5 Summer Driving Tips to Save Money on Fuel

Summer means it’s time for road trips! But with rising gas prices, you may find yourself dreading the thought of filling up your tank. We’re here to help. Wheels Donlen would like to share a few tips that can help you save money on gasoline this summer by improving your driving habits and being more energy-efficient.

Fuel Up Before You Go

Just like you prep for a road trip by packing your bags and making sure your car is in good working order, you can also help prepare for a long drive by making sure your tank is full. This can save you quite a bit over time when compared to having to make multiple stops along the way. When filling up at the pump, shop around for lower gas prices in your area. Check out sites like Google Maps, GasBuddy, as well as reviews from other drivers who’ve been there before. You might find that one station has cheaper prices while another one offers better customer service or more convenient locations.

Avoid Harsh Acceleration and Deceleration

When you’re driving in stop-and-go traffic, it is tempting to speed up and slow down quickly. But this behavior wastes gas and puts additional strain on your car’s engine. Smooth acceleration and deceleration help your vehicle get better gas mileage and reduce wear on its components as well as your tires’ treads — which could also translate into lower repair bills down the road.

Avoid Idling

If you’re like most people, you probably spend a lot of time sitting in traffic. Idling uses more gas than turning off your engine and restarting when you need to move again. That means every minute you spend idling costs you money. If your car is idling for more than 10 seconds, shut off the engine and restart when ready. This will help conserve fuel and reduce emissions.

Drive Efficiently

The more efficiently you operate your vehicle, the less fuel you will waste.

• Keep your tires properly inflated. Underinflated tires cause your engine to work harder than it should, which results in increased fuel consumption.
• Use cruise control when possible.
• Enable your vehicle’s ECO (economy) mode. This feature causes your vehicle to operate more efficiently during acceleration and deceleration.
• Get rid of any unnecessary weight in your trunk

Plan Your Route

Planning your route is a critical part of saving gas on a road trip. The more you know about the terrain and the distance between your starting point and destination, the better prepared you’ll be to make smart decisions about when to depart. You should also take into account whether or not there are any local events taking place during your trip that would affect traffic flow in certain areas or cause delays that could cost you more time and money than anticipated.

Avoid Speeding

Speeding is one of the most common mistakes people make when trying to save gas. The faster you go, the more fuel your engine has to use.

If you’re traveling at or near the speed limit, you’ll use less fuel than if you were driving faster. The more momentum you have, the harder your engine has to work to maintain that speed. If you’re going slow enough, your engine can coast — which is great for fuel efficiency.

Conclusion

Gas prices are high, and there is no sign that they will go down significantly any time soon. If you’re driving long distances this summer, keep these tips in mind for ways to save money on your trip. When you save on fuel, you have more cash left over to do the fun stuff. At Wheels Donlen, we’re here to help you discover ways to go further for less. For more information about how to lower additional costs on your summer road trip, contact us!