My best advice: Anticipation! Do not brake but decelerate way way way before a red light. This is the real key to make hudge difference on any modern fuel injected vehicule.
We must remember that brakes are needed to remove the kinetic energy of the car which was produced with fuel. Thus, every time you use your brakes, you've wasted fuel. Drive accordingly. Less braking, better fuel economy.
Great advice Wizard. A quick PSA especially for my fellow Americans: Save gas by going slower, but please stay in the right lane. I don't understand why this is such a difficult concept here.
@2 Corinthians 4:7-11 The key of it all is momentum, so accelerating in the city should be smoother for better gas mileage. Yes the higher the gear, the better the gas mileage, but there is also wind resistance. The faster you go the more air resistance you get. So if you go higher than 60mph, the more resistance you get. Try going 60-65mph, and see how much more MPG you can get. Momentum, air resistance, and smoothness are all factors for the best MPG. It might be a bit boring, but you will get results.
@2 Corinthians 4:7-11 sustained speed, not stop and go. you get a much better mileage going a steady 55 than 75. but you will get it much worse doing stop and go.
@2 Corinthians 4:7-11 The reason you get worse mpg in the city is less because of speed, and more because of constant stop and go. It uses more fuel to get you moving, than it does to keep you moving.
My dad taught me the art of the coast. Inertia is a great fuel saver, you see traffic lights changing, let off the gas and just roll in. The person behind me can suck it! You save a ton of energy when you dont have to start moving from a dead stop. Maintain speed or slightly slow up a hill, speed up a tad down if you have a long stretch ahead (coast through it).
I’m always afraid someone is going to get so pissed they shoot me, but I do the same since hearing the technique from a colleague who supposedly got 180k out of the original brakes in her Yukon by doing this.
When Mythbusters did their show on fuel economy, one of the biggest things was the drivers mood while driving. Try to relax and be calm. One thing the wizard didn't mention is that in some states ethanol gas is discounted or subsidized by the state. The ethanol will have lower fuel economy. When I worked at a gas station the manager had a 45 minute drive to and from work. The difference he got in mileage offset the price of non-ethanol gas.
@@jonathanryan2915 I use E85 every time it is priced lower enough from E10 to even out. It's renewable and less polluting. Just don't use it at below freezing temps.
It's usually harder to deal with spills of ethanol-free gasoline since the octane booster they use (to make sure it isn't 75 octane or some bs) doesn't evaporate as quickly as gasoline. E10, on the other hand, uses ethanol as the only octane booster (for regular, at least). This makes cleanup a bit easier if a spill occurs (and it smells better too). For me, I don't mind. All my gas equipment is just fine with ethanol gas and has burned the stuff happily for over 10 years, but I feel for those of you who got problems from it.
so yeah, I've noticed the more gasoline goes up, more drivers become more lead-footed, it makes total sense! 🤪 and why drivers sit in fast-food lines for 20-some minutes, with AC on, still in gear but foot mashed on the brake the entire time, also makes total sense! I walk my fat @$$ inside and usually beat the drive-thru line by a couple cars
We had a guy in this week for a quote on moving our office, he ranted about the price of gas and then got in his lifted bro-dozer and burned rubber out of the parking lot and the same on the street- for the 50m to the stop sign, I heard his tires spinning as he left the stop sign too
How many moms sit in line at school for almost an hour with the engine running to pick up their kids from school. Drives me nuts to see a line of SUVs for blocks burning gas.
@@jphilb I mean if you're in the south, ac is a necessity. We've hit the point in SE Texas where avg temperatures hit triple digits and it'll be like that for about another two and a half months. So if you don't like people leaving their dogs in the car without ac, I don't see how it'll be ok for people.
Chevy Aveo is a great commuter car. Bought my son one for grad and 15 years later still going strong with just regular maintenance. It’s a 5 speed manual so fun to drive.
Car wizard's advise is gold as usual but there are some exceptions / caveats: 1. Oxygen sensors: Don't just go to any shop and get any oxygen sensor put on. I've had this experience where I spent hundreds on oxygen sensors throwing codes. Issue resolved only after buying the OEM part from the dealership. Turns out, same part, same manufacturer, different calibration. 2. Driving mindfully: While it is important to drive at the right speed for max fuel economy, it's not worth getting rear ended or road raged on. Remember, left lane campers are the number one cause of road rage. Don't hog the left lane and don't spend too much time in the blind spot of semi trucks and large vehicles. Ok? 3. GPS routes: Always a good idea to double check the route but 5 miles here and 5 miles there reroutes and you might end up driving a hundred miles on routes under construction, stuck between semi's on one lane roads and lots of traffic lights and stop signs. Probably better spending $10 on the toll road than burn extra 2 gallons all the while grinding your brakes down. 4. AC on or off? Windows down below 55 MPH, AC on above that. If you're driving in an area with high humidity, you might need to put on the AC to stop your windows from fogging up even if the temps are comfortable. Stay safe and have fun.
I was doing an uber eats delivery and I was being harassed In Traffic by a benz, Tailgating, honking, aggressively passing me. I had his food that his wife ordered. he got there 3 seconds ahead. I didn't care about a tip anymore, I let him know how I felt.
One thing about AC compressors: If you live in a cold climate, during the winter it is best to turn on the AC for a few moments at least once per week. If you don't, the oil will drain and the compressor will see a dry startup situation for a few seconds. In time, this will destroy the device. Guess how I know that....
That happens to me all the time. I was driving a stretch of road with several lights. There was a guy weaving in and out of cars and almost hit me. I pulled up along side of him about 3 miles down at the light and waved to him. I was driving sensibly and he made no gains driving like a moron.
@@jthomas3773 Right? I’m so sick of these smooth brains blaming joe Biden when the whole world is suffering due to the sanctions on Russia. Literally any other president would’ve joined the other world leaders in these sanctions.
I know that my tire pressure changes by 1 psi per 10°F ambient temperature. So in the fall, my tires will go 3-4 psi low every month as it gets colder out.
Yeah, latest car is the first I've owned with TPMS sensors. Seeing in real-time how the pressure changes due to ambient temperature and from the friction of driving was a real eye opener.
The SUV I drive now is the first one I've owned that has a running MPG display on the instrument cluster. I keep that screen on as I drive and make a game of it - seeing in near real-time how my driving style is affecting fuel usage. Helps a lot.
I've been doing the same. The consolation of getting stuck behind a truck is watching the MPG creep up and up. It is a bad commute when I don't get 40 MPG (U.S.) As the Wizard suggested I've also put the car into "eco" mode. That allows the DSG gearbox to coast with the engine at idle when gently decelerating.
@@theoneandonly8567 A SUV is the Wrong Vehicle to safe money. In some ways everything (like safe slipstreaming of a much larger vehicle) you can do to increase the gas mileage of a large SUV helps....ad proportionately more than in a smaller econobox.
Cruise control has been my best friend in my C32 AMG. I slowly get up to 20mph then switch to cruise and hold the accel till I get to the speed limit. My highway mileage has gotten all the way to 26.6mpg this way, which being only rated at 21mpg is fantastic.
Believe it or not, the best fuel saving advice that worked for me was from Jeremy Clarkson.... ( Paraphrasing) Every time you hit that brake pedal, you are just converting your $$ to heat energy you're just bleeding into the atmosphere. Basically, every time you push the brakes, just picture money going up in flames. Therefore, you have to plan your use of the accelerator to minimize brake applications.
8.21 US per gallon (converted from Euro per liter). That‘s what I pay right no w over here in the southwest of Germany for the good stuff my car requires.
@@Jowurel i used to drive an E350 work van. The tire blew one night (tread as smooth as a baby seal), and the spare was underneath the rear tires mounted upside down below the frame. The bolts were all rusted solid! Couldn't loosen them!!
Hello Mr.Wizard!!! Another good tip for saving fuel if you have reached retirement. You can pick the time you drive. I go 25 miles to town for groceries and I go at 6 00 A.M. The stores open at 7 00 AM and traffic is light.Coming home direction at 8 or 9 00 A M traffic is also light and I save gas. FYI gas is over $10.00 Canadian for Imperial gallon!!! CHEERS from Westcoast Vancouver Island.
Tire pressure, maintenance and driving habits are key. As others here mentioned, I’ve noticed a difference by keeping it at 55mph in a 55 zone. My morning commute starts out for ten miles on a highway, 2 lanes in each direction, then funnels down to one lane each direction. I stay to the right doing the 55 limit, once it narrows to one lane I may pick it up to 60 to be mindful of people behind me. Beyond that? Good luck pal, should’ve left sooner. I’m always amazed at the amount of people passing me, even if I’m doing the rare 65 in a 55 they still gotta pass. Which is cool because now I don’t have you on my bumper but dang, slow the $&&$ down. I’ve been passed on double yellow and the shoulder. Even at 10 over the limit. I’ll never understand why people are sheer animals on the morning commute.
I see this on a daily basis on my drive to work. I work near a famous rocket factory and most of the employees are zipping around me only to arrive at the stoplight at the bottom of the offramp 5 seconds before me. What's ironic about this is many of these employees are driving Teslas and that type of driving *really* makes a big difference on Watts Per Mile.
@@RoccoMax100 They're running late to their job. Exemplary employee stuck in traffic jam? Final notice. On time lazy piece of shit? No problem. I wonder how many thousands of life altering accidents there have been in the last 10 years alone because someone was afraid of getting fired over being a few minutes late to work.
I experience this on a daily basis and find it quite funny at times. I’ve been collecting dash cam footage lately and want to make a “Best of” compilation of some of the stupidity I see. I really should add a rear camera for the full effect. For fuel economy reasons I’ve been using cruise control on my commute. I set it for 6 *OVER* the 55 MPH posted speed limit and camp out in the center lane (don’t block the passing lane, don’t deal with the people entering/exiting the highway) and yet I still get passed on the left and the right. If I was blocking the passing lane (but I don’t - it’s a passing lane after all) I would respond to a flash-to-pass request. But if I’m in any other lane? Nah, bro - you have room to go around. I’m already speeding - what more do you want from me???
Replaced my thermostat last week with drive belt needing done too, MPG gone up from 40-43 mixed to 44-50mpg on same commute depending on traffic, Audi a4 2.0 TDI Cabrio. Engine running at temperature does make a massive difference.
@@risingstar1309 I'd say potentially more on petrol as petrol tries to run rich to warm up. With diesel it just runs sub optimal as it does not have a choke or inject extra fuel for more heat like petrols do, at least as far as I am aware. My guess diesel would not atomise fuel as well either as when looking at fuel temperature it is significantly higher than when thermostat was buggered, so better atomisation and cleaner combustion would be my guess.
Generally speaking. Gasoline engines are more efficient, the hotter they run. A lot of newer cars have 221°F thermostats in them. The trade off is you sacrifice timing which kills power. The cooler a motor can run the more power you can make because you can have more timing in it.
