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Edmunds.com has posted on the myths and misconceptions of the common fuel efficiency tips and now CarandDriver.com has gotten into the groove and done some testing of their own. What they were looking at were these basic 6 common beliefs to save on gas and emissions output:
Which myths were busted and which ones turned out to be behooving? Let's look at each one in detail.
- Turn Off Your Air-Conditioner- Fact
Turning off your air-conditioner has long been thought a great way to save a few pints of gas here and there, but some folks have tried to show that this myth only works in certain scenarios due to the loss of aerodynamics when driving with the windows open. What Car and Driver found was that no matter what you did, driving without the air-conditioner was always better. The only time when the air-conditioner did not have heavy drag (15 percent) on the vehicles economy, was when it was moving 55 to 75 mph, but even then it was still not quite as economical as the natural air-conditioning. They also found that having the sunroof open was the most economical way to cool except when the vehicle was moving at 35 mph or under. In that case, having the side windows open proved the best efficiency. - Take Out the Junk in Your Trunk- Fact
Extra weight causes the vehicles engine to work harder, and thus use more fuel, case closed! There is just no way around this. Even the junk in your own trunk can effect your fuel economy, so if you have been thinking about losing a few pounds to improve your health, you might save a few bucks in the process too! - Inflate Your Tires Properly- Fact
While Edmund's did not report much change in efficiency from the inflation of the tires on their test vehicle, Car and Driver did find on average a 1 to 2 percent difference in economy when under 5 PSI of the recommended inflation value. They also interestingly enough tested gently over inflating (hyperinflating) the tires (although never over the max pressure capability of the tire), and found at some speeds they could boost economy by up to 2 percent. - Take Everything Off the Roof – Fact
And this means everything! It was found that if you only removed only your cargo carrier, leaving the cargo bars, it still effected your aerodynamics and reduced your fuel economy by at least 1.5 percent on up to 5 percent depending on your speed of travel. If you are going to go to the effort of removing the cargo box, you might as well remove the bars as well, otherwise you will not be receiving the full benefit of improved aerodynamics. - Turning Off the Car's Engine Saves Fuel when Stopped- Depends
The truth of the matter, is that unless you are stopped for only a matter of seconds, shutting your car off during a stop does indeed save gas. The problem here, is that most vehicles (not including hybrids) were not designed to handle the constant on and off cycling of the engine. Each vehicle in manufactured to handle a certain number of starts, and by boosting this number on your day to day travels, you are only increasing the chances of your starting system malfunctioning sooner than it would normally. The best way to handle this situation is to only turn off your engine when you know you will be stopped for an unusually long time, such as when waiting for a bridge or a train. - Keep the Convertible Top Up while Driving on Highways- Fact
While newer convertible models have been designed to remain aerodynamic even with the top down, it will still cause drag by at least 1.5 percent on the highway. At lower speeds the difference drops to a matter of 0.4 percent fuel efficiency. Car and Driver also mentioned the fact that rolling the windows up with the top down improved the fuel economy a small amount, but they also reminded us that it was, "not enough to make up for you looking like a total doofus."
More ways to save at the pump
Get Better Gas Mileage When You Drive
Park the Car to Save Cash
How to Make Your Current Vehicle More Aerodynamic
Why You Get Worse Gas Mileage in Winter and What to do about it
Source:
CarandDriver.com, Gas Pains: Mileage Myths and Misconceptions
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