Improving Fuel Efficiency, Better Gas Mileage, Improved Fuel Economy-How much are we really saving?

IMPROVING FUEL EFFICIENCY The recently announced Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards have been touted as a boon for consumers. Put aside the fact that the standards actually deliver less than they promise — the headline-grabbing 54.5 mpg is actually more like less than 40 mpg on the more familiar EPA window sticker — who wouldn't want better gas mileage? Looking at the vehicles consumers actually choose to purchase each month, the answer seems to be lots of people. Out of 333 2012 model year vehicles sold in the U.S., 50 of them — including 18 hybrids, five diesels and four advanced electric-drive cars — can deliver an EPA-combined 30 miles per gallon or better. There are plenty of efficient vehicles to choose from, but millions of Americans aren't choosing them. Why? Because fuel economy is directly at odds with other vehicle attributes such as space, comfort, performance and safety. Fuel efficiency is a great bonus, but not if it means giving up these other features. In recent years, technology has advanced so quickly that the automakers have been able to introduce better vehicles that also deliver better mileage. But technology has its limits. Push standards too far, too fast, and the manufacturers will figure out how to comply, but at the expense of vehicle features that consumers value. This is no idle threat. In the 1970s, a tsunami of mileage, emissions and safety standards pushed automakers to launch technologies before they were ready. This was especially true for the domestic automakers who were trying to balance the dictates of government and the demands of their customers. The result was vehicle after vehicle with reliability and drivability problems. CAFE standards were spawned in an era when government price controls were viewed as a way to control inflation. The lesson from both should be clear: Government can't mandate consumer demand. And that is the rub. Automakers are building larger, less fuel-efficient vehicles not because they don't care about energy security or the environment, but because their customers demand them. Mandating that car companies build vehicles with unproven, expensive technologies that may be out of step with consumers' needs is a risk not worth taking in a recovering economy. IMPROVING FUEL EFFICIENCY

Improved Fuel Efficiency, Increased Sales in Autos and Trucks

IMPROVED FUEL EFFICIENCY From fuel-efficient subcompact cars to full-size pickup trucks, the auto industry reported across-the-board sales increases Tuesday during the month of August. The sales not only indicates strength in the economy, but is creating additional badly needed manufacturing jobs. Automakers reported sales of 1.3 million vehicles last month, a year-over-year gain of 20 percent and a pace that translates to selling 14.52 million units in 2012. That would surpass last year's sales figures by approximately 2 million units and place the industry on track for its best year since 2007, the year before the nation plunged into recession. Experts are touting the better-than-expected sales figures as a sign of a strengthening American economy, particularly for the moribund housing market. Demand for full-size pickups rose by 16 percent and accounted for a larger portion of overall U.S. vehicle sales. August can often be a robust month as dealers are motivated to clear out the previous model year vehicles from their lots to make room for the new models that begin arriving in September. Pickups are considered a barometer of the housing industry because construction crews routinely require larger vehicles for hauling equipment and supplies. Sales of new homes rose 3.6 percent in July, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Ford reported a 19.3 percent increase in sales of its F-series pickups. Chrysler's sales of its Ram ticked up by 18.7 percent year over year, and General Motors said sales of the Chevrolet Silverado inched ahead by 4 percent. The Toyota Tundra saw sales rise 68 percent. "Businesses don't usually go buy a fleet of trucks unless they have good reason to believe that business will be ramping up," said Jesse Toprak, vice president of auto-pricing service TrueCar.com. Gas-conscious shoppers drove demand in vehicles both large and small. Within Ford's popular F-150 pickup lineup, vehicles with V-6 engines now represent 54 percent of the model's sales compared with 46 percent for the once-sacrosanct V-8. In July, the EcoBoost V-6 engines accounted for 43 percent of all F-150 sales. "As fuel prices rose again in August, we saw growing numbers of people gravitate toward our fuel-efficient vehicles – cars, utilities and trucks," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "Customers increasingly value savings at the pump." Smaller vehicles, such as the Chevy Volt, were also a hit with consumers as gas prices rose again in August. The hybrid recorded its best month of sales ever, notching 2,831 sales. Sales of the Ford Focus rose 35 percent year over year. Ford reported overall sales gains of 13 percent for the month, while Chrysler boosted sales by 14 percent. General Motors sales rose more than 10 percent year over year. Foreign automakers fared even better. Continuing a fast recovery from the aftermath of last year's tsunami and nuclear accident, Japanese automakers posted whopping gains. Toyota reported a year-over-year sales increase of 45 percent and Honda said sales jumped 59 percent. But neither could claim the title of best turnaround. That went to Volkswagen – the German automaker increased sales by 62 percent compared to the same period last year. The industry's recovery has meant more jobs at automotive plants throughout the country. Among the highlights: Ford has added a third shift at its Louisville Assembly Plant to hasten production of its Escape crossover vehicle after sales rose 37 percent in August. In addition, the Dearborn, Mich.-based carmaker said it would build 725,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2012, a 7 percent increase over its 2011 figures. The all-new Dodge Dart sedan sold 3,045 units in August, and Chrysler has ramped up production of the vehicle at its Belvidere, Ill. Assembly plant. Hyundai has added a third shift at its Montgomery, Ala. Assembly plant to boost production of its Sonata and Elantra offerings, a move that added 800 workers. IMPROVED FUEL EFFICIENCY

