how to save gas [Mobile/Archive]

greyzieoriental

09-21-2005, 08:39 PM

Anyone have any experiences with this?

looking at the $3 a gallon is killing me and i'm thinking if i should buy one of these or not, but reading reviews from their own sites are unreliable, seems every review is infomercial like

so anyone on CAAG who has experience with this please post and let me know if it works or not, gas is getting outta hand and if i could save a couple bucks every week it'll pay for itself eventually

edit: changes topic

so any suggestions on how to save on money at the pump?

jbroush99

09-21-2005, 08:49 PM

Well, here's one article on the Tornado Fuel Saver:

Don't Waste Your Mone (http://www.wcpo.com/external/dwym/c3b519.html)y (http://www.wcpo.com/external/dwym/c3b519.html)

According to their study, it actually INCREASED fuel consumption.

oxidative

09-21-2005, 08:55 PM

Put a couple ounces of acetone per fuel up in your tank. Don't believe me? Look it up.

greyzieoriental

09-21-2005, 09:00 PM

guess i wont waste my money then and change the topic

cruster

09-21-2005, 09:21 PM

You'll get slightly - slightly - better mileage per gallon, but you are most likely cutting down the life of your engine as well. Weigh the pros and cons...
And the Tornado is a bunch of crap.

Morrigan Lover

09-21-2005, 09:25 PM

It's a Trap!

oxidative

09-21-2005, 09:38 PM

Another suggestion is to shift sooner/driver easier. If you're punching it at every light, taking each gear to the red line (or even midway) you're going to waste a lot of gas.

Since prices have been going up I've been changing my habits. I never punched it off the line, but I used to shift somewhere in the 3-4k RPM range. Now, I rarely shift past 3k RPM, usually around 2500 RPM. I've driven like this for about 3 tanks of gas and noticed my mileage go from 26-27 to 29-30 mpg. Not a huge difference but I'm not really losing any time either. My commute still takes me the same amount of time.

My dream is for diesel engines to come back in style and for California to let my buy a diesel car. Of course, diesel prices are so out of control right now, it's almost not worth it. But damn, I love the sound of a diesel.

fatherofcaitlyn

09-21-2005, 09:40 PM

so any suggestions on how to save on money at the pump?

1. Buy a smaller vehicle. We changed my wife's commuter vehicle from a 1990 Oldsmobile to a 1994 Ford Escort. MPG went from under 30 to over 40. Gas hikes aren't as much of a shock.

2. Watch the weather and stockpile early. Hurricane Rita is now a category 5 hurricane and headed to Galveston, TX. There are a lot of refineries there. You have until Friday (if that) before the gas prices jump up again. If you have a gas can, fill it up now. If your car is on 3/4 or less, fill it up. However, it won't be worth it to buy a gas can just for this storm unless gas prices climb another $1 per gallon.

3. Start thinking about alternative fuels. You don't have to buy gasoline to fuel a vehicle. Try out this website: http://www.greasecar.com/. I don't know how full of shit they are, but (supposedly) they're buying Vegetable Oil for 90 cents on the gallon in large quantities. If they'll sell it for $1.50/gallon, an average consumer driving 12,000 miles with 30 MPG save $600 the first year.

Dingleberry

09-21-2005, 09:42 PM

get a motorcycle and get 50+ mpg...i'm not complaining

friedram

09-21-2005, 09:44 PM

Morrigan Lover

09-21-2005, 09:55 PM

Diesel fuel has a higher energy density than gas. A modern diesel automobile can get 50 miles per gallon highway.

It takes less steps to convert oil to diesel than oil to gas, so all things being equal, diesel would be cheaper than gas. (Supply and demand make this not always true).

Odenat

09-21-2005, 09:56 PM

Get a Honda

Farny

09-21-2005, 10:10 PM

Don't drive an SUV.

17 MPG = teh suck

fatherofcaitlyn

09-22-2005, 12:26 AM

get a motorcycle and get 50+ mpg...i'm not complaining

Motorcycles are great unless you need a car seat.

Stoneage

09-22-2005, 12:37 AM

Motorcycles are great unless you need a car seat.

