Munday Chevrolet

TOP TEN FUEL SAVINGS TIPS

1. Plan your trips and driving routes to avoid traffic congestion and minimize stop lights

•  Significantly more fuel is consumed to accelerate your vehicle than to maintain a constant speed. By limiting the number of times you stop your vehicle and reaccelerate, you will observe higher average fuel economy. Pacing your speed between traffic lights can help.

2. Observe speed limits

• Wind drag accounts for almost 25% of the fuel consumed to drive your vehicle. Each additional 10 mph of highway speed can reduce fuel economy by about 4 mpg

3. Accelerate moderately and smoothly

• As a general rule, your engine consumes more fuel the faster it spins. By gently applying the accelerator pedal and not accelerating too briskly, your vehicle will maintain lower engine speeds during vehicle acceleration and cruising, and thereby improve fuel economy.

4. Maintain steady speeds

• Your vehicle's cruise control can help you maintain a steady speed. This could improve fuel economy by as much as 2 percent for some drivers, as it minimizes engine speed changes (see Tip #3).

5. Limit the use of accessories

• Accessories such as air conditioning, heated seats, and rear window defoggers all consume energy that ultimately comes from the fuel in your vehicle. Limiting their use to when it is most needed can save fuel. When entering a hot vehicle, open windows to vent the hot air as you turn your air conditioning on.

6. Don't carry more than you need

• Avoid carrying unnecessary items in your vehicle on a regular basis. An extra 100 pounds in a vehicle could reduce fuel economy by up to two percent. Items mounted to the exterior of your vehicle (such as bike racks and roof-top carriers) will also increase wind drag, which costs you fuel. Remember to remove items not in use. While a pickup truck bed cover can help reduce drag, leaving the gate down or installing a "net" in its place increases it.

7. Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained

• Following the manufacturer's regular maintenance schedule can improve your mileage as much as 10 percent. This includes replacing a dirty air filter, and regularly checking tires to maintain the recommended pressure. This not only saves fuel, but greatly extends tire life.

8. Avoid extended engine idle time

• Extended idle time directly impacts your fuel economy, since your vehicle is getting 0 mpg while stationary. Turn your vehicle off if you are going to be idling for more than a minute or two. For example, a 20-mile journey that includes a 10-minute idle can reduce the average fuel economy of the trip from 20 mpg to 17.5 mpg. While GM's new remote start feature provides great convenience by prewarming the interior and defrosting your vehicle in inclement weather, limit use of this feature to situations where you need it.

9. Get the most from Active Fuel Management^TM

• Fuel economy can be maximized by driving your vehicle smoothly. This is especially true for vehicles equipped with Active Fuel Management.^TM To get the most fuel economy from your vehicle, you should strive to maximize your operation in V4 mode (V3 mode for V6 engines). Smooth, steady application of the accelerator pedal up to the desired speed is best. Note that Tips #1 thru #6 will also help you maximize V4 operation, and thus fuel economy.

10. Towing and heavy duty usage

• Fuel economy during trailer towing can be maximized if the front profile of the trailer is hidden by the tow vehicle. Closed-body trailers with rounded corners will minimize trailer wind drag. When pulling a trailer, it is even more beneficial to drive within posted speed limits (see Tip #2). Proper trailer maintenance (tire pressure, properly adjusted brakes, wheel lubrication) is also very important for maximizing fuel economy. Consult your dealer for the optimal vehicle configuration for trailering.