Improved Fuel Economy, Better Gas Mileage-More Money in Your Wallet.

Improved Fuel Economy, Better Gas Mileage-More Money in Your Wallet. IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY

Fuel prices have been hovering at record levels around the United States for the past few weeks. Now is a good time to review of the best ways to improve your gas mileage and save money at the tank. I scoured dozens of web sites and read hundreds of tips — these are the best of the bunch. >> Save Money With Your Vehicle << Purchase a fuel-efficient car The best way to save money on gas is to drive a fuel-efficient car. It’s probably impractical to replace your current car for something that costs less to run, but if you’re in the market for a new vehicle, keep fuel economy in mind. Consumer Reports has several lists of fuel-efficient vehicles: •A list of the most fuel-efficient cars they’ve tested (CR loves the Toyota Prius) •A list of fuel-efficient SUVs •A list of cars that combine fuel efficiency and performance This calculator from fueleconomy.gov allows you to compare the cost difference between two vehicles based on their MPG. Keep your vehicle well maintained A car in poor running condition will use more gas than one that has been tuned up. According to this checklist at Advance Auto Parts, a dirty air filter can reduce gas mileage up to 20%. They also note that spark plugs in poor condition can reduce gas mileage up to 12%. Keep tires properly inflated Underinflated tires aren’t just dangerous — they devour fuel economy by as much as 25%! (I know this from experience — whenever I notice a drop in MPG, my tires are usually low.) Overinflated tires aren’t efficient, either. Also keep your tires balanced and in alignment. >> Save Money by Thinking Ahead << Find the best prices Use the web to research the lowest prices in your neighborhood. For example, GasBuddy.com is “a network of more than 179+ gas price information web sites that helps you find low gasoline prices.” Buy gas from a wholesale club Some Costco or Sam’s Club stores offer their members discounts of up to ten cents per gallon on fuel. Our local Safeway store gives us a three-cent discount on gas after we spend a certain amount on groceries. (Though we’d have to drive 25 miles to find a place to use it!) Alter your commute time If possible, schedule your trips and errands for times when traffic is lighter. In an insanely detailed article, Omninerd found that commute times varied widely depending on the time the author left the house. If your company allows it, try coming in earlier or later in order to avoid rush hour. Optimize your travel Consolidate trips: If you know you have to buy groceries, take your clothes to the dry cleaner at the same time, and then drop little Johnny at soccer practice. Combine multiple trips into one. Lighten your load Carry only the bare neccessities — don’t haul things in your trunk. “For every extra 250 pounds your engine hauls, the car loses about one mile per gallon in fuel economy.” [via Bankrate] Reduce drag About half of your vehicle’s energy is expended overcoming air resistance. (The other half is expended in acceleration.) Reduce your car’s workload — remove anything that might cause drag: luggage racks, bike racks, ski racks, etc, >> Save Money at the Pump << Buy gas on Wednesdays “Gas prices are statistically the cheapest on Wednesdays, but this is only true over a large number of days. It