One thing to add to #3 is that if you have a good city planner, the stop lights are timed. Meaning, if you maintain a set speed, you can hit multiple green lights at a constant speed versus drag racing from one red light to another, wasting both fuel and brakes.
In the 80s, Atlantic City did this for most lights directly LEAVING the city, since they already got your money. Some Manhattan streets do this but only at night.
I remember a guy I was working with was talking about kings and the elite in history who had everything. Now guys like us have something all of these titans of their time never had. We have one of the greatest inventions ever conceived: an automobile, freedom. Sometimes we take them for granted.
I only started driving 3 years ago at the age of 43 after taking mass transit all my life. I totally get what you are saying, and I choose to appreciate what my car allows me to do instead of freaking out too much over the costs.
A big thank you from Germany, Car Wizard! Petrol costs about 2,15€ per litre here which roughly converts to 8,60$ per gallon… So I’m very thankful for your great advices!
So here in Germany, where I live also, you could get yourself a LPG powered Vehicle which will cost you around 90 Cents per Litre. From German to German😉 And if you want to go even cheaper you may consider an electric Car for around 1500 Euros, which then costs you around 4 Euros per 100 km in electricity (I made a Video series about that Car)
@@Senzenfrenz Hm, yes, LPG is an option i guess. It used to be somewhat popular here in Norway maybe 20-25 years ago, especially in larger cars like a Tahoe etc. After that, and before electric it was diesel all the way for everyone basically.
@@andykrikkit Yes, with Diesel you can still get around for 6 Euros per 100 Kilometers, there are Cars around, mainly the Citroen Ax and the 3l Models of VW Lupo and Audi A2 (where 3l means Fuel Consumption, the enginge ist a 1.2l TDI)
@@Senzenfrenz That's true. But I use my car mainly as a hobby, for getaways and sometimes to get groceries. Buying another car for those 2.000 - 4.000km a year, wouldn't really make sense. Especially because I would never sell my car and having two cars would be absolutely ludicrous for a student. But with that being said, I'm still thankful for every good piece of advice to reduce fuel consumption, both for my bank account and the environment. As for electric cars, I honestly don't see myself ever owning one.
@@martins.28 I get your point and I must admit that I dont like the direction which the electric Car lobby has chosen these days, building big heavy cars with a big battery which is totally pointless in my opinion esp. from the the aspect of sustainibility. Of course you are in a quite lucky situation, only bad thing that can happen is your hobby becomes more expensive.
These "gas events" have been cyclical over the past 50 or more years. Sometimes there's a political angle to them. No point in getting steamed about it as it will likely (eventually) pass but then will happen again down the road. We began driving in the mid-'70's, and as a result we're comfortable with driving 4-bangers.
@@NVRAMboi , exactly. The politics reference was twofold - to thank the Wizard for simply keeping it practical with no commentary, and in response to a few commenters who can't seem to get your point that these gas prices have almost nothing to do with who occupies the oval office.
@@danielp709 And there are some UA-camrs (ex. Scotty) who just can't help revealing their character flaws by injecting politics into their car repair videos.
Excellent advice, just a few additional notes. In the sixties, Shell oil did a number of studies on fuel economy. Among many of the other hints they found out you covered in your video. In planning your routes, be sure to take into account how many stops you are likely to make. At the time the study was done, each start and stop sequence used on average as much fuel as driving 5 miles. I got this tip from a former engineer who worked for three major companies before retiring. One of the causes of poor fuel economy when towing heavy loads is they can cause detonation and a resulting reduction in timing. In that case going to a mid grade or premium fuel may improve your economy by 2 to 5 mpg and protect your engine. I tested this in my vehicle when towing my trailer over several trips. I averaged 8 to 10 mpg on regular gas. 12 to 13 mpg with either mid grade or premium. So when I plan on towing, I fill up beforehand with mid grade. When not towing, I get the same mpg regardless of grade.
@adamcunningham3763 while premium fuel will not help most engines by itself, it most definitely will help if you are experiencing detonation while the engine is under load
All good tips except the one about cruise control. There was an article in a Finnish news paper just last week about how to save gas where they interviewed the Finnish economical driving champion (he might have been a European champ as well), who said that if you want to drive economically you should never use cruise control. The main reason being that cruise control does not understand elevation changes and will slow you down on downhills and floor it up hills to maintain the set speed. It's more economical to gain a little speed on the downhills and use the extra speed on uphills while not being hellbent on maintaining the exact set speed.
This is true. Using cruise on FLAT roads is more economical. On hilly roads, using technique, one can learn to get better economy without cruise. Roughly 10% in my case. A "Hypermiler" friend of mine taught me this.
I did the 55mph experiment for a tank of gas. Got amazing mileage in my 89 Prelude, but if you live in Glendale CA, everyone around you wants to go 85 and it's actually very dangerous. Another thing about tires: Get low rolling resistance tires if you're in it for the long term. My Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R tires cost me a good 10mpg at any tire pressure.
I just use cruise control as much as possible. Helps with gas mileage, especially on the highway! Also that tip about going 65 mph on the highway is so true. I get 10 whole more mpg compared to when I'm going 75 mph. Try it out if you haven't already, the do be prepared for people to pass you on the highway.
I had an 89 Dodge Shadow that suffered greatly above 60 mph, because they were still using transmissions designed in the 55 mph national speed limit era. 55-60 got 33 mpg, compared to 70 getting 25 or less mpg. Edit to add the car had a tach, and from 60 to 70 was like 1,000+ rpm difference if memory serves. I liked that little car though, I'd buy another one but they had rust issues so they're mostly gone.
I typically dont use the cruise control. In theory its true, in specific I find [in my own unscientific experiece] I get better economy just being smooth on the pedal. CC continously adjusts the throttle all the time its a waste. just letting the car slow a bit and speed a bit with wind gusts. road service changes, tucks passing or passing trucks. I get at least a couple MPG better keeping a constant throttle setting.
I did notice in my older vehicles that I did improve fuel millage when I went from regular to midgrade. usually about 3-4 mpg. Thank you Wizard for helping us to be more aware on ways to help save money.
It’s nice to know I’m already practicing most of your tips. I will say (I think) cruise control can hurt you if you are driving hilly long drives. On hilly drives I will gently accelerate down hill and try to coast as much as possible uphill. My car feels like it accelerates harder than I like when I’m gojng uphill and below my set speed. I do enjoy driving 65 on the slow lane on a 75 speed limit interstate for long distances. Less braking, less passing, more relaxing and higher mpg.
What you perceive as coasting uphill is your car losing momentum. So it requires even MORE gas to get back up to speed to make up for that lost momentum than it uses to keep your speed steady while going up using cruise control. So yes, use your cruise going through hills. The older cruise systems use a vacuum actuator on the carburetor which modulates throttle as momentum changes keeping speed steady using less gas. Modern cruise systems are completely electronic with even better, more precise control. INASCAR drivers try to keep momentum not just for position - it saves gas
@@joe6096 I should elaborate, with a limit at 75 I usually hover around 65 when it’s flat. When I’m in a hilly area, I accelerate down hill to around or a little above 75 using gravity to assist then when I approach uphill I will mostly coast or feather the throttle as my speed creeps down back to 65.
@@joe6096 I should elaborate, with a limit at 75 I usually hover around 65 when it’s flat. When I’m in a hilly area, I accelerate down hill to around or a little above 75 using gravity to assist then when I approach uphill I will mostly coast or feather the throttle as my speed creeps down back to 65.
I had a grand marquis that i used to hypermile and i would average get 24 mpg in mixed driving. Once in nice summer weather in got 27.5!!! It saves your brakes as well as your gas. My 94 Regal 3800 got 33 mpg highway when hypermiled! Remember your engines using the most gas when its accelerating. 1. Use cruise control as much as possible. Set it after upshift so the rpms stay as low as possible. 2. Use gravity. Accelerate when going downhill and dont accelerate when going uphill. 3. Coast to stops, accelerate slow after stops. Dont ever do the gas/brake/gas/brake driving style keep a long distance between you amd the next car so you can coast to a stop and not waste your brakes.
I would also add that if you drive a manual transmission car like me, when possible, drive it in last gear across boulevards and parkways when traffic is light. I found my fuel economy to jump up by almost double sometimes.
Good video. Biggest one that sticks out is driving habits. People too impatient (I tend to get passed a lot, even when going a good clip). Funny how people pass then you get caught up to them not long after. I have had success with a fuel system cleaner. Much nicer when having to fill up.
Shime Tabago, I agree, following someone who is trying to go “exactly” the speed limit, don’t realize they speed up and slow down constantly, instead of using their cruise control. I end up passing them and really not going much faster, but I don’t have to do the constant speed changes they are
@@shimetobago9586 But the thing is they don't even get one slot up most of the time. Lol. Usually they end up stuck behind someone else behind me or we end up at the next couple of lights side by side til one of us turns off or something. It's hilarious. The traffic lights in this country are very good at controlling traffic FLOW. The only thing gonna happen racing light to light is your fuel mileage going to crap.
I agree with everything WIzard, except that 35psi in cars with low profile tires is actually under inflated. My placard is 36/39 recommended so 35 would be dragging my mileage down and exposing my wheel rims to increased pothole damage here in Michigan. Overall using the placard pressures is the best idea. Those values represent the best ride, mpg and tire life combo for the tire size vs weight distribution of the vehicle. Overinflating wears out the center section of your tires quicker so you end up spending more money on replacement tires sooner. Good Video!
Also for the older vehicles, consider converting to an electric fan, and checking the condition of your catalytic converter, or consider deleting it all together. My old dodge gets 11mpg. At $120 per fill-up a budget electric fan conversion and hollowing out some cats is worth it.
Brakes are an efficient method for turning momentum into heat. Coasting to the light may keep you from having to accelerate as much. (Just be courteous to people around you.)
This is an underrated approach. If you drive in a manner that minimizes the need for braking, you are conserving quite a bit of fuel. I choose this method for my commute and it's made a huge difference.
I’m a master at this probably could be an annoying thing in a huge urban area but I live in Kentucky. I just pay attention down the road and anticipate the light change or see the red. It’s gonna be red when I get there so just coast some times with good timing I don’t have to stop at all or it’s a very soft stop. I drive a Tacoma so it’s heavy and coasting down speed it fairly easy. I drive my sisters Honda Accord once and it was much harder to coast me not being used to the lighter weight and lower mass.
We should also work on replacing stop signs with yield signs and traffic lights with roundabouts. Nobody coming to a complete stop = much less wasted fuel.
@@TheRetarp I think that's why here in the USA it is perfectly legal to stop at a red traffic light, check that it is safe to proceed, and then make a right turn. Unless specifically forbidden by signage at that specific intersection. In many other parts of the world (where roundabouts may be more popular than here), "right on red" is verboten.
Another easy one: don't drive around with excess junk in your car that you're not intentionally transporting. This especially goes for in-city driving.
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on UA-cam. I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs, with Pantera's WALK as the background music.
