Save Gas with these Fuel Saving Tips

Rarely do we provide some important facts and tidbits on how to save money and save gas, but the automotive landscape is slowly shifting in favor of smaller and more fuel efficient cars.

A large majority of car makers are also downsizing their engine options. Take the new 2012 Ford F-150 for instance. The optional Ecoboost 3.5-liter V6 engine produces more torque than the 5.0-liter V8, and it achieves better fuel economy than the much larger V8 engine.

Rising gas prices takes the fun out of driving, since it will basically cost more to operate or drive your vehicle. With that being said, here are some fuel saving tips that will help you to save gas and save money--all while still enjoying every minute of your drive.

1. Roll down your windows and minimize the use of air conditioning, especially during the cooler months of the year. Recent studies have shown that driving with your windows down at speeds of less than 45 to 50 MPH will help you save 15% of your fuel.

But don't make it a habit to drive on the highway with all your windows down: the same study has shown that driving on the highway at speeds in excess of 50 to 60 MPH with your windows down will actually consume more fuel.

This is because the rolled-down windows will affect the aerodynamic performance of your vehicle.

2. Try to keep the tachometer needle between 2,000 and 2,500 RPM when driving your car. If you drive a manual, try to keep your revs between this mark before changing gear so you can minimize your fuel consumption.

If you have an automatic car, then simply feathering the accelerator pedal (instead of stomping or pressing hard on the gas) will help you to achieve better fuel economy.

Since the computer will actually be the one to shift the gears in an automatic vehicle, pressing lightly on the gas pedal will tell the computer that you want to achieve better fuel economy, since modern automatic transmissions will analyze your driving habits and adjust the performance accordingly.

If you make it a habit of abruptly pressing the gas pedal, then your automatic transmission will assume that you want a sporty driving experience every time--not that this is a bad thing, but sporty driving habits will also result in poor fuel economy, even if you drive a mundane compact car.

We have more fuel saving tips in the next post. Check out updated lease offers for all new vehicles in your zip code so you can choose a more fuel efficient vehicle on your next car lease.