Gas Saving Myths

I gassed up my truck today at $3.28 per gallon and I really think I was fuming more that the fuel that I was pumping into my truck. My debt retirement plan is taking a serious hit because of the price gouging of the oil companies!

When I got home I decided to do an internet search on some gas saving tips and I actually came across these myths. I can remember being told some of these as a teenager by my parents.

There have been additives, special magnets and even a pill that has promised to improve a car's fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent in some cases.

"With all the pressure car companies are under, if one of these inexpensive devices dramatically did improve fuel economy, they (automakers) would be all over it," said Rik Paul, automotive editor for Consumer Reports.

Windows, air conditioning - who cares?

In two separate studies conducted in 2005, the automotive Web site Edmunds.com and Consumer Reports compared the fuel economy of both a sedan and an SUV at highway speeds with and without air conditioning and how open windows affected gas usage.

What they found was no significant difference in fuel economy in either sedan or SUV under either condition.

Some drivers insist the best time to buy gasoline is on a Wednesday, when pump prices have cooled from the weekend run-up when oil companies typically raise prices.

That's true to a point, says Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service. Gas prices tend to be higher on the weekend, but there's no ideal day of the week to purchase your gas.

It's probably a myth that goes back to the days when cars were equipped with carburetors, but many drivers believe that starting up and turning off your car repeatedly is a fast way to drain your gas tank.

Because of modern fuel-injection technology, drivers actually save gas by turning off their engine than letting their car needlessly idle, says Consumer Reports' Paul.

There are also some real and practical gas saving tips out there like making sure your tires are properly inflated, removing excess weight, using cruise control and actually driving the speed limit.