Good to see you looking so relaxed Mr Wizard! Nice useful tips you provided! Hi From Australia - can confirm it is cold here right now and fuel prices here are also very high. I make sure my car is always well serviced (it's booked in next week for new fluids) and tires with the right pressure. No point throwing cash away.
If you’re in a city like Los Angeles, no tire pressure will overcome messed up traffic lights. I drive a hybrid and keep the tires at 28 psi. I avoid surface streets (traffic lights) as much as possible. Running in electric mode at 10-15 mph steady gets 40 mpg from a Camry hybrid.
The tire pressure light comes on at 26. When I bought the car, it rode beautiful and a few weeks later I checked the tire pressure:26 on all4 corners. Some shops nowadays ignore the owner’s manual or door sticker and just inflate the tires to 36 or 38 regardless.
If you drive a stick shift, up-shift like you're driving a diesel. I shift my little Suzuki SX4 4x4 no later than 2.5k RPMs, and usually stick around 2-2.2k. And while most other people are reporting 25-27mpg, I am managing to get 32-34.
Yeah I've got a stick honda civic 08. Since I started shifting at lower rpms I've noticed smoother shifts as the car is geared for fuel economy. Also noticed a significant bump in economy.
it seems that most EVRYONE ON THE ROAD TODAY IS IN A HURRY from take off to stop! i bet garages around my town do hundreds of brake jobs a month! i'm older and beyond that habit but i do get a little road rage (from what my brother in law calls "IB's" which translates to ignorant bastards :) because of their non-driving abilities. oh, i do enjoy the sounds of nature and listen to them every chance i get. Thanks for the Awesome Advise from the Car Wizard Himself 😁
Hahaha regular viewer from Australia here... Absolutely my A/C was on this morning without a thought to it, and we've just had a cold snap come through! Love the content and thanks for all the education and entertainment over the years. Keep it up Wizard.
If you want better gas "milage" out of your boat, make sure the bottom is clean. I would recommend you do it as part of your de-winterizing process when you are getting the boat ready for the summer cruising season. Your lucky it is in fresh water, if it was in some place exposed to salt water then you might have to clean it ever few months or even monthly.
I got 62.7 MPG on the way to work a few days ago. Today with the AC blaring I got 50. The trip home gets between 38 and 45. I won't say I love my Prius but I do love the fuel savings.
No offense...but the worst thing about Prius's are some of the people that drive them. I sincerely doubt that you fit with them though. On a side note, what do you get at 70?
@@leckthetech6132 My average speed over the last 5000 miles or so is 40mph. That goes back to cold months where heat is running (which is detrimental to the MPG of the Prius because it has to run the engine more to keep the heat going). Average mpg for that period is still over 40 (like 41 or something). I don't really go 70 that often... because on the interstate I like to set the cruise to 90. I'd say at 70mpg, flat terrain with no wind... Probably 45mpg. But I'll never find out because Pennsylvania doesn't have flat terrain and there's always wind.
@@leckthetech6132 Also notable... I bought the car because it was cheap to buy and I figured (thanks to the Wizard and his Prius videos) that it'd be cheap to maintain as well. So far I've saved more on fuel (over the Aztek I had) than I've spent on maintenance.
Love your channel Car Wizzard , you & Scotty Kilmer are the best , thank you. Honest Mechanics like you are the best, thank goodness I have an honest Mechanic, he saved me 500$ dollars when the car just turned 30,000 miles, as the dealership wanted 789$ his price was cheap as I paid cash, he laughed his butt off, at the basic general list they were willing to charge me. Came to 195$ with a 20$ tip.
Great Video - Here's something I do that saves a lot of money. I use the Conoco gas card with my smart phone. When I go to a Conoco station [or a Phillips 66, or 76 station] I get 25 cents off every gallon! Unlike some similar gas station cards, which limit savings to the first x number of gallons], the Conoco card/app's $.025 savings work every time you go to your station. I love it.
Hey Wizard, Great video! I’m amazed at how people still drive as if they’re late for something. I drive a 92 Town Car with a 4.6, and I can sometimes get 25 plus mph. People just need to let up. By the way, nice yacht!
I once had an '84 Pontiac Parisienne with the 305 CI smallblock and a 3spd+overdrive... that brute of a car probably got 6mpg driving around town, but on the hwy doing 70 it idled way down and just kept cruising. Official rating was 20mpg HWY, but that 22gal fuel tank could take me on a 450 mile trip if I was gentle.
Eeeey I've touched 30 in my 94 town car, just got 27mpg on a 180mile trip, do you do anything special? I don't, I speed, ac on, idle in parking lots, and get on it
One more way to save fuel for manual cars is skip-shifting in town. In my GR86 I go 1-3-5 in town to 30mph(6th lugs at less than 40mph). Once I reach about 40ish I go into 6th.
What great rhetorical humor, Wizard! So slick by apologizing for the process of condensation and how water responds to gravity. Yes, let's not forget how some may be annoyed from the natural byproduct of birds as they pass air through their vocal cords! You have prepared your life for success, enjoy the fruits of your hard work, sacrifice; and smart decisions that enabled you to be in a comfortable position to enjoy your beautiful yacht with your lovely bride on a hot Kansas Summer day. I am sure you are thankful for your numerous blessings__ your honest, technical competence and humble demeanor are refreshing to witness. "Bravo", Mr. and Mrs. Wizard!!
Also getting as much junk out of your car as possible as reducing weight can get you better millage. In addition when new tires are needed get ones with lower rolling resistance. Otherwise this one costs more then it saves
We have had two cars to my knowledge have over 100k miles on the spark plugs. My suburban has the same plugs in it to my knowledge, came with the engine roughly 100k miles ago. Still runs good and will crank on the first try still. (knock on wood) And second is an impala that I just changed all tje plugs on and it has between 145000 miles and 150000 miles on it. Original to my knowledge. Car didn't run well but I'm not sure it was the plugs fault, I took the engine out to replace gaskets and things, so I did the spark plugs.
Hi, On a recent trip from south England to Scotland - we found a major difference (improvement) in fuel consumption by *not* flooring the accelerator for the uphill sections of the Motorway. Cruise control is OK for long flat sections of highway, but it can't anticipate the uphill/downhill sections of the Motorway - and travelling across the Lake district and Scotland's Hills you can lift off the throttle lots on the downhill sections - result from 50 to 58 mpg (imperial Gallons - 40-45 US?)
Tire pressures are important but is worth also pointing out that overinflating reduces grip and increases braking distance so does have safety impacts. Not a big problem if you are aware and drive defensively anyway but worth remembering. My Miata actually specifies 26 or 28 (I think) psi on the door jamb which is surprisingly low, 32 psi gets much better mpg and easier donuts lol but I drop it back down for any kind of spirited driving. Still nice to save a few $$ on the highway.
Have a Honda J30 that runs the correct timing map from 87-93 octane to benefit probably up to only 91.. You are correct for most engines not having management to benefit from the higher octane. Thanks for the great knowledge!
normally I would agree with you about the cruise control, but I bought a 2019 Kia Forte and get 40mpg with cruise and 50 mpg with my foot. the cruise makes the rpm higher. don't ask me why but it does.
Tire pressure...depends. having it at 35 can cause more wear in the center of the tread on some cars. If you have an old Corvair, follow the specs! It looks ridiculously low. The problem with roll-overs on early Corviars was caused by too high tire pressure messing up the handing with the swing axle rear ends. Now the luxury cars that wanted a soft ride usually had the pressure marked really low, those you can raise up.
Yes - keep the front tires 10psi lower than the rear on a Corvair, makes a world of difference in handling (the actual PSI numbers aren't as important, modern radial tires will have different settings than the bias plys they came with, but the 10 psi difference is crucial). A 1964 model with the suspension revisions, or the '65-'69s with the all-new setup isn't so much a crucial safety issue as the early cars, but it still makes a difference
By far the most efficient way to save ‘gas’ is to not switch engines on. My mileage has gone down from 15,000 miles a year to 7000. This saves 50% of fuel. Otherwise small engines like my Nissan Qashqai 1.5 diesel gives 55mpg [46USmpg] while my diesel Sorento and Honda CRV both do 42mpg Imperial [35mpgUS]. Gas price in the UK is now US$9.37 per US gallon as opposed to your $5
Have already come a cross a station two weeks ago already charging $9.60 for a gallon of regular and our driving distances are much longer than what is the norm in the UK much less Europe in general often being an hour or more one way and even longer on the way back for errands etc. It won't matter much anyway as the breaking point for this economy is $6 before there will be a big wave of unemployment between businesses downsizing and people just giving up. Ran across one business owner who is having to spend over $20,000 a week just to keep three rigs on the road due to the cost of diesel so no our gas prices are not as cheap as they first appear.
I get 10 miles per gallon and found the best way to save fuel is not drive. If I’m super careful, I can manage 12 mpg but what’s the point. I drive maybe 5000 miles per year.
@@MrKillswitch88 Have you travelled much in Europe? The average car milage is much the same in most countries outside of large cities. It is governed by time. The time people find acceptable to be driving daily and annually. The average for any driver is between 12000 and 15,000 miles. There are those that drive much further but there are also those that drive much less. The most that most people will tolerate is about 75,000 miles annually which is about 2200 hours. This is actually 53 by 40 hour weeks behind the wheel annually, so you can see why that becomes a limiting factor for anyone who has a life beyond the driver’s seat.
For tire pressure always go by the manufacturer's spec. Lower pressure increases rolling resistance. Higher pressure reduces traction. Too much in either direction leads to increased wear.
Tire pressure light, is based off a sensor, that normally fails. Once they replace the sensor and it goes bad again, they ignore the light. Yep, I got a quote for a tune up $500+tax and my book says every 60k miles i'm at 122k just threw in some fuel system/valve train cleaner and it's starting to smooth out under medium-full throttle through peak torque rpm range. Otherwise, I drive my truck like I always have. It's a V8 truck, milage is just an lol away. But always remember the quality of fuel you're using affects milage and how your vehicle runs. in regards to check engine lights, they trip because the computer seeing it's beyond it's "acceptable range" it can throw no codes but you can hear or feel an issue
Amazing how small leaks on the exahust can make it down 9-10 mpg, fixed them mpg go up to 17-18, also the stiffnes on the manual shifter improved a lot (was thinking needed more transmission oil)
I started actually maintaining my car a few months ago. That air filter alone brought my gas mileage up from 37 mpg to 40. Transmission fluid and filter change improved my acceleration and I gained a couple mpg. I’ve seen my Mitsubishi Mirage hit 50 mpg in town before and it’s an easy car to fix. No hybrid or electric bs to deal with and very dependable. I love it and will continue to care for it
Last winter my Mustang had a slow leak in one of my tires and I would just keep running it, because I was lazy. It dropped my gas mileage from 21-22 mpg down to 16-17 mpg. I never realized that a low tire would drop it that much.
