1. Shop around for a lower price, but don't go miles out of your way to get the best price. When traveling a long distance to save a few pennies, you end up spending more on car driving expenses (AAA estimates that it costs 51.7 cents a mile to drive a car in 2003 while the IRS allows a deduction of 36 cents a mile) than you end up saving with the lower gas price.
2. To find the least expensive gas in your local area, don't drive around looking. Hit the Internet. Sites like gasbuddy.com will let you find the lowest gas price without leaving your driveway.
3. It's best to purchase gas from a station that is busy. Gas that sits in tanks for long periods can get contaminated and lower its effectiveness. Fresh gas is less likely to be contaminated ensuring you get the most power for your dollar.
4. Avoid purchasing gas from a station that has just had a truck fill the station's underground tanks. Filling up the station tanks will stir up particles from the bottom of the tank which can clog your fuel filter and make your car run less efficiently.
5. Purchase your gasoline in the early morning or at night when it is cold outside. Gas becomes denser in cooler temperatures. Since gas pumps only measure the volume of fuel - not the density - you'll get better overall gas mileage for your money by purchasing fuel when it's cool outside rather than in the heat of the day.
6. Take the time to check your car's tire pressure each month (purchase a good-quality dial-type gauge for yourself -- pencil-style gauges and the ones mounted on the air hose are unreliable according to federal surveys). Under inflated tires reduce fuel efficiency by 2% for every pound they are under inflated. Under inflation also causes premature tire wear giving your tires a shorter use life.
7. Be sure to use your owner's manual for the correct tire pressure. The pressure printed on the sidewall of the tire indicates how much the tire will safely hold and should not be used since it has no connection to how much air should be in the tire for routine use.
8. Check your tire pressure when it is cool outside. A good time is in the morning after the car has rested overnight. Driving only a few miles to a gas station will build heat in the tire and can increase the pressure enough to give a false reading.
9. Drive at the speed limit. Cars use about 20% more fuel driving at 70 miles per hour than they do at 55 miles per hour.
10. Avoid driving fast in low gears. Driving at high speeds in the improper gear can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 40%.
Reginald Sinevet is an Area Manager with Bio Performance. Bio Performance has a product that helps vehicles improve their MPG by 25% or more. Please visit http://www.gasprofits.com/reg for more information on how to save money on gas when you fill up and improve efficiency of the vehicle.