won’t be true every week.” Gas prices often jump before holidays, too. [via WikiHow] Don’t go out of your way to save a few pennies on gas If it’s convenient to shop at a cheaper place, do so. If not, don’t. On a ten-gallon fill-up, saving five cents a gallon only nets you fifty cents. My car costs about 36 cents per mile to operate. It doesn’t make sense for me to go a mile out of my way to find cheaper gas. Buy gas during the coolest times of the day “During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind – gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to ‘volume of measurement’.” [via HowToAdvice.com] photo by gbleakmore Use the right octane level for your car Using premium gasoline in an engine designed to run on regular doesn’t improve performance. Even some vehicles that call for higher octane fuels can run on regular unleaded, though with some loss of performance. (Check your owner’s manual.) You can save money by using the lowest octane rated gasoline that your car will tolerate. Don’t top off your tank Trust the auto-shutoff. Overfilling can lead to wasted gas. Be sure your gas cap is tight “Improperly seated gas caps allow 147 million gallons of fuel to vaporize every year in the U.S.” [via Advance Auto Parts] Use a gas credit card I don’t like credit cards,but the best gas rewards credit cards can be a good way to save a few cents per gallon. Just be sure to pay off your balance at the end of the month! >> The Nut Behind the Wheel << Drive at a constant moderate speed Edmunds.com found that the best way to improve fuel efficiency was to accelerate slowly and to brake over a longer distance. Aside from purchasing a new vehicle, this is the single most effective step you can take to reduce your costs. According to fueleconomy.gov: “As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.” Use cruise control If you’re like me, your driving speed tends to fluctuate. Cruise control takes the human element out of the equation, and keeps driving speeds steady. It’s the easy way to drive at a constant moderate pace. Don’t idle Turn off your engine if you’ll be idling for more than thirty seconds. Starting your vehicle does use a burst of fuel, but not as much as allowing the engine to idle too long. Anticipate stop signs and lights Plan ahead. The less you have to stop, the better your gas mileage. Make it a game to catch all of the green lights. Laugh at the other guy as he sprints from red to red. Keep your cool Most people claim that it makes more sense to use air conditioning on the highway, and to roll down the windows in city traffic. It’s commonly claimed that either method is going to reduce your fuel economy by about 10%. But according to research performed by found, there’s no real difference between driving with the windows down or using the air conditioner. Consumer Reports obtained similar results: Air conditioning uses about 1 mpg, but safety (and comfort) increase with use. Opening windows made no significant difference in our gas mileage. Do what works for you. (But please: don’t run your air conditioner with the windows open.) Drive less!!! Walk. Ride your bike. Take public transit. Carpool. Combine errands. It’s obvious, but easy to forget: the less you drive, the less you’ll spend on gas. IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY

Improving Fuel Efficiency, Improved Technology, Increased Safety, Additional Conveniences-Your Car and The Future.

