How to Save on Gas 

The price of gasoline seems to stretch to new record highs every week. We know what you’re going through at the Beach Boulevard of Cars because all of us depend on our cars in Orange County just like you do. However, our inside knowledge of the auto business has rewarded us with some practical strategies for saving on the necessary fuel. And we’d like to pass on our tips to you.

Buy a fuel-efficient vehicle.

If you want to save on gas at the get-go, then start by buying a fuel-efficient vehicle. You can save as much as 50 percent on your fill-up costs if the car you’re driving gets an EPA-estimated 34 miles per gallon combined than you would if it only managed 17 miles per gallon.

Features that can help boost your fuel efficiency include manual transmission, front-wheel drive, and Automatic Start-Stop. This last advantage turns your engine off whenever you stop and restart it again when your foot moves away from the brake pedal.

If you have Eco mode, use it to increase fuel economy by using slightly less gas to run the engine. Switching from normal mode saves you as much as 10 percent on gas.

Find a cheap station.

In the old days, the only way to find a cheap station was to drive from place to place and note the prices that each facility was charging. Luckily, now you can use a website or app like GasBuddy.

This high-tech helper shows you the current prices for gas stations near your current location. It can also reveal the costs of fueling up at stations in particular ZIP Codes, which can help you if you are planning a long road trip. In all cases, the prices are reported by users who are just at a station to fill up, so you can count on the accuracy and timeliness of the reported cost.

Check the air pressure in your tires.

If your tires are incorrectly filled, you could lose fuel efficiency. The US Department of Energy estimates that for every 1 PSI that disappears from your tires, you reduce your gas mileage by as much as 0.1 percent.

Your Tire Pressure Monitoring System should tell you when one or more of your tires needs air. But you can also check the air pressure with an inexpensive tire gauge, which we recommend that you do every time you stop for gas. The recommended pressure is typically listed either in your owner’s manual or on the driver-side door jam.

If you discover that your air pressure is lower than normal, you can add more to the wheels using the air pump that is at every gas station.

Reduce the weight.

Heavier vehicles require more energy to run. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency states that removing 100 pounds from your vehicle increases fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent. And the effect is cumulative. The more you remove, the better your gas mileage.

Travel with as little as possible. About the only things that you really need in your vehicle are the spare tire, tools, and the owner’s manual. Remove anything else and store it in your garage. You can then bring only the things that you need when you need it.

Plan your trips.

Before you set off for the day, take a few minutes to plan your trip using a mapping program or your vehicle’s navigation system. It can show you areas of congestion and road repair, which you can avoid to reduce the time that you spent on the road and the frustration as you spend your precious time waiting.

Combine multiple errands into one trip. Multiple trips can use twice as much fuel as one long trip over the same time because each time you do a cold start, you use more gas.

Take it in for a tune-up.

If you notice that your fuel economy has been going down for no apparent reason, you may have a problem with your engine or automotive systems that isn’t so obvious. For example, your fuel injector may have a leak or your spark plugs may be misfiring.

Take your vehicle to any of our dealers’ service departments. They are staffed by factory-trained automotive techs who know how to diagnose engine efficiency problems and offer solutions.

Any combination of these fuel-saving measures can improve your fuel economy and help you get the most out of your fill-up, whether you’re preparing for a long-awaited road trip or running errands right here in Orange County.