HYPERMILING: Is Gas Still Expensive?
August 5th, 2008 by Derek Sheppard
When I pulled up to the gas pump today, I
imagined the person before me doing a mental sprint over their bank
balance. Eight dollars to spare. (Maybe they just filled up a gas
can for the lawnmower, but you never know.)
When I filled up, disappointment. I’d seen it coming. Only 32.6 mpg. Still better that the old days of 28. I think three things were at work here. 1.) More city driving brought the number down. (Don’t assume you’ll always get the same mpg. The mix of city/highway driving matters.) 2.) There was one day when I was in a hurry (Again, I know. You can scold me.) and I didn’t drive conservatively. 3.) I’m pretty sure my alignment is a tad off, I know my tires need to be rotated and I need an oil change. I’m hoping the oil change and tire rotation will help me out. (And that the tire rotation fixes the alignment issue so I don’t have to pay for a regular alignment.)
Oh, and the question? Yes, gas has dropped in price, but it’s still plenty expensive.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
August 6th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Don’t forget to check the air filter. And make sure you air up your tires. The shop may lower the air when they rotate them. I don’t recall you saying what pressure your tires are at. Check your plugs and wires while your’e at it. That can lower fuel ecconomy too. 32.6 MPG is still a pretty good improvement. Keep up the good work.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:32 am
The air filter’s pretty new, but that’s a good reminder. It could probably use a shake. I’ve been running at 35 psi (Max sidewall rating), and I imagine they’ll default to the 32psi. I’ll ask them to go to 35.
Also, as a side note, I’ve decided to switch to full synthetic oil. Even if it doesn’t improve mpgs, it’ll be better for my engine in the long run.