An underinflated tires even if it's just one, will put a considerable amount of resistance on the powertrain engine and transmission plus it will also cause the vehicle to pull to that side with low underinflated tire(s). Try pushing a vehicle in neutral with underinflated tires, you can feel the rolling resistance right away.
@@missingremote4388 Yeah it was the rear tire. I would air it up once or twice a week and money was tight, so It took me awhile to take it to the tire shop.
Wizards analogy of a bicycle with low air pressure is spot on. I decided in all my wisdom to deflate the tires well under the indicated optimum pressure in hopes of making my ride smoother. I was hoping to take advantage of the spring like characteristics. My bottom did benefit, however the drag increased and I realized quickly i no longer coasted near as far as I could at recommended pressure. A couple weeks later I happened upon a guy with pressures so low they were all but flat. I coasted up, made an attempt to urge him to fill his tires and coasted to the lead. He was pumping them peddles the whole time. He was in denial stating to me he had to have them low or the ride was too bumpy…. To each his own, I guess.
When my kids learned to drive I took them to a car and tire maintenance class it was just the basic stuff. In that class, I learned the TPS system is designed to tell you when the difference between the highest and lower tire pressure is about 3 pounds so go and check them, many tire places will for free. Gas prices may drop $1 or $2 in the next year but not more than that. When I got my license gas was about $1 per gallon and it has only gone up in price. When my dad went to college it was about $0.10 per gallon. Just some food for thought.
@ Car Wizard, I often see people driving down the highway from several states away who have empty bike & ski racks on the top of their vehicle. I would say the racks are creating excess drag for no reason at all, and should be removed. Also if you no longer listen to FM radio in your vehicle, unscrew the antenna and store it inside, the slight fuel economy increase can add up over time, especially with lots of highway driving. I added speed tape to the front of my car to reduce areo-dynamic drag. My fuel economy definitely increased, it has never been this high since I've owned the vehicle. I'm getting 2 mpg more than the EPA rating. I found the magic amount of grill to block off before the engine starts running hotter than normal.
Wind resistance is interesting, if you double the amount of area for wind to hit you aren't doubling the wind resistance, but rather quadrupling it. I travel on the Hwy alot here in Australia for work driving at 110kmh for hours and i use alot of hire cars typically small SUVs with small 4cyl engines and 7 speed gearboxes, but sometimes i have to use my personal vehicle which is a 2003 Ford Falcon full size sedan with a 4L 6 cylinder engine with 320,000 km. When i compared the fuel usage between my Falcon and the multiple modern small SUVs on the hwy i found that my Falcon had only slightly worse fuel economy than the much more modern SUVs with engines half the size (9.2L/100km vs 9.4L/100km), my Falcon despite having a much bigger engine even revs higher at 2,200 rpm at 110kmh, the suvs all sit at about 1,800 rpm due to having 3 extra gears. I believe this is all down to the fact that my Falcon is a much more aerodynamic sedan compared to the SUVs that have a much larger front profile (wider, taller and higher off the ground) and are shaped like a brick, in town however the small SUVs are WAY more fuel efficient than my old car but wind resistance is far less of a factor.
Reminds me of the gears and gasoline video where they tried to lower the mpg on their honda insight. Weight was less of a factor than aero, they had to go extreme with weight compared to aero
@@archygrey9093 No, drag is in fact linear with front area times drag coefficient (aka drag area), but grows with _velocity_ squared. You are quite correct in that SUVs tend to have a fair bit more drag area than a traditional sedan... it's generally about 1 m² vs. 0.7 m². The nature of aerodynamic drag means that it tends to eventually overtake other forms of friction losses that generally have a habit of increasing linearly with speed. As a result, you may be seeing little change in mileage between e.g. 50 and 80 or even 100 km/h but eventually it'll start tanking. As an aside, 9.4 l / 100 km at a relatively modest 110 km/h is comparable to what our old 1991 Honda Accord (2.0 4-cyl fuel enjected) used to get when driving more like 140-160 on the German Autobahn. Modern sedans seem to be capable of reaching 6.5-7.5 liters.
A good tip on a long journey is to get AA Relay (or similar). Drive to your destination, then disable your car and get it brought back home on the back of a truck. Double your mpg in an instant.
Most of these ideas are normal and have been around for a while now. That does not deter the goodness of the recommendations. I appreciate rehearing them as a reminder. Having said this, I have an issue with a few listed below. Cruise control: I understand how it works, I just feel that I have lost control of the car. I know that the cruise control will meter the speed better than my foot, but the feeling of lost control is too much for me to deal with. AC: I have too many allergens causing me discomfort to turn it off when the temp gets above 72 degrees.
@@stephenbaxter3369 Governments are dependent on the tax for fiscal reasons. The tax is also meant to be a behavior controlling function by pricing people out of undesired consumer behavior forcing people to seek other alternatives. 'They' have decided it's electric or nothing going forward.
WIZARD, GAS IN CA. IS NOW $6.39 A GALLON FOR 87 OCTANE WHICH IS 10% ETHANOL. SOME STATIONS HAVE DIESEL FOR $6.99. WHAT A RIP-OFF! THANKS JOE, HE DID THAT!
I don't get more mpg from higher octane but my discovery 2 gets kinda pissed if I use a lower octane. I've had to do it a few times when the station only had cheaper gas and PING PING PING PING. Stopped and got an octane boost bottle and a few miles later it cleared up
There are *some* engines that are designed to advance ignition timing when you put in 91 octane. My Ford Ranger, for example, with the EcoBoost 2.3L turbo makes about 25 more HP on 91 vs. 87. But, yeah, *most* cars don't take advantage of the higher octane fuel.
I think it’s likely that high fuel prices will be with us for quite some time (£1-80 per litre here in the UK). It’s worth considering purchasing a more fuel efficient vehicle or doing some car sharing.
Low-hanging fruit is A) If able, work from home (WFH), even if one day a week B) Have to go to work location? Carpool/transit/bicycle. C) Longer-term...moving? Trade exurban distance to be closer to the core of the City/Village/Town in a place that works for your circumstances D) Your vehicle is dying or dead? At a minimum, have your next vehicle be a hybrid
Wizard, I just figured out how to get better fuel mileage on your boat. Invite Hoovie aboard and when you’re about five miles out, give him an oar and tell him to start paddling.😱
I have a 2018 f150 with the 5.0. I went from driving 10mph over to driving the speed limit. With the 36 gallon tank I've gone from getting 580 miles per tank to 680 miles per tank. I just have to leave for work about 5 minutes earlier.
There is no way in hell you're going 680 miles with a 5.0 V8. I can barely do 680 km in a 1.6, or there's something really F:ed up with our fuel over here. Unless you have a massive fuel tank costing arms and legs to fill up 🤔
My best advice: Anticipation! Do not brake but decelerate way way way before a red light. This is the real key to make hudge difference on any modern fuel injected vehicule.
An piss everyone off behind you
Facts
Also saves on the brake pads too as I would find out...
Yes I do that all time whereas F1 racers among us brake as late as Lewis Hamilton on a red light.
We must remember that brakes are needed to remove the kinetic energy of the car which was produced with fuel. Thus, every time you use your brakes, you've wasted fuel. Drive accordingly. Less braking, better fuel economy.
Great advice Wizard. A quick PSA especially for my fellow Americans: Save gas by going slower, but please stay in the right lane. I don't understand why this is such a difficult concept here.
@2 Corinthians 4:7-11 The key of it all is momentum, so accelerating in the city should be smoother for better gas mileage. Yes the higher the gear, the better the gas mileage, but there is also wind resistance. The faster you go the more air resistance you get. So if you go higher than 60mph, the more resistance you get. Try going 60-65mph, and see how much more MPG you can get. Momentum, air resistance, and smoothness are all factors for the best MPG. It might be a bit boring, but you will get results.
@2 Corinthians 4:7-11 sustained speed, not stop and go. you get a much better mileage going a steady 55 than 75. but you will get it much worse doing stop and go.
Driving like a maniac is far worse.
I don’t think people understand that slower traffic stays to the right 🤦🏽♂️. I see it everyday.
@2 Corinthians 4:7-11 The reason you get worse mpg in the city is less because of speed, and more because of constant stop and go. It uses more fuel to get you moving, than it does to keep you moving.
My dad taught me the art of the coast. Inertia is a great fuel saver, you see traffic lights changing, let off the gas and just roll in. The person behind me can suck it! You save a ton of energy when you dont have to start moving from a dead stop. Maintain speed or slightly slow up a hill, speed up a tad down if you have a long stretch ahead (coast through it).
I’m always afraid someone is going to get so pissed they shoot me, but I do the same since hearing the technique from a colleague who supposedly got 180k out of the original brakes in her Yukon by doing this.
Yep. This is how I keep getting 40mpg even though my commute to work is through the mountains.
Also save the brakes a lot.
Been practicing it for years👍💯🇺🇸
Also sometimes you can hold off till it goes back to green and avoid a dead stop :)
When Mythbusters did their show on fuel economy, one of the biggest things was the drivers mood while driving. Try to relax and be calm. One thing the wizard didn't mention is that in some states ethanol gas is discounted or subsidized by the state. The ethanol will have lower fuel economy. When I worked at a gas station the manager had a 45 minute drive to and from work. The difference he got in mileage offset the price of non-ethanol gas.
I wish my dumb state had non ethanol. The closest station is almost 2hours away. People will buy it, I don't understand why it isn't available
@@jonathanryan2915 because it makes companies more money to give us the "cheap" shit.
@@jonathanryan2915 I use E85 every time it is priced lower enough from E10 to even out. It's renewable and less polluting. Just don't use it at below freezing temps.
Drive like my wife, brake or gas , no in between. Lmao
It's usually harder to deal with spills of ethanol-free gasoline since the octane booster they use (to make sure it isn't 75 octane or some bs) doesn't evaporate as quickly as gasoline. E10, on the other hand, uses ethanol as the only octane booster (for regular, at least). This makes cleanup a bit easier if a spill occurs (and it smells better too). For me, I don't mind. All my gas equipment is just fine with ethanol gas and has burned the stuff happily for over 10 years, but I feel for those of you who got problems from it.
so yeah, I've noticed the more gasoline goes up, more drivers become more lead-footed, it makes total sense! 🤪
and why drivers sit in fast-food lines for 20-some minutes, with AC on, still in gear but foot mashed on the brake the entire time, also makes total sense! I walk my fat @$$ inside and usually beat the drive-thru line by a couple cars
I hate drive thru.
We had a guy in this week for a quote on moving our office, he ranted about the price of gas and then got in his lifted bro-dozer and burned rubber out of the parking lot and the same on the street- for the 50m to the stop sign, I heard his tires spinning as he left the stop sign too
How many moms sit in line at school for almost an hour with the engine running to pick up their kids from school. Drives me nuts to see a line of SUVs for blocks burning gas.
Most of them have locked doors so you can't go in.