Or if you need heat, as in Winter time. :cold:

radjago

09-22-2005, 02:43 AM

Clean out your car. Don't haul anything unnecessary in your car as it just increases the load on the engine. You can take this to an extreme and remove your passenger and rear seats if you're just commuting alone. Otherwise accelerate slowly and avoid using the brakes too much.

Tromack

09-22-2005, 02:48 AM

Walk places, bike places, use public transportation, get a motorcycle, get a more fuel efficient car. Any of these are valid options.

GizmoGC

09-22-2005, 03:06 AM

Become pimp and hire hookers. Simple as that.

zionoverfire

09-22-2005, 03:11 AM

Live within walking distance of work, stores and food like me.

punqsux

09-22-2005, 03:18 AM

http://www.ccchronicle.com/back/2004_spring/2004-05-17/arts5.html

dreamvsps2

09-22-2005, 03:21 AM

- try not drive in much traffic ( rush hour)
- use the A/C at minimum if possible
- chnage oil and air filter more offten if possible
- carpool whenever possible ( if you have more then 1 car)

fatherofcaitlyn

09-22-2005, 10:46 AM

You can take this to an extreme and remove your passenger and rear seats if you're just commuting alone.

Somebody's been playing GT4.

Tricky

09-22-2005, 10:49 AM

Ride a bike.

zman73

09-22-2005, 11:13 AM

cruster

09-22-2005, 11:19 AM

Also, make sure your tires are inflated to the correct pressures. Check the owner's manual for your car, measure the pressure when the tires are COLD (check in the morning) and inflate as necessary. Most people are off and low tire pressure increases rolling resistance, which means your car has to work harder to achieve the same speeds, which means increased fuel consumption.

uzumaki_star

09-22-2005, 11:19 AM

I would recommend the public transporation route because it saves you a lot cash that you can put into your gas tank for when you must drive.

Lister

09-22-2005, 11:29 AM

Octane boosters don't do shit for your car. They are a waste of your money. Drive less hecticly, leave your windows up, no A/C. Overinflate your tires a bit, use the proper Octane your car requires (if you only need 87, don't use 93, it'll actually give you less gas milage). Remove the spare tire and stuff in your trunk/wherever it is. If you drive a manual, short shift. Go from 2nd to 4th to 5th/6th

Edit:

More stuff, go buy lighter rims/tires. If you buy those 18"s expect your gas milage to suffer. Same with those 8" wide tires. More tire in contact with the ground = more resistance. Only fill your car to a half a tank. Sure it's annoying but a full tank of gas weighs a lot. When I used to race, I ran a lap with a full tank and then drained most of it and ran a lap (autox) and cut off over a second off my time.

Indiana

09-22-2005, 11:40 AM

I'll go to the Dollar Tree and pick up a bottle of the octane boost and put it in my car every month or so, definately helps the mileage... I did it with my wifes car on my trip to Va this summer, and after doing so, noticed improved power and gas mileage

Unless your car requires higher octane I don't believe this did jack shit. Other than cost you more money to operate your vehicle.

zman73

09-22-2005, 12:08 PM

Unless your car requires higher octane I don't believe this did jack shit. Other than cost you more money to operate your vehicle.

It did for me when I put it in my wifes car... octane boost does help clean out the fuel injectors... so I guess thats all that matters to me... besides it was only a fucking dollar... she noticed a change in it before I even told her I put it in her car, but I wouldnt spend 4 bucks for it like most places charge

partygirlie21

09-22-2005, 12:13 PM

Just put in a fuel injector in our Jeep Grand 96 and we got a TON more miles when we went on a trip yesterday. My bf was keeping track from before the fuel injector to after, and we got like 30+ more miles after using just a quarter of a tank, which would be 120 more miles to the tank. Now, I'm not saying this will happen again or whatever, but I have heard that if you have never used a fuel injector on your car (we hadnt) then it can really work great. However, I've heard that it isn't good to do like every week. I don't know that much about cars/suvs and I was skeptical, but it definitely made a difference. Hey every little bit helps.

zman73

09-22-2005, 12:20 PM

ne2eire

09-22-2005, 01:41 PM

Don't drive a new BMW (I suck :( )

jshendel

09-22-2005, 02:58 PM

siphon, buh

Kayden

09-22-2005, 04:13 PM

I recommend getting a job that pays you 6,000 more than you are making currently that allows you to work from home (like an IT organization). That's what I did, and it's done wonders- saving gas and making more money than I was before. Of course, before this my job required me to put more than 600 miles a week on my car and I was making over 40K as is- but it sucked because I was having to spend a ton on gas- and thats when it was a 1.80. Lots of companies are going virtual and with some looking you'll find a place too.