IMPROVING FUEL EFFICIENCY Automakers are introducing mind-boggling technology that will see cars parking and driving themselves, leaving their "drivers" free to — what else — safely surf the Internet while on the move. Earlier vehicular innovations "were all mechanical," says Egil Juliussen of iSuppli Corp., a market research firm specializing in automotive technology trends. Now, increasingly, they're digital and "happening in a shorter time frame," he says. Smart cars could also be the key to winning back younger buyers — the 20- and 30-somethings who are abandoning car ownership, no longer seeing it as a mark of independence and financial success. Their passion for technology, combined with greater driving convenience of autonomous cars, may draw them back. Here's a peek at what's coming just a few years down the road. Easier Parking Hate to parallel park? No worries. Just let your car do it. Ford Motor Co., one of the leading innovators, is already taking the technology mainstream with its "active park assist." That's a fancy name for a system of electronic sensors that scans for suitable spaces, then handles the steering to back the car in without risk of a fender bender. The driver simply works the gas and brake pedals and shifts the transmission from reverse to drive to pull forward when the system gives the signal that the car is aligned properly. Ford says that the next generation of active park assist will be able to handle perpendicular parking, too. Other automakers will follow with similar parking systems. Fewer Accidents Eventually, all new cars will come equipped with radar, cameras and other sensors to detect and avoid imminent crashes. Early versions are already saving lives on models from manufacturers such as Ford, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and others. These systems recognize when vehicles ahead come to a sudden stop and apply the brakes if the car's driver fails to react in time. Future versions will take over accelerating and braking in stop-and-go traffic on congested highways. More Help at Your Fingertips Today's car buyers have grown accustomed to snazzy digital displays that let them control their stereos, dial their smart phones and access GPS navigation. But there's more to come. Before long, vehicle infotainment systems will suggest alternative routes to avoid traffic snarls and alert drivers to available parking spaces at their destinations. Mercedes' latest system, called Mbrace2, will let drivers pull up a picture of their destination from Google Street View — handy when traveling somewhere you haven't been before. It debuts in 2013 models. Ford is even working on "biometric stress detectors" to measure a driver's vital signs, such as pulse and breathing rate. They'll determine whether a driver is too preoccupied with challenging road conditions to listen to a text or make a phone call, and accordingly allow or block such electronic distractions. Hands-Free Driving Sometime during the next decade, look for cars to drive themselves, at least some of the time. It sounds far-fetched, but automakers and engineers are proving they can pull it off. Note that tech giant Google already operates driverless cars — modified Toyota Prius hybrids — on the roads around its corporate headquarters in California. In more than two years, the cars have clocked tens of thousands of accident-free miles. The next wave of in-car Internet technology will also go a long way toward addressing concerns about drivers' loss of attentiveness while monitoring Twitter and Facebook in their cars. Wi-Fi will enable future cars to communicate with one another, signaling their locations, speeds and projected paths. Combined with increasingly sophisticated electronic driving aids, car-to-car communications will allow autos to take over more and more functions, freeing drivers to talk, text and go online. Drive-by Discounts from the Doughnut Shop As more and more cars are connected to the Internet along with having the capability to signal their location and destination, marketers will gain a whole new way of reaching drivers with highly customized ads — say a coupon for the doughnut shop you'll be passing in five minutes during your morning commute. Bill Visnic, senior editor and longtime auto industry observer at Edmunds.com, muses that it could be like "Facebooking your travel plans," and savvy Web advertisers are sure to take advantage. It's no coincidence that Google, the biggest player in Web-based marketing, is branching out into driverless cars. Faster Commutes, Less Traffic Self-driving autos taking full advantage of car-to-car communications and electronic controls will trim travel times for road warriors of all sorts — commuters, truckers, delivery drivers, etc. Employers will benefit, too: Heavy traffic wastes countless man-hours. In Los Angeles, for example, it eats up 56 hours per worker per year. The combination of autonomous cars and wireless traffic management systems will route traffic more efficiently through congested urban areas and bottlenecks, improving fuel efficiency. And, there'll be less need to widen many roads. Lower Car Insurance Premiums The integration of self-driving cars and wireless traffic control systems promises dramatic increases in road safety, slashing the number of crashes and fatalities by up to 75% and spelling lower auto insurance premiums and fewer auto body repairs. With fewer crashes, there'll be less need for heavy steel bodies to withstand accidents. Plus good news for older drivers: Safety overrides may keep them on the road longer. Less Privacy Of course, there'll be some downsides and obstacles to negotiate. For one thing, be prepared to give up even more privacy. Onboard computers will let the world know where you are every second of the way. Moreover, who'll control the Web data that drivers see? Liability is another issue. If the car's driving when a crash occurs, is the carmaker responsible? Can governments make drivers cede control of vehicles at crowded junctions and other bottlenecks? But on the whole, the technology's positives will far outweigh the negatives.