@@jphilb I mean if you're in the south, ac is a necessity. We've hit the point in SE Texas where avg temperatures hit triple digits and it'll be like that for about another two and a half months. So if you don't like people leaving their dogs in the car without ac, I don't see how it'll be ok for people.
This is way more educational for me about the pros n cons of gas/diesel fuel, next week would be 6 fuel efficient cars you shouldn't buy
Chevy Spark, chevy cobalt, chevy aveo, dodge avenger, dodge caliber, Fiat 500, Mini Cooper. More than 5, but there you go lol.
@@realbigtuna667 Thanks
A fiat 500 IS a good car but isn't super economical. I bought one new 10 years ago and still have it.
Chevy Aveo is a great commuter car. Bought my son one for grad and 15 years later still going strong with just regular maintenance. It’s a 5 speed manual so fun to drive.
@@realbigtuna667 NOPE! NONE of these. All maintenance turds.
Car wizard's advise is gold as usual but there are some exceptions / caveats:
1. Oxygen sensors: Don't just go to any shop and get any oxygen sensor put on. I've had this experience where I spent hundreds on oxygen sensors throwing codes. Issue resolved only after buying the OEM part from the dealership. Turns out, same part, same manufacturer, different calibration.
2. Driving mindfully: While it is important to drive at the right speed for max fuel economy, it's not worth getting rear ended or road raged on. Remember, left lane campers are the number one cause of road rage. Don't hog the left lane and don't spend too much time in the blind spot of semi trucks and large vehicles. Ok?
3. GPS routes: Always a good idea to double check the route but 5 miles here and 5 miles there reroutes and you might end up driving a hundred miles on routes under construction, stuck between semi's on one lane roads and lots of traffic lights and stop signs. Probably better spending $10 on the toll road than burn extra 2 gallons all the while grinding your brakes down.
4. AC on or off? Windows down below 55 MPH, AC on above that. If you're driving in an area with high humidity, you might need to put on the AC to stop your windows from fogging up even if the temps are comfortable.
Stay safe and have fun.
Dusted off my bicycle and put a basket... Store are close by... This has been a blessing meeting new nieghbors feeling better at the end of the day...
I was doing an uber eats delivery and I was being harassed In Traffic by a benz, Tailgating, honking, aggressively passing me. I had his food that his wife ordered. he got there 3 seconds ahead. I didn't care about a tip anymore, I let him know how I felt.
The Benz driver believed they really owned the road. He was telling you that you were late with your "rent."
Where do you live? People are not quite that rude in my area, just yet.
I’ve lived and traveled all over the country and beyond. Jerks can be found anywhere. But, same with courteous drivers. It’s just the human condition.
One thing about AC compressors: If you live in a cold climate, during the winter it is best to turn on the AC for a few moments at least once per week. If you don't, the oil will drain and the compressor will see a dry startup situation for a few seconds. In time, this will destroy the device. Guess how I know that....
The ac should come on with the defrost
@@j.d.saccociates3313 Exactly, because it pulls moisture from the air which improves defrosting.
good thing I live in Florida
@@j.d.saccociates3313 It does not come on automatically on all cars these days! Check your owners' manual.
All cars turn on the ac compressor in defrost mode......it removes moisture from the air.
That happens to me all the time. I was driving a stretch of road with several lights. There was a guy weaving in and out of cars and almost hit me. I pulled up along side of him about 3 miles down at the light and waved to him. I was driving sensibly and he made no gains driving like a moron.
I know how to save at the pump - get rid of the Biden Admin, liberals and globalists !
Oldskool, you are an idiot. You tube what goes in to gas pricing. NOWHERE does the administration factor in to he costs of gas.
@@oldskool1979 rid of two party system
@@oldskool1979 Dear Child Left Behind: Fuel prices are way up GLOBALLY.
@@jthomas3773 Right? I’m so sick of these smooth brains blaming joe Biden when the whole world is suffering due to the sanctions on Russia. Literally any other president would’ve joined the other world leaders in these sanctions.
My way to save on gas. I just never leave my house...
I know that my tire pressure changes by 1 psi per 10°F ambient temperature. So in the fall, my tires will go 3-4 psi low every month as it gets colder out.
It's even worse in Midwest where it can be currently near 100, and we can get down to -20 in winter 12 psi difference!
I told a buddy of mine about that, he didn't know the tires changed pressure from temperature fluctuations
@@garyslentzii2796 95% of drivers don't here in the US
Yeah, latest car is the first I've owned with TPMS sensors. Seeing in real-time how the pressure changes due to ambient temperature and from the friction of driving was a real eye opener.
@@jmabs5096 yes, I have to check tire pressure regularly.
The SUV I drive now is the first one I've owned that has a running MPG display on the instrument cluster. I keep that screen on as I drive and make a game of it - seeing in near real-time how my driving style is affecting fuel usage. Helps a lot.
This 💯 seeing that instant fuel economy helps a ton.
You may remember the vacuum gauge accessory you could buy in the 1950's thru 1980's...
Watch and drive by the needle..."in the green"...
A SUV is the Wrong Vehicle to safe money.
I've been doing the same. The consolation of getting stuck behind a truck is watching the MPG creep up and up. It is a bad commute when I don't get 40 MPG (U.S.) As the Wizard suggested I've also put the car into "eco" mode. That allows the DSG gearbox to coast with the engine at idle when gently decelerating.
@@theoneandonly8567
A SUV is the Wrong Vehicle to safe money.
In some ways everything (like safe slipstreaming of a much larger vehicle) you can do to increase the gas mileage of a large SUV helps....ad proportionately more than in a smaller econobox.
Cruise control has been my best friend in my C32 AMG. I slowly get up to 20mph then switch to cruise and hold the accel till I get to the speed limit. My highway mileage has gotten all the way to 26.6mpg this way, which being only rated at 21mpg is fantastic.
Believe it or not, the best fuel saving advice that worked for me was from Jeremy Clarkson.... ( Paraphrasing)
Every time you hit that brake pedal, you are just converting your $$ to heat energy you're just bleeding into the atmosphere.
Basically, every time you push the brakes, just picture money going up in flames.
Therefore, you have to plan your use of the accelerator to minimize brake applications.
You can tell which idiots left-foot brake when they pull away from stops and the brake lights are still on.
I just paid $6.71 a gallon for 93 octane 🤬 it’s a BMW, but I’m one of the rare owners that completely keeps up on the maintenance 😉
8.21 US per gallon (converted from Euro per liter). That‘s what I pay right no w over here in the southwest of Germany for the good stuff my car requires.
Unpopular answer: lose weight and friends. Lose the back seat and the spare.
Removing the spare is something I’ve contemplated for a long time, but knowing my luck I’ll probably need it when I don’t have it
@@Jowurel i used to drive an E350 work van. The tire blew one night (tread as smooth as a baby seal), and the spare was underneath the rear tires mounted upside down below the frame. The bolts were all rusted solid! Couldn't loosen them!!
Hello Mr.Wizard!!! Another good tip for saving fuel if you have reached retirement. You can pick the time you drive. I go 25 miles to town for groceries and I go at 6 00 A.M. The stores open at 7 00 AM and traffic is light.Coming home direction at 8 or 9 00 A M traffic is also light and I save gas. FYI gas is over $10.00 Canadian for Imperial gallon!!! CHEERS from Westcoast Vancouver Island.
Tire pressure, maintenance and driving habits are key. As others here mentioned, I’ve noticed a difference by keeping it at 55mph in a 55 zone. My morning commute starts out for ten miles on a highway, 2 lanes in each direction, then funnels down to one lane each direction. I stay to the right doing the 55 limit, once it narrows to one lane I may pick it up to 60 to be mindful of people behind me. Beyond that? Good luck pal, should’ve left sooner. I’m always amazed at the amount of people passing me, even if I’m doing the rare 65 in a 55 they still gotta pass. Which is cool because now I don’t have you on my bumper but dang, slow the $&&$ down. I’ve been passed on double yellow and the shoulder. Even at 10 over the limit. I’ll never understand why people are sheer animals on the morning commute.
I see this on a daily basis on my drive to work. I work near a famous rocket factory and most of the employees are zipping around me only to arrive at the stoplight at the bottom of the offramp 5 seconds before me. What's ironic about this is many of these employees are driving Teslas and that type of driving *really* makes a big difference on Watts Per Mile.
@@sp1nrx it’s gotta be an ego or power thing
@@RoccoMax100 They're running late to their job. Exemplary employee stuck in traffic jam? Final notice. On time lazy piece of shit? No problem. I wonder how many thousands of life altering accidents there have been in the last 10 years alone because someone was afraid of getting fired over being a few minutes late to work.
I experience this on a daily basis and find it quite funny at times. I’ve been collecting dash cam footage lately and want to make a “Best of” compilation of some of the stupidity I see. I really should add a rear camera for the full effect. For fuel economy reasons I’ve been using cruise control on my commute. I set it for 6 *OVER* the 55 MPH posted speed limit and camp out in the center lane (don’t block the passing lane, don’t deal with the people entering/exiting the highway) and yet I still get passed on the left and the right.
If I was blocking the passing lane (but I don’t - it’s a passing lane after all) I would respond to a flash-to-pass request. But if I’m in any other lane? Nah, bro - you have room to go around. I’m already speeding - what more do you want from me???
lol i do the same thing, just instinctive i guess.
Replaced my thermostat last week with drive belt needing done too, MPG gone up from 40-43 mixed to 44-50mpg on same commute depending on traffic, Audi a4 2.0 TDI Cabrio. Engine running at temperature does make a massive difference.
This (I think) is especially important on a diesel. Still important on gasoline too.
@@risingstar1309 it's important on a gasoline too, one of my cars lost about 10mpg when the thermostat seized open
@@risingstar1309 I'd say potentially more on petrol as petrol tries to run rich to warm up. With diesel it just runs sub optimal as it does not have a choke or inject extra fuel for more heat like petrols do, at least as far as I am aware. My guess diesel would not atomise fuel as well either as when looking at fuel temperature it is significantly higher than when thermostat was buggered, so better atomisation and cleaner combustion would be my guess.
Sounds great, good job
Generally speaking. Gasoline engines are more efficient, the hotter they run. A lot of newer cars have 221°F thermostats in them. The trade off is you sacrifice timing which kills power. The cooler a motor can run the more power you can make because you can have more timing in it.
One thing to add to #3 is that if you have a good city planner, the stop lights are timed. Meaning, if you maintain a set speed, you can hit multiple green lights at a constant speed versus drag racing from one red light to another, wasting both fuel and brakes.
In the 80s, Atlantic City did this for most lights directly LEAVING the city, since they already got your money.
Some Manhattan streets do this but only at night.
I remember a guy I was working with was talking about kings and the elite in history who had everything. Now guys like us have something all of these titans of their time never had. We have one of the greatest inventions ever conceived: an automobile, freedom. Sometimes we take them for granted.
As a young man with a new Pilot's License I remember thinking the richest man in world less than 100 years ago couldn't do what I'm doing!
