Good Planning for Better Mileage

How about good planning? If it is the bottom line you are after, then it does help in some way. Today's topic is not so much about engineering, but more about using your common sense when traveling.

Plan your trips so that you can combine all your errands into one trip. It saves you time and money. A warm engine is more efficient. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multi-purpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.

By planning your trip well, you make sure that all your traveling is done when the engine is warmed-up and efficient.

If you are forgetful, you might find that sometimes you have to make several trips to a certain locality to complete your errands. Spend a bit of time to plan your route. Write down what you have to do. Have a mental picture of your first stop, your next stop and so on...

With a little planning of the route to take, you can avoid retracing your route and reducing the distance you have to travel as well. You not only save fuel, but also reduce wear and tear on your car.

Carpooling is one good way to save on fuel consumption. If you have friends who are willing to share with the traveling expenses, this is an excellent idea. Instead of paying for all the fuel consumption cost, now you can share it out equally. You just pay for a fraction of the cost.

By carpooling you can obtain better mileage for the same distance. Sometimes, many urban areas allow vehicles with multiple passengers to use special lanes. You can travel faster and more efficiently.

Related to good planning is choosing the time to travel. In the city, if your car has to crawl along busy streets during peak hours, it is not going to be very efficient. While you are waiting in the queue, your fuel burns away unproductively.

If you can stagger your work hours, it makes good sense to travel only during off-peak hours. You will spend less time sitting in the traffic and spend more time moving towards your destination.

Smaller and lighter vehicles usually give better fuel efficiencies. It's because they have less excess weight to carry when empty. Their frames, chassis and components are lighter. If you have more than one vehicle, it makes better sense to drive the one that has better gas mileage whenever possible.

Related to weight, try not to carry unnecessary items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 lbs in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by 1~2 percent.

Do not carry too many items either, especially if you cannot fit everything inside the trunk of your car. Some vehicles have roof racks or carriers for additional cargo space. Try not to use them. A loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent due to increased aerodynamic drag caused by wind resistance.

There you have it - planning does help in achieving better fuel efficiencies. Do keep them in mind in your quest for getting better mileage.
 
 
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Thomas Yoon specializes in cartoon illustrations that will make an impact on people's opinions.
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