Improved Vehicle Maintenance-Long Live Your Ride

LONG LIVE YOUR RIDE

AUTO MAINTENANCE Your vehicle is a lot like a good bird dog, saddle horse, or trained hunting falcon: It’s often trying to tell you something important. To protect your bank balance, your vehicle, and perhaps your own body, we offer this vehicle-to-human translation guide. 1. A slapping noise that increases tempo with vehicle speed This is the sound of a tire dying. Its tread is separating from the carcass of the tire. As the tread leaves the tires, it may turn into a giant steel-reinforced Weed Eater. It can cause massive damage to the vehicle’s bodywork as it leaves the tire. So if you hear it, don’t keep driving. 2. The smell of pancake syrup A sweet scent coming from the engine bay probably means the vehicle’s cooling system is having problems. The smell and (we’re told) sweet taste of most automotive antifreeze/coolant comes from its ethelyne glycol. The source of the leak could be anything from an old, cracked or ruptured radiator hose to a water pump on its last legs. Ignore this smell and you could wind up stranded miles from help with an overheated engine. If you find an green, orange, or yellow puddle under the car, the issue is beyond looking the other way. 3. Puddles in your parking place A puddle under your car can mean anything from “it’s really humid today” to “you cross-threaded the oil-drain plug and I’m bleeding to death.” When you see fluid under your car, take note of its color and location under the car. Rub a bit between your fingers and smell it. Most often it’ll be water coming from the air-conditioning condenser. If it’s clear and oily, it’s probably power steering fuid, check for leaks around the pump or power steering rack. If it’s darker, slippery, and you’ve recently had your oil changed, it could be a puddle of clean oil resulting from the fact that the mechanic damaged the oil drain plug or improperly installed the oil filter. 4. Other kinds of puddles Reddish-brown fluid and a lightly oily feel is your automatic transmission telling you that a line running to the trans cooler could have been punctured or the transmission has a seal going bad. If the ATF fluid also has a burnt smell, that transmission probably need an overhaul. If you find an oily fluid on the inside sidewall of a tire, that’s probably leaking brake fluid. Lost brake fluid means a likelihood of air in the brake lines and almost zero braking power, so get it checked out ASAP. If there’s a very dark, heavy, sticky oil under your truck’s rear axle, the seals in your differential could be letting go. 5. Squealing like a pig A high-pitched whining or squealing that comes from the engine bay and matches engine speed is often an accessory belt in its death throes. Back in the day, we could limp to a service station with a broken water-pump belt or the separate alternator belt. Today’s belts turn myriad devices including power steering, water pump, air conditioning compressor, and alternator. A broken belt will likely leave the car DRT (dead right there). If you’re greeted with a high-pitch squeal when you tap the brake lightly while at speed, what you’ve got is brake pads or shoes at the end of their life. The squeal comes from a tab of metal built into the pad that becomes exposed as material wears away. If the noise changes or goes away, head to the mechanic today. 6. Grinding noise 1 If you’ve continued ignoring the squealing brakes and they go silent, the next noise you’ll hear from them is a powerful grinding. The last of the pad has ground away and the metal backing plate is now clamping directly onto the brake disc. Braking effectiveness is greatly reduced and the car is now dangerous. Not only that, but your repair bill is going up, too, since the discs will have to be replaced as well. 7. Grinding noise 2 If you hear a grinding, clicking, or rumbling noise during a tight turn in the parking lot, it’s likely a failing constant-velocity joint on a front-wheel-drive car. A CV joint allows the front wheels to both receive power and turn. Ignore this long enough and you’ll have a one-wheel-drive car at best, and likely a paperweight car unless it’s fitted with a limited slip differential. Other grinding noises could also be anything from a pebble lodged between the brake pad and the rotor to a failing alternator to bearings going dead. Grinding noises are always bad—ignore them at the expense of your pocketbook.