I only started driving 3 years ago at the age of 43 after taking mass transit all my life. I totally get what you are saying, and I choose to appreciate what my car allows me to do instead of freaking out too much over the costs.
A big thank you from Germany, Car Wizard! Petrol costs about 2,15€ per litre here which roughly converts to 8,60$ per gallon… So I’m very thankful for your great advices!
So here in Germany, where I live also, you could get yourself a LPG powered Vehicle which will cost you around 90 Cents per Litre. From German to German😉
And if you want to go even cheaper you may consider an electric Car for around 1500 Euros, which then costs you around 4 Euros per 100 km in electricity (I made a Video series about that Car)
@@Senzenfrenz Hm, yes, LPG is an option i guess. It used to be somewhat popular here in Norway maybe 20-25 years ago, especially in larger cars like a Tahoe etc. After that, and before electric it was diesel all the way for everyone basically.
@@andykrikkit Yes, with Diesel you can still get around for 6 Euros per 100 Kilometers, there are Cars around, mainly the Citroen Ax and the 3l Models of VW Lupo and Audi A2 (where 3l means Fuel Consumption, the enginge ist a 1.2l TDI)
@@Senzenfrenz That's true. But I use my car mainly as a hobby, for getaways and sometimes to get groceries. Buying another car for those 2.000 - 4.000km a year, wouldn't really make sense. Especially because I would never sell my car and having two cars would be absolutely ludicrous for a student. But with that being said, I'm still thankful for every good piece of advice to reduce fuel consumption, both for my bank account and the environment.
As for electric cars, I honestly don't see myself ever owning one.
@@martins.28 I get your point and I must admit that I dont like the direction which the electric Car lobby has chosen these days, building big heavy cars with a big battery which is totally pointless in my opinion esp. from the the aspect of sustainibility. Of course you are in a quite lucky situation, only bad thing that can happen is your hobby becomes more expensive.
Thank you Wizard for practical tips with no politics.
These "gas events" have been cyclical over the past 50 or more years. Sometimes there's a political angle to them. No point in getting steamed about it as it will likely (eventually) pass but then will happen again down the road. We began driving in the mid-'70's, and as a result we're comfortable with driving 4-bangers.
@@NVRAMboi , exactly. The politics reference was twofold - to thank the Wizard for simply keeping it practical with no commentary, and in response to a few commenters who can't seem to get your point that these gas prices have almost nothing to do with who occupies the oval office.
@@danielp709 And there are some UA-camrs (ex. Scotty) who just can't help revealing their character flaws by injecting politics into their car repair videos.
I stop taking my blood pressure meds when I need to think more. I get more blood flowing into the brain when the pressure is high.
Excellent advice, just a few additional notes.
In the sixties, Shell oil did a number of studies on fuel economy. Among many of the other hints they found out you covered in your video. In planning your routes, be sure to take into account how many stops you are likely to make. At the time the study was done, each start and stop sequence used on average as much fuel as driving 5 miles.
I got this tip from a former engineer who worked for three major companies before retiring. One of the causes of poor fuel economy when towing heavy loads is they can cause detonation and a resulting reduction in timing. In that case going to a mid grade or premium fuel may improve your economy by 2 to 5 mpg and protect your engine. I tested this in my vehicle when towing my trailer over several trips. I averaged 8 to 10 mpg on regular gas. 12 to 13 mpg with either mid grade or premium. So when I plan on towing, I fill up beforehand with mid grade. When not towing, I get the same mpg regardless of grade.
I know how to save at the pump - get rid of the Biden Admin, liberals and globalists !
This is terrible advice. Premium gas isn't great for all engines. It's made for engines that require it.
@adamcunningham3763 while premium fuel will not help most engines by itself, it most definitely will help if you are experiencing detonation while the engine is under load
All good tips except the one about cruise control.
There was an article in a Finnish news paper just last week about how to save gas where they interviewed the Finnish economical driving champion (he might have been a European champ as well), who said that if you want to drive economically you should never use cruise control. The main reason being that cruise control does not understand elevation changes and will slow you down on downhills and floor it up hills to maintain the set speed.
It's more economical to gain a little speed on the downhills and use the extra speed on uphills while not being hellbent on maintaining the exact set speed.
To be fair, Wizard lives in Kansas.
This is true. Using cruise on FLAT roads is more economical. On hilly roads, using technique, one can learn to get better economy without cruise. Roughly 10% in my case. A "Hypermiler" friend of mine taught me this.
I did the 55mph experiment for a tank of gas. Got amazing mileage in my 89 Prelude, but if you live in Glendale CA, everyone around you wants to go 85 and it's actually very dangerous.
Another thing about tires: Get low rolling resistance tires if you're in it for the long term. My Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R tires cost me a good 10mpg at any tire pressure.
I just use cruise control as much as possible. Helps with gas mileage, especially on the highway! Also that tip about going 65 mph on the highway is so true. I get 10 whole more mpg compared to when I'm going 75 mph. Try it out if you haven't already, the do be prepared for people to pass you on the highway.
I had an 89 Dodge Shadow that suffered greatly above 60 mph, because they were still using transmissions designed in the 55 mph national speed limit era. 55-60 got 33 mpg, compared to 70 getting 25 or less mpg. Edit to add the car had a tach, and from 60 to 70 was like 1,000+ rpm difference if memory serves. I liked that little car though, I'd buy another one but they had rust issues so they're mostly gone.
Use of cruise-control should be required by law.
I typically dont use the cruise control. In theory its true, in specific I find [in my own unscientific experiece] I get better economy just being smooth on the pedal. CC continously adjusts the throttle all the time its a waste. just letting the car slow a bit and speed a bit with wind gusts. road service changes, tucks passing or passing trucks. I get at least a couple MPG better keeping a constant throttle setting.
So ur the one always going 65 on the freeway?!?
@@atkron95 "...just letting the car slow a bit and speed a bit with wind gusts..." Causes traffic jams, which is why it needs to be illegal.
I did notice in my older vehicles that I did improve fuel millage when I went from regular to midgrade. usually about 3-4 mpg. Thank you Wizard for helping us to be more aware on ways to help save money.
It’s nice to know I’m already practicing most of your tips. I will say (I think) cruise control can hurt you if you are driving hilly long drives.
On hilly drives I will gently accelerate down hill and try to coast as much as possible uphill. My car feels like it accelerates harder than I like when I’m gojng uphill and below my set speed.
I do enjoy driving 65 on the slow lane on a 75 speed limit interstate for long distances. Less braking, less passing, more relaxing and higher mpg.
What you perceive as coasting uphill is your car losing momentum. So it requires even MORE gas to get back up to speed to make up for that lost momentum than it uses to keep your speed steady while going up using cruise control.
So yes, use your cruise going through hills. The older cruise systems use a vacuum actuator on the carburetor which modulates throttle as momentum changes keeping speed steady using less gas. Modern cruise systems are completely electronic with even better, more precise control.
INASCAR drivers try to keep momentum not just for position - it saves gas
I am driving 63 mph these days. Averaging 22 mpg on a V8 expedition.
The computer will hold the speed better. It doesn't just hold throttle position, it will adjust accordingly on climbs and decents to hold the speed.
@@joe6096 I should elaborate, with a limit at 75 I usually hover around 65 when it’s flat. When I’m in a hilly area, I accelerate down hill to around or a little above 75 using gravity to assist then when I approach uphill I will mostly coast or feather the throttle as my speed creeps down back to 65.
@@joe6096 I should elaborate, with a limit at 75 I usually hover around 65 when it’s flat. When I’m in a hilly area, I accelerate down hill to around or a little above 75 using gravity to assist then when I approach uphill I will mostly coast or feather the throttle as my speed creeps down back to 65.
14:32 Where I live you could be going 85 on the freeway, and there will still be some people passing you ;-).
In my experience the higher the speed the higher the truck or jeep that's trying to pass me.
My gas mileage is excellent when I don't use my car 🙃
I had a grand marquis that i used to hypermile and i would average get 24 mpg in mixed driving. Once in nice summer weather in got 27.5!!! It saves your brakes as well as your gas. My 94 Regal 3800 got 33 mpg highway when hypermiled!
Remember your engines using the most gas when its accelerating.
1. Use cruise control as much as possible. Set it after upshift so the rpms stay as low as possible.
2. Use gravity. Accelerate when going downhill and dont accelerate when going uphill.
3. Coast to stops, accelerate slow after stops. Dont ever do the gas/brake/gas/brake driving style keep a long distance between you amd the next car so you can coast to a stop and not waste your brakes.
Also, empty unnecessary weight from your car and trunk. That will help fuel economy as well.
I would also add that if you drive a manual transmission car like me, when possible, drive it in last gear across boulevards and parkways when traffic is light. I found my fuel economy to jump up by almost double sometimes.
Good video. Biggest one that sticks out is driving habits. People too impatient (I tend to get passed a lot, even when going a good clip). Funny how people pass then you get caught up to them not long after. I have had success with a fuel system cleaner. Much nicer when having to fill up.
So many times people pass me to get to the next traffic light, where we both have to wait!
@@z8669zzz you are probably annoying to drive behind and they are totally fine moving one slot up ahead of you
lmao have you been in houston. You may get shot at for driving too slow on the highway.
Shime Tabago, I agree, following someone who is trying to go “exactly” the speed limit, don’t realize they speed up and slow down constantly, instead of using their cruise control. I end up passing them and really not going much faster, but I don’t have to do the constant speed changes they are
@@shimetobago9586 But the thing is they don't even get one slot up most of the time. Lol. Usually they end up stuck behind someone else behind me or we end up at the next couple of lights side by side til one of us turns off or something. It's hilarious. The traffic lights in this country are very good at controlling traffic FLOW. The only thing gonna happen racing light to light is your fuel mileage going to crap.
I agree with everything WIzard, except that 35psi in cars with low profile tires is actually under inflated. My placard is 36/39 recommended so 35 would be dragging my mileage down and exposing my wheel rims to increased pothole damage here in Michigan. Overall using the placard pressures is the best idea. Those values represent the best ride, mpg and tire life combo for the tire size vs weight distribution of the vehicle. Overinflating wears out the center section of your tires quicker so you end up spending more money on replacement tires sooner. Good Video!
Also for the older vehicles, consider converting to an electric fan, and checking the condition of your catalytic converter, or consider deleting it all together. My old dodge gets 11mpg. At $120 per fill-up a budget electric fan conversion and hollowing out some cats is worth it.
Brakes are an efficient method for turning momentum into heat. Coasting to the light may keep you from having to accelerate as much. (Just be courteous to people around you.)
This is an underrated approach. If you drive in a manner that minimizes the need for braking, you are conserving quite a bit of fuel. I choose this method for my commute and it's made a huge difference.
I’m a master at this probably could be an annoying thing in a huge urban area but I live in Kentucky. I just pay attention down the road and anticipate the light change or see the red. It’s gonna be red when I get there so just coast some times with good timing I don’t have to stop at all or it’s a very soft stop.
