the best gas saver gadget is still the driver.

    not too early shifting, not too late...

  3. Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    28
    #3
    Quote Originally Posted by rion View Post
    I don't know about new vehicles, but turning off A/C will save a few. even power is better at low rpms.

    the best gas saver gadget is still the driver.

    not too early shifting, not too late...
    Provided, the car is properly maintained.

  4. Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Posts
    17,340
    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Vroom-Vroom View Post
    In two separate studies conducted in 2005, the automotive Web site Edmunds.com and Consumer Reports compared the fuel economy of both a sedan and an SUV at highway speeds with and without air conditioning and how open windows affected gas usage.
    What they found was no significant difference in fuel economy in either sedan or SUV under either condition.
    they mentioned at highway speeds where the speed and momentum is more than enough to overcome the compressor load... they should observe the differences in busy stop-and-go, low-speed traffic.

Gas Saving myths