Last Updated May 13, 2011 3:18 PM EDT
This article was updated on May 10, 2011.
The summer driving season is at hand, which probably means you're spending more on gasoline. Not only are you likely to be filling up more often, you're also paying more for the privilege: Since last May, gas has risen 36 percent to a national average of $3.95 for a gallon of self-serve regular, according to the Automobile Association of America.
So as you prepare to hit the road for beach trips, visits to grandma, or just to see America from the open road, its worth a quick review of the best ways to boost your mileage. The only problem is that much of what you have been told about boosting mileage is a myth. Here we debunk six of the most widely believed mileage misconceptions.
1. If your owners manual says premium fuel recommended, youll ruin your car by filling it up with regular.
Reality: Unless youre driving in the Indy 500, using regular gas in a car that says premium fuel is merely recommended is perfectly fine. And doing so will save you about a quarter a gallon.
Unless you have a job that requires regular sessions on a racetrack, there is no legitimate need to ever put premium fuel in your vehicle, says Susan Winlaw, co-author of the book, Car Advice for Women (and Smart Men). Using regular gas could cost you a few horsepower when youre driving at higher speeds, but chances are you wont notice the difference, and it definitely wont hurt your car. Your engines fuel-management system is perfectly prepared to handle lower-octane fuel, says Winlaw.
On the other hand, switching to regular in a car for which premium fuel is required, as it is for a few high-performance luxury rides, could cause noticeable knocking. And over time, that could lead to faster engine wear.
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Those cases aside, just how much could switching to regular gas save you this weekend? According to the AAAs Daily Fuel Gauge Report, the national average price per gallon of unleaded regular recently was 27 cents less than the $4.22 stations were charging for premium. A long road trip could account for four fill-ups of about 20 gallons each, meaning youd save just over $21 by sticking with regular.
2. In the summer, you should only buy gas at night or early in the morning when the gas is cold. Because cold gas is more dense, youll get more fuel for your money.
Reality: Buying cold gas is a lot harder than it sounds, and the potential savings are scarcely worth it.
Consumer Reports thoroughly tested this theory using its own underground tank, similar to those used by gas stations. They found that its surprisingly hard to accurately predict whether a given tankful of gas will be cold or warm. For starters, if gas was a given temperature when it was delivered from the tanker truck, it tended to stay that temperature for a while, even after it had been transferred. Not only that, but the first gas to be pumped in a given day could be warm because a certain amount of gas collects in the aboveground pump. So even if you manage to be the first customer of the day, you might still be buying warm gas.
After all that, even if youre successful in buying cold gas, the difference in density is so slight perhaps a maximum of 1 percent per fill-up, according to Consumer Reports that the savings are marginal. Its an urban myth that you should always buy gas at night or early in the day, says Gabriel Shenhar, senior auto test engineer for Consumer Reports.
3. Shopping around for cheaper gas is seldom worth the extra fuel you burn up trying to find http://cwtrans.com.au/
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