I drive a Tacoma so it’s heavy and coasting down speed it fairly easy. I drive my sisters Honda Accord once and it was much harder to coast me not being used to the lighter weight and lower mass.
We should also work on replacing stop signs with yield signs and traffic lights with roundabouts. Nobody coming to a complete stop = much less wasted fuel.
@@TheRetarp I think that's why here in the USA it is perfectly legal to stop at a red traffic light, check that it is safe to proceed, and then make a right turn. Unless specifically forbidden by signage at that specific intersection. In many other parts of the world (where roundabouts may be more popular than here), "right on red" is verboten.
Another easy one: don't drive around with excess junk in your car that you're not intentionally transporting. This especially goes for in-city driving.
I just have to say I absolutely LOVE the Space Age/Atomic Age/Retro lettering and stars on that boat; it’s absolutely beautiful
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on UA-cam. I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs, with Pantera's WALK as the background music.
You have issues to say the least 🤣
Good to see you looking so relaxed Mr Wizard! Nice useful tips you provided! Hi From Australia - can confirm it is cold here right now and fuel prices here are also very high.
I make sure my car is always well serviced (it's booked in next week for new fluids) and tires with the right pressure. No point throwing cash away.
If you’re in a city like Los Angeles, no tire pressure will overcome messed up traffic lights. I drive a hybrid and keep the tires at 28 psi. I avoid surface streets (traffic lights) as much as possible. Running in electric mode at 10-15 mph steady gets 40 mpg from a Camry hybrid.
28 psi on a modern tire? That should be classified as a flat. Sounds way too low.
The tire pressure light comes on at 26. When I bought the car, it rode beautiful and a few weeks later I checked the tire pressure:26 on all4 corners. Some shops nowadays ignore the owner’s manual or door sticker and just inflate the tires to 36 or 38 regardless.
The first time I drove my dads one ton truck I got lectured by dad on not coasting long enough when approaching a stop. That was 20 years ago.
"no you don't, your a liar"😂 love it.
I love his dead pan look😮
If you drive a stick shift, up-shift like you're driving a diesel. I shift my little Suzuki SX4 4x4 no later than 2.5k RPMs, and usually stick around 2-2.2k. And while most other people are reporting 25-27mpg, I am managing to get 32-34.
Yeah I've got a stick honda civic 08. Since I started shifting at lower rpms I've noticed smoother shifts as the car is geared for fuel economy. Also noticed a significant bump in economy.
it seems that most EVRYONE ON THE ROAD TODAY IS IN A HURRY from take off to stop! i bet garages around my town do hundreds of brake jobs a month! i'm older and beyond that habit but i do get a little road rage (from what my brother in law calls "IB's" which translates to ignorant bastards :) because of their non-driving abilities. oh, i do enjoy the sounds of nature and listen to them every chance i get. Thanks for the Awesome Advise from the Car Wizard Himself 😁
I know how to save at the pump - get rid of the Biden Admin, liberals and globalists !
Thanks for the input Mr. Wizard!!
Hahaha regular viewer from Australia here... Absolutely my A/C was on this morning without a thought to it, and we've just had a cold snap come through!
Love the content and thanks for all the education and entertainment over the years. Keep it up Wizard.
If you want better gas "milage" out of your boat, make sure the bottom is clean. I would recommend you do it as part of your de-winterizing process when you are getting the boat ready for the summer cruising season. Your lucky it is in fresh water, if it was in some place exposed to salt water then you might have to clean it ever few months or even monthly.
I got 62.7 MPG on the way to work a few days ago. Today with the AC blaring I got 50. The trip home gets between 38 and 45.
I won't say I love my Prius but I do love the fuel savings.
No offense...but the worst thing about Prius's are some of the people that drive them.
I sincerely doubt that you fit with them though.
On a side note, what do you get at 70?
@@leckthetech6132 My average speed over the last 5000 miles or so is 40mph. That goes back to cold months where heat is running (which is detrimental to the MPG of the Prius because it has to run the engine more to keep the heat going). Average mpg for that period is still over 40 (like 41 or something). I don't really go 70 that often... because on the interstate I like to set the cruise to 90. I'd say at 70mpg, flat terrain with no wind... Probably 45mpg. But I'll never find out because Pennsylvania doesn't have flat terrain and there's always wind.
@@leckthetech6132 Also notable... I bought the car because it was cheap to buy and I figured (thanks to the Wizard and his Prius videos) that it'd be cheap to maintain as well. So far I've saved more on fuel (over the Aztek I had) than I've spent on maintenance.
Love your channel Car Wizzard , you & Scotty Kilmer are the best , thank you. Honest Mechanics like you are the best, thank goodness I have an honest Mechanic, he saved me 500$ dollars when the car just turned 30,000 miles, as the dealership wanted 789$ his price was cheap as I paid cash, he laughed his butt off, at the basic general list they were willing to charge me. Came to 195$ with a 20$ tip.
Great Video - Here's something I do that saves a lot of money. I use the Conoco gas card with my smart phone. When I go to a Conoco station [or a Phillips 66, or 76 station] I get 25 cents off every gallon! Unlike some similar gas station cards, which limit savings to the first x number of gallons], the Conoco card/app's $.025 savings work every time you go to your station. I love it.
Hey Wizard,
Great video! I’m amazed at how people still drive as if they’re late for something. I drive a 92 Town Car with a 4.6, and I can sometimes get 25 plus mph. People just need to let up.
By the way, nice yacht!
most of them are. They're late for their appointment at the gas station
I have gotten the same mileage with my 07 Town Car on some trips. Check it out in my channel if you wish.
I once had an '84 Pontiac Parisienne with the 305 CI smallblock and a 3spd+overdrive... that brute of a car probably got 6mpg driving around town, but on the hwy doing 70 it idled way down and just kept cruising. Official rating was 20mpg HWY, but that 22gal fuel tank could take me on a 450 mile trip if I was gentle.
Eeeey I've touched 30 in my 94 town car, just got 27mpg on a 180mile trip, do you do anything special? I don't, I speed, ac on, idle in parking lots, and get on it
@@carsontoopes837 naw. Just driving easy I guess
One more way to save fuel for manual cars is skip-shifting in town. In my GR86 I go 1-3-5 in town to 30mph(6th lugs at less than 40mph). Once I reach about 40ish I go into 6th.
I skip gears similarly in my Forester too. Sadly mine lacks a 6th gear. But I am glad it doesn't have "P", "N", "D", or "L".
What great rhetorical humor, Wizard! So slick by apologizing for the process of condensation and how water responds to gravity. Yes, let's not forget how some may be annoyed from the natural byproduct of birds as they pass air through their vocal cords! You have prepared your life for success, enjoy the fruits of your hard work, sacrifice; and smart decisions that enabled you to be in a comfortable position to enjoy your beautiful yacht with your lovely bride on a hot Kansas Summer day. I am sure you are thankful for your numerous blessings__ your honest, technical competence and humble demeanor are refreshing to witness. "Bravo", Mr. and Mrs. Wizard!!
Also getting as much junk out of your car as possible as reducing weight can get you better millage. In addition when new tires are needed get ones with lower rolling resistance. Otherwise this one costs more then it saves
I have a 4.6L V8 and a 4.2L supercharged V8. The only way I'm going to save money on gas is by riding my bike more often.
We have had two cars to my knowledge have over 100k miles on the spark plugs. My suburban has the same plugs in it to my knowledge, came with the engine roughly 100k miles ago. Still runs good and will crank on the first try still. (knock on wood)
And second is an impala that I just changed all tje plugs on and it has between 145000 miles and 150000 miles on it. Original to my knowledge. Car didn't run well but I'm not sure it was the plugs fault, I took the engine out to replace gaskets and things, so I did the spark plugs.
Looking good wizard. Just chillin at the marina with your yacht. Glad your using it.
Your a great Wizard! Thanks for the tips!
Hi, On a recent trip from south England to Scotland - we found a major difference (improvement) in fuel consumption by *not* flooring the accelerator for the uphill sections of the Motorway. Cruise control is OK for long flat sections of highway, but it can't anticipate the uphill/downhill sections of the Motorway - and travelling across the Lake district and Scotland's Hills you can lift off the throttle lots on the downhill sections - result from 50 to 58 mpg (imperial Gallons - 40-45 US?)
exactly, steady throttle is the best for saving fuel. not steady speed. as you said, on mostly flat roads, cruise control should work great
Yeah cruise doesn't work for MPG in this country...too many hills.
Tire pressures are important but is worth also pointing out that overinflating reduces grip and increases braking distance so does have safety impacts. Not a big problem if you are aware and drive defensively anyway but worth remembering. My Miata actually specifies 26 or 28 (I think) psi on the door jamb which is surprisingly low, 32 psi gets much better mpg and easier donuts lol but I drop it back down for any kind of spirited driving. Still nice to save a few $$ on the highway.
Good point! Also over/under inflating causes uneven tire wear, I'm surprised the wizard didn't point this out.
Your miata probably has low profiles. Go with the Mazda spec.
Have a Honda J30 that runs the correct timing map from 87-93 octane to benefit probably up to only 91..
You are correct for most engines not having management to benefit from the higher octane.
Thanks for the great knowledge!
normally I would agree with you about the cruise control, but I bought a 2019 Kia Forte and get 40mpg with cruise and 50 mpg with my foot. the cruise makes the rpm higher. don't ask me why but it does.
Tire pressure...depends. having it at 35 can cause more wear in the center of the tread on some cars. If you have an old Corvair, follow the specs! It looks ridiculously low. The problem with roll-overs on early Corviars was caused by too high tire pressure messing up the handing with the swing axle rear ends. Now the luxury cars that wanted a soft ride usually had the pressure marked really low, those you can raise up.
Yes - keep the front tires 10psi lower than the rear on a Corvair, makes a world of difference in handling (the actual PSI numbers aren't as important, modern radial tires will have different settings than the bias plys they came with, but the 10 psi difference is crucial). A 1964 model with the suspension revisions, or the '65-'69s with the all-new setup isn't so much a crucial safety issue as the early cars, but it still makes a difference
By far the most efficient way to save ‘gas’ is to not switch engines on. My mileage has gone down from 15,000 miles a year to 7000. This saves 50% of fuel. Otherwise small engines like my Nissan Qashqai 1.5 diesel gives 55mpg [46USmpg] while my diesel Sorento and Honda CRV both do 42mpg Imperial [35mpgUS].
Gas price in the UK is now US$9.37 per US gallon as opposed to your $5
Have already come a cross a station two weeks ago already charging $9.60 for a gallon of regular and our driving distances are much longer than what is the norm in the UK much less Europe in general often being an hour or more one way and even longer on the way back for errands etc. It won't matter much anyway as the breaking point for this economy is $6 before there will be a big wave of unemployment between businesses downsizing and people just giving up. Ran across one business owner who is having to spend over $20,000 a week just to keep three rigs on the road due to the cost of diesel so no our gas prices are not as cheap as they first appear.
