2 replies to this topic

[calmcookie]

Hey Mark, You once posted some great ideas about how to improve gas mileage. Is that info still available ... somewhere? Thanks, C.C (My mechanic said "I couldn't fix your brakes, so I made your horn louder." Steven Wright)

Edited by calmcookie, 03 March 2008 - 11:23 AM.

[Guru Dudette]

Hey Mark,

You once posted some great ideas about how to improve gas mileage. Is that info still available ... somewhere?

Thanks, C.C (My mechanic said "I couldn't fix your brakes, so I made your horn louder." Steven Wright)

After a simple search, I came up with his post from September:

OK, folks, I thought I'd offer my help here. The original author of the forwarded email may be a mathematician, but I'm an economist. I have to tell you, they've got it all wrong.

The current high price of gas isn't a function of Exxon/Mobil gouging you for gas. Their profit margin hasn't gone up on gas. The high price is a direct result of two things, oil at $68/barrel (more than double what is was not that long ago) and not enough refineries.

So, you can eschew the major oil companies (better include BP and Chevron in there) all you want. It might save you a few pennies a gallon as you buy your gas from the minor stations, but then they probably buy their gas from the nearest refinery, so it's likely that you'll be buying from the majors again...just indirectly. Of course, the smaller stations may also sell lower quality gas, so that's a risk you'll be taking.

The bottom line, though, is that you'll be doing NOTHING to lower the price of oil, which is what is driving the price of gas.

The email is completely bogus.



Here are the things you CAN do that really WILL make a difference:

#1 check your tire pressure. You should be toward the top of your car's specifications (no higher, it's a safety risk!). If you're running on low pressure, you're using 5-10% more gas than you need to be. Get a guage and check your tires regularly.

#2 if you haven't had a tune up in a while, get one. Old spark plugs can knock off a few MPG. Make sure you get a new air filter too.

#3 take a mellow approach to driving. Accelerate more slowly and steadily. Jackrabbit starts kill gas mileage. Watch your speed.

#4 drive a more fuel efficient car--if you have two (or more) cars, opt for the smaller lighter one whenever possible. Make sure your next car is more fuel efficient.

#5 if your car is a bit older, really get on those maintenance issues, and every couple thousand miles put a good fuel system cleaner into your tank (Chevron's Techron is quite good, as is Seafoam). If you've got an older car and most of your driving is stop and go, consider doing a "hot soak" (this is where you suck a cleaner like Seafoam fuel treatment into your manifold when the engine is hot to clean gunked up valves. If you aren't handy, find a wrench who knows what you're talking about to do it for you.) This treatment can give you another 5%-10% better fuel efficiency on a really gunked up car.

#6 and most important, try to drive less. If you can consolidate trips, do so--a warm engine is more efficient than a cold one and less back and forth driving saves tons. Try to pick a day where you don't drive anywhere. Walk or ride a bike. Tele-commute. Carpool. Consider moving your office home or within walking distance or moving closer to your place of work. PLAN your trips and plan for the things you will need each week. We go to Findlay Market on Saturday and buy most of our food then from a menu that I make up on Friday night. We know what we will need and buy it there and on one trip to Kroger's or Biggs. If I need something during the week that I forgot I'll try to walk over to the farmers market or to our local grocer. He can use the business anyway. How many times do you have to go back to the grocery store during the course of the week?

Remember, fuel prices are set at the margin. That means that a marginal drop in demand can drive a large decrease in the price. If you decrease your demand by just 10%, you not only save that amount on your fuel budget, BUT, you also do your part for decreasing the marginal demand for gas. If enough folks use just 10% less, you'll likely see a large drop in the price of gas. Not driving just 1 day a week (assuming all things held equal) will save you 14% on your fuel bill each month.

So, do your part and encourage others to do the same. Maybe organize a carpool with friends after you tell them about the things above that they can do to improve their fuel efficiency.

BTW, I've only driven the car 3 times this week, myself for less than 20 miles. I expect my total number of trips this week to be less than 5. I'm doing my part and have been.

Anyway, I hope that helps you save a few shekels.

Mark

--------------------
Mark S Young
Institutional Sentiment and Analysis
WallStreetSentiment.com

[HiFiGuy]

Here's another suggestion:

http://www.pureenerg...900069_Acetone/

I've heard that adding a small amount of Acetone (1oz to 3 oz per 10 gal) to each tank can increase fuel efficiency by 10-20%. I haven't tried it myself but a client of mine swears by it. I plan to give it a try on my next few tanks and I'll update this post with my results.

I also have been shifting to neutral and coasting down hills around town. Every little bit helps.