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FTC offers tips to improve gas mileage

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kirsten Wicker
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Along with everyone in the nation, Airmen here are feeling the financial crunch when it comes to fuel consumption. 

To limit consumption, some are turning their back on four wheels and opting for two instead. 

"I choose to take my bike to work instead of my car because it is good exercise and I enjoy riding outside. It saves me a lot on fuel cost and that's nice," said Airman 1st Class Derek Lopez, a loadmaster in the 8th Airlift Squadron. "I live in the dorms so it's only about a 15 minute ride at a moderate pace." 

Others have found significant savings by parking their cars until the weekend. 

"I live in base housing and even though I maintain my car really well, I started riding my bike to work about a month ago," said Staff Sgt. Steven Deyne, 62nd Mission Support Squadron. "If I only drive my car on the weekends, it saves me about $40 in fuel costs per month." 

In addition to riding a bike, there are some easy steps that can be followed to get the best mileage out of gas purchases. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, offers these tips to use fuel efficiently: 

Drive more efficiently
Stay within posted speed limits. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 miles per hour. 

Stop aggressive driving. Improve gas mileage up to five percent around town. 

Avoid unnecessary idling. It wastes fuel, costs money, and pollutes the air. 

Combine errands. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. 

Use overdrive gears and cruise control when appropriate. They improve the fuel economy of the car when driving on a highway. 

Remove excess weight from the trunk. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk can reduce a typical car's fuel economy by up to two percent. 

Avoid packing items on top of your car. A loaded roof rack or carrier creates wind resistance and can decrease fuel economy by five percent. 

Maintain your car 
Keep the engine tuned. Tuning the engine according to the owner's manual can increase gas mileage by an average of four percent. 

Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. It can increase gas mileage up to three percent. Change the oil. According to the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency, people can improve gas mileage by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the performance symbol of the American Petroleum Institute contains friction-reducing additives that can improve fuel economy. 

Check and replace air filters regularly. Replacing clogged filters can increase gas mileage up to ten percent. 

Use the octane level you need 
The owner's manual recommends the most effective octane level for a car. For most cars, the recommended gasoline is regular octane. Unless an engine is knocking, buying higher octane gasoline is a waste of money. 

Be weary of "gas-saving" gadgets 
Be skeptical of claims for devices that will "boost your mileage by an extra 6 miles per gallon," "improve your fuel economy up to 26 percent," or the like. EPA has tested more than 100 supposed gas-saving devices -- including mixture "enhancers" and fuel line magnets -- and found that very few provide any fuel economy benefits. The devices that work provide only marginal improvements. Some "gas-saving" devices may damage a car's engine or increase exhaust emissions. For more information and a full list of tested products, check www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer.htm. 

Consider the alternatives
Alternative Fuel Vehicles operate on alternative fuels, such as methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, electricity, and others designated by the DOE. Using these alternative fuels in vehicles may reduce harmful pollutants and exhaust emissions. 

Hybrid Electric Vehicles offer another option for car buyers. According to DOE and EPA, these vehicles combine the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors and can be configured to achieve different objectives, such as improved fuel economy and increased power. 

McChord has been using alternative fueled vehicles for six years, according to James Lamantia, 62nd Logistics Readiness Squadron. 

"Air Mobility Command's alternative fuel of choice is E85 (ethanol) and we have 55 E85 fueled light duty vehicles assigned," Mr. Lamantia said. "In addition, we also use bio-diesel and have for several years. We have recently received one hybrid sedan (it runs on electric and gas) and it has been assigned to the wing commander, Col. Jeffery Stephenson." 

For more information on alternative fuel vehicles, call the DOE's tollfree National Alternative Fuels Hotline, 1-800-423-1DOE, or visit DOE's Alternative Fuels Data Center website at www.afdc.doe.gov. More information about both hybrid-electric and alternative fuel vehicles is at www.fueleconomy.gov. 

(Information from the Federal Trade Commission was used in this article.)