Increased Fuel Efficiency-How Consumers can Reduce Gas Costs

IMPROVED FUEL EFFICIENCY How consumers can reduce gas costs With gas prices hovering around the $4 per gallon mark, many consumers are finding their budgets stretched thin. "Some people have no idea how much they're spending on gas because they're so disgusted by an increasing expense that they have no control over," says Dorothy Barrick, group manager and financial counselor for Farmington Hills, Mich.-based credit counseling organization GreenPath Debt Solutions. While you can't control what your local gas station charges, here are five steps you can take to save on gas and reduce the amount you spend to fill up at the pump. Take out your owner's manual A lack of familiarity with your car's owner's manual could be costing you money. It tells you what octane level of gasoline to use, the type of oil that's most efficient and your car's optimal tire pressure. Very few auto manufacturers recommend premium fuel. "If you put that in, you're unnecessarily spending money," says John Nielsen, AAA's director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. Proper maintenance, such as regular oil changes and air filter replacements, also can save on gas. In fact, you can increase your gas mileage by about 4 percent if you keep your engine tuned to your owner's manual's specifications, according to the Federal Trade Commission. However, too much maintenance can negate your gas savings. While some people change their oil every 3,000 miles, their owner's manuals may recommend doing so after 7,500 miles, Nielsen says. In addition, properly inflated and aligned tires also can lead to savings on gas, potentially adding 3 percent to gas mileage, the FTC says. Check your tire pressure monthly, says Brandy Schaffels, senior editor at TrueCar.com. And you don't have to get your hands dirty in the process since most tire centers will check it for free, Schaffels adds. Remove junk from the trunk One of the easiest ways to save on gas is to get the junk out of the trunk. Take a few minutes to determine what you need to carry around and chuck the rest. The lighter your car, the less work your engine has to do, Schaffels says. The FTC estimates that an additional 100 pounds in the trunk can decrease fuel economy by up to 2 percent. Avoid using your trunk as a storage unit. "Don't leave golf clubs in there all week if you only play on weekends," says Ronnie Kweller, spokeswoman for the Alliance to Save Energy in Washington, D.C. Likewise, a change in seasons could be a natural time to clean house. For example, shovels or bags of salt that you hauled around in the winter should be moved to your garage now that spring is here. Adjust your driving habits We live in a fast-moving society, but you should "plan to spend a little bit longer getting to where you need to go because aggressive driving is a tremendous fuel burner," TrueCar's Schaffels says. Avoid quick starts and stops. Coasting to a stop is more cost-effective than waiting until you get up to a red light to slam on the brakes. You can improve your fuel economy around town by up to 5 percent by driving more gently, the FTC says. Plan your trips, so you can string multiple stops together and avoid driving during rush hour, Nielsen says. Also, it's more cost-effective to turn your car off and on than to idle for a long time, so if you're waiting at a drive-through, consider turning the ignition off. Warming a car for an extensive period of time is also unnecessary. If you're spending more than 30 seconds warming your car, you're wasting money, Nielsen says. And when you drive faster than 60 miles per hour, your gas mileage decreases. "Every five miles over 60 mph is like paying another 20 cents per gallon for gas," Kweller says. Take advantage of gasoline apps Thanks to technology, it's easier than ever to pay less at the pump. A number of smartphone apps can show you maps of gas stations in your area and let you sort by price and location. Among those recommended by Schaffels are the free GasBuddy, the free AAA TripTik Mobile and the $2.99 Fuel Finder. However, price isn't the only thing you should consider when using these apps. "Costco gas might be 10 cents or 15 cents cheaper, but if you're going to wait in line a half hour to pay that, what's the value of your time versus what you're going to save?" Schaffels asks. The same applies if the station with the lowest-priced gas is miles away. "It might be worth paying a couple pennies more per gallon for the gas station that's around the corner as opposed to driving a couple of miles to save," Schaffels says. Cash in on rewards and loyalty programs Some credit cards offer cash back on gas purchases. Likewise, some retailers reward spending with discounts at affiliated gas stations. These offerings can potentially save you money as long as you recognize they're not always the ideal choice. Many gas stations offer a lower price per gallon if you pay in cash so compare the rewards or loyalty discount to the cash option to see which is a better deal. In the case of loyalty programs, make sure the gas station that's offering the program is close enough to justify the savings. When it comes to credit card rewards, keep your card in your pocket, and use cash if you carry a balance on the card, GreenPath's Barrick says. If you're paying interest on the card, that's just adding to your gas budget, Barrick says. Anyone can cut their spending on gas with a little forethought and planning. "Very small incremental items add up to make a larger difference," Schaffels says. INCREASED FUEL EFFICIENCY