I get 10 miles per gallon and found the best way to save fuel is not drive. If I’m super careful, I can manage 12 mpg but what’s the point. I drive maybe 5000 miles per year.
@@MrKillswitch88
Have you travelled much in Europe? The average car milage is much the same in most countries outside of large cities. It is governed by time. The time people find acceptable to be driving daily and annually. The average for any driver is between 12000 and 15,000 miles. There are those that drive much further but there are also those that drive much less. The most that most people will tolerate is about 75,000 miles annually which is about 2200 hours. This is actually 53 by 40 hour weeks behind the wheel annually, so you can see why that becomes a limiting factor for anyone who has a life beyond the driver’s seat.
Simple and effective.
Thanks Wizard !
For tire pressure always go by the manufacturer's spec. Lower pressure increases rolling resistance. Higher pressure reduces traction. Too much in either direction leads to increased wear.
Tire pressure light, is based off a sensor, that normally fails. Once they replace the sensor and it goes bad again, they ignore the light. Yep, I got a quote for a tune up $500+tax and my book says every 60k miles i'm at 122k just threw in some fuel system/valve train cleaner and it's starting to smooth out under medium-full throttle through peak torque rpm range. Otherwise, I drive my truck like I always have. It's a V8 truck, milage is just an lol away. But always remember the quality of fuel you're using affects milage and how your vehicle runs. in regards to check engine lights, they trip because the computer seeing it's beyond it's "acceptable range" it can throw no codes but you can hear or feel an issue
Amazing how small leaks on the exahust can make it down 9-10 mpg, fixed them mpg go up to 17-18, also the stiffnes on the manual shifter improved a lot (was thinking needed more transmission oil)
Thanks very much MR Wizard!! Greatings from Madrid!!
I started actually maintaining my car a few months ago. That air filter alone brought my gas mileage up from 37 mpg to 40. Transmission fluid and filter change improved my acceleration and I gained a couple mpg. I’ve seen my Mitsubishi Mirage hit 50 mpg in town before and it’s an easy car to fix. No hybrid or electric bs to deal with and very dependable. I love it and will continue to care for it
Last winter my Mustang had a slow leak in one of my tires and I would just keep running it, because I was lazy. It dropped my gas mileage from 21-22 mpg down to 16-17 mpg. I never realized that a low tire would drop it that much.
It also destroys the tire.
An underinflated tires even if it's just one, will put a considerable amount of resistance on the powertrain engine and transmission plus it will also cause the vehicle to pull to that side with low underinflated tire(s).
Try pushing a vehicle in neutral with underinflated tires, you can feel the rolling resistance right away.
Was the rear tire low. RWD I'm guessing???
@@missingremote4388 Yeah it was the rear tire. I would air it up once or twice a week and money was tight, so It took me awhile to take it to the tire shop.
Wizards analogy of a bicycle with low air pressure is spot on. I decided in all my wisdom to deflate the tires well under the indicated optimum pressure in hopes of making my ride smoother. I was hoping to take advantage of the spring like characteristics. My bottom did benefit, however the drag increased and I realized quickly i no longer coasted near as far as I could at recommended pressure.
A couple weeks later I happened upon a guy with pressures so low they were all but flat. I coasted up, made an attempt to urge him to fill his tires and coasted to the lead. He was pumping them peddles the whole time. He was in denial stating to me he had to have them low or the ride was too bumpy…. To each his own, I guess.
Those tips are not just good fore mileage, but good to your car, to have it running well longer...
When my kids learned to drive I took them to a car and tire maintenance class it was just the basic stuff. In that class, I learned the TPS system is designed to tell you when the difference between the highest and lower tire pressure is about 3 pounds so go and check them, many tire places will for free.
Gas prices may drop $1 or $2 in the next year but not more than that. When I got my license gas was about $1 per gallon and it has only gone up in price. When my dad went to college it was about $0.10 per gallon. Just some food for thought.
Good talk as always Wizard. The stern and wood work on Cassie are looking classic and classy
@ Car Wizard, I often see people driving down the highway from several states away who have empty bike & ski racks on the top of their vehicle. I would say the racks are creating excess drag for no reason at all, and should be removed. Also if you no longer listen to FM radio in your vehicle, unscrew the antenna and store it inside, the slight fuel economy increase can add up over time, especially with lots of highway driving. I added speed tape to the front of my car to reduce areo-dynamic drag. My fuel economy definitely increased, it has never been this high since I've owned the vehicle. I'm getting 2 mpg more than the EPA rating. I found the magic amount of grill to block off before the engine starts running hotter than normal.
Wind resistance is interesting, if you double the amount of area for wind to hit you aren't doubling the wind resistance, but rather quadrupling it.
I travel on the Hwy alot here in Australia for work driving at 110kmh for hours and i use alot of hire cars typically small SUVs with small 4cyl engines and 7 speed gearboxes, but sometimes i have to use my personal vehicle which is a 2003 Ford Falcon full size sedan with a 4L 6 cylinder engine with 320,000 km.
When i compared the fuel usage between my Falcon and the multiple modern small SUVs on the hwy i found that my Falcon had only slightly worse fuel economy than the much more modern SUVs with engines half the size (9.2L/100km vs 9.4L/100km), my Falcon despite having a much bigger engine even revs higher at 2,200 rpm at 110kmh, the suvs all sit at about 1,800 rpm due to having 3 extra gears.
I believe this is all down to the fact that my Falcon is a much more aerodynamic sedan compared to the SUVs that have a much larger front profile (wider, taller and higher off the ground) and are shaped like a brick, in town however the small SUVs are WAY more fuel efficient than my old car but wind resistance is far less of a factor.
Reminds me of the gears and gasoline video where they tried to lower the mpg on their honda insight. Weight was less of a factor than aero, they had to go extreme with weight compared to aero
@@archygrey9093 No, drag is in fact linear with front area times drag coefficient (aka drag area), but grows with _velocity_ squared. You are quite correct in that SUVs tend to have a fair bit more drag area than a traditional sedan... it's generally about 1 m² vs. 0.7 m².
The nature of aerodynamic drag means that it tends to eventually overtake other forms of friction losses that generally have a habit of increasing linearly with speed. As a result, you may be seeing little change in mileage between e.g. 50 and 80 or even 100 km/h but eventually it'll start tanking.
As an aside, 9.4 l / 100 km at a relatively modest 110 km/h is comparable to what our old 1991 Honda Accord (2.0 4-cyl fuel enjected) used to get when driving more like 140-160 on the German Autobahn. Modern sedans seem to be capable of reaching 6.5-7.5 liters.
Great advice over removing roof racks to reduce aerodynamic drag.
I’m all about saving fuel but removing the antenna seems a little fanatical.
A good tip on a long journey is to get AA Relay (or similar). Drive to your destination, then disable your car and get it brought back home on the back of a truck. Double your mpg in an instant.
and how do you go home?
@@HazewinDog in the AA crewcab.
Not at all inconvenient
Most of these ideas are normal and have been around for a while now. That does not deter the goodness of the recommendations. I appreciate rehearing them as a reminder. Having said this, I have an issue with a few listed below.
Cruise control: I understand how it works, I just feel that I have lost control of the car. I know that the cruise control will meter the speed better than my foot, but the feeling of lost control is too much for me to deal with.
AC: I have too many allergens causing me discomfort to turn it off when the temp gets above 72 degrees.
Another great video, thanks bro
Gasoline price In Sweden is about double+ compared to US.
It's the same in the UK. I'm campaigning to have the tax element reduced - it's currently 45% of the pump price.
@@stephenbaxter3369
Governments are dependent on the tax for fiscal reasons. The tax is also meant to be a behavior controlling function by pricing people out of undesired consumer behavior forcing people to seek other alternatives. 'They' have decided it's electric or nothing going forward.
Love your channel Wizard but you have to recognize the irony of giving fuel saving tips while sitting on a mega-buck boat!
It's been well over $5.00 a gallon in NY for a while.. but love the Video. Very helpful.
WIZARD, GAS IN CA. IS NOW $6.39 A GALLON FOR 87 OCTANE WHICH IS 10% ETHANOL.
SOME STATIONS HAVE DIESEL FOR $6.99. WHAT A RIP-OFF! THANKS JOE, HE DID THAT!
I don't get more mpg from higher octane but my discovery 2 gets kinda pissed if I use a lower octane. I've had to do it a few times when the station only had cheaper gas and PING PING PING PING. Stopped and got an octane boost bottle and a few miles later it cleared up
There are *some* engines that are designed to advance ignition timing when you put in 91 octane. My Ford Ranger, for example, with the EcoBoost 2.3L turbo makes about 25 more HP on 91 vs. 87. But, yeah, *most* cars don't take advantage of the higher octane fuel.
Where do you suspect higher HP comes from. That energy comes from advanced timing and increased fuel consumption.
Great information, thanks for sharing
Another trick I learned when I was driving truck was float shifting. It takes a gentle hand but it keeps your engine and clutch very happy.
I think it’s likely that high fuel prices will be with us for quite some time (£1-80 per litre here in the UK). It’s worth considering purchasing a more fuel efficient vehicle or doing some car sharing.
Low-hanging fruit is
A) If able, work from home (WFH), even if one day a week
B) Have to go to work location? Carpool/transit/bicycle.
C) Longer-term...moving? Trade exurban distance to be closer to the core of the City/Village/Town in a place that works for your circumstances
D) Your vehicle is dying or dead? At a minimum, have your next vehicle be a hybrid
Try and avoid acceleration up a hill. In WV I'll up my speed prior to a hill, but I'll maintain it if I can.
Thank you. Youre the man! Big fan long time fan
Thank you Wizard !
Wizard, I just figured out how to get better fuel mileage on your boat. Invite Hoovie aboard and when you’re about five miles out, give him an oar and tell him to start paddling.😱
I'm used to sailing boats that are powered by the wind and very environmentally friendly!
I have a 2018 f150 with the 5.0. I went from driving 10mph over to driving the speed limit. With the 36 gallon tank I've gone from getting 580 miles per tank to 680 miles per tank. I just have to leave for work about 5 minutes earlier.
There is no way in hell you're going 680 miles with a 5.0 V8. I can barely do 680 km in a 1.6, or there's something really F:ed up with our fuel over here. Unless you have a massive fuel tank costing arms and legs to fill up 🤔
If u put premium gas , the gas will last longer too. I have a 2017 f150 v8
Unless you haul a lot of stuff to work every day, that's a damn poor choice in commuter vehicle.
@@rosen9425 as stated, its a 36 gallon tank, cost $157 to fill today - put in a little over 32 gallons for 640 miles traveled.
@@jthomas3773 its an excellent commenter vehicle, very comfortable, just not fuel efficient. And now its cheaper to fill than my Touareg TDI was.
1 mpg quite good for a boat. Last cruiser I was on did 4-6 gallons per mile at full speed - 40 knots!
Thanks For The Tips Wizard