Improved Fuel Economy and Debunking The Myths

Improved Fuel Economy

Like all drivers, you want to save gas and do what’s right for your car. But along with the tried-and-true advice, there are some well-intentioned—if off-the-mark—tips that can lead you astray. Below are several common myths about fuel use and gas mileage, and the real stories behind them. A dirty air filter drops gas mileage Our tests show that driving with a dirty air filter no longer has an impact on fuel economy, as it did with older engines. That's because modern engines use computers to precisely control the air/fuel ratio, depending on the amount of air coming in through the filter. Reducing airflow causes the engine to automatically reduce the amount of fuel being used. Fuel economy didn't change in the family sedan we tested, but it accelerated much more slowly with a dirty filter. [Related: 5 money-saving DIY tips for car owners] Warming up before driving is necessary That was true back in the days of carburetors and chokes, but it isn’t the case with modern fuel-injected, electronically controlled drivetrains. Engines are most efficient when they’re at regular operating temperature, and the fastest way to reach that point is to drive right after starting the car. Filling up when the air is cool gets you more gas A common tip is to buy gasoline in the morning, when the air is cool, rather than in the heat of the day. The theory is that the cooler gasoline will be denser, so you will get more for your money. But most stations store the gasoline underground, so its temperature changes very little, if at all, during a 24-hour stretch. Any extra gas you get will be negligible. No-name gas stations offer lower-quality fuel Independent stations usually buy their fuel from larger, name-brand oil companies, so it’s not much different from what you’d get for a higher price down the road. Off-brand gasoline is sometimes formulated without additives designed to clean the engine, but your car should run fine on that gas. Premium gas is always best When it comes to regular, midgrade, and premium gasoline, oil corporations have worked overtime to drill the “good, better, best” concept into our collective driver psyche. Premium gas has a higher octane rating, usually 91 or above, making it more resistant to pre­ignition, a condition in which fuel burns uncontrollably in the engine. Higher-performing engines are the most susceptible to preignition because they tend to run hotter, which is why premium is often recommended or required for sports and luxury vehicles. [Related: Could Gas Fall Below $3 by Autumn?] Premium also helps maximize power in high-performance engines. With those engines, if you don't use premium, you might not get full power when, say, accelerating or climbing hills. Most drivers will probably never notice the difference. The vast majority of cars are designed to run fine on regular. And premium won’t improve performance or fuel economy for those cars, but it will cost you about 20 cents more per gallon. Our advice: The best gas for your car depends on the vehicle you drive. If the owner’s manual or the sticker on the fuel-filler door says that premium gas is recommended or uses similar wording, you can probably use regular. If it says premium is required, play it safe with the right octane. Driving with windows open hurts fuel economy Some people advise you not to run the air conditioner because it puts more of a load on the engine, which can decrease fuel economy. But others say that opening the windows at highway speeds can affect gas mileage even more by disrupting the vehicle's aerodynamics. In our tests of a Honda Accord, using air conditioning while driving at 65 mph reduced the vehicle's gas mileage by more than 3 mpg. The effect of opening the windows at 65 mph was not measurable. Tires with low rolling resistance are always a smart choice A lot of attention is paid to a tire’s rolling resistance, which is how much energy it takes to roll along. The lower the rolling resistance, the better your fuel economy will be. Maintaining the proper tire pressure will optimize the rolling resistance and real-world performance. Some tires gain low rolling resistance at the expense of wet-braking performance and tread life—a poor trade-off. It’s better to look first for a tire that provides good all-around performance in important safety areas such as braking, handling, and hydroplaning resistance. Then use rolling resistance as the tiebreaker. In our testing, we’ve found two all-season passenger-­car tires that deliver very good performance and low rolling resistance: the Continental ProContact EcoPlus+ and the Michelin Energy Saver A/S. Get Better Gas Mileage