Other than that- get a really small car, and if you can afford it the really small two seater honda Hybrid. Best of luck!

Can I work for your company?

Diesel fuel has a higher energy density than gas. A modern diesel automobile can get 50 miles per gallon highway.

It takes less steps to convert oil to diesel than oil to gas, so all things being equal, diesel would be cheaper than gas. (Supply and demand make this not always true).

Diesel has always been 10-50 cents cheaper except for the past 2-3 years... And there really is no reason for it be be 10-50 cents HIGHER now.

ArthurDigbySellers

09-22-2005, 04:47 PM

The "good" thing about these gas spikes is of course it forces you to look at your driving more carefully, keeping the car maintained for gas mileage (changing oil, air filters and yes feul injector cleaner is good as well)

as for the AC thing... Ive heard from some that it doesnt alter feul mileage as much as some would like you to believe, although I dont use it too often...

Personally I just drained and refilled my radiator, changed the oil, and added a feul injector cleaner to my gas tank... the difference was immediate

They tested the AC thing on Mythbusters using Ford Explorers if I recall correctly. The Explorer using AC ran out of gas before the Explorer with the windows rolled down.

The problem with their test, though, is that they were not using cars that are aerodynamic by design. Supposedly, a car which is designed to be very aerodynamic will get less MPG with the windows down than running with the AC on. This is only when the vehicle is driven above 55 MPH since the increased drag from having the windows open doesn't kick in until that speed is reached.

CYRiX

09-22-2005, 10:50 PM

I saw on this weekly show on Spike called TRUCKS! and they had a whole thing on this that ended up make gas for 90 cents per gallon, here are the setbacks:
You had to purchase a 500 vat/thingie kit
Buy vast amounts of Vegetable Oil
Buy vast amounts of some other Oil

What it would do is combine the two oils over time and get rid of a lot of stuff in them that aren't needed then it would be usable to your car. Too bad they don't have any of the info on the episode on spiketv's website.

HAHAHAHAHA GUESS WHAT?! I'M FOURTEEN AND CAN'T DRIVE A CAR SO I SAVE ALL MY MONEY FOR THE LIFESTYLE OF THE ASS AND THE CHEAP!!!!!!!!!

waited to say that for tooooooooo long.

fatherofcaitlyn

09-22-2005, 11:31 PM

Or if you need heat, as in Winter time. :cold:

Coveralls and a sturdy snowcap will fix that. You won't look as cool though.

fatherofcaitlyn

09-22-2005, 11:41 PM

Ladies and Gents ...

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/09/22/refineries_closed_as_rita_nears/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Business+News

Prepare your assholes for yet another gasoline spike.

If you don't fill up your gas tanks and gas cans soon, expect to be kicking yourselves later.

The spike will be pseudo temporary.

Some places in Louisville, KY were down to $2.54/gallon yesterday.

They'll probably return to those levels by mid October.

Meanwhile ...

My lawn grows ever taller. I'm just not going to spend over $3/gallon for my push mower.

I should have bought a cow.

dracula

09-22-2005, 11:56 PM

you cant make out in the back of a motorcycle.

If you are trying to conserve gas, do not drive during rush hour, if you are sitting in traffic burning gas, that is no good, get to work an hour early, or stay late to avoid rush hour.

fatherofcaitlyn

09-23-2005, 12:34 AM

you cant make out in the back of a motorcycle.

Yes, you can. It just takes practice and overcoming your need for privacy.

However, receiving oral while driving down the road at 90+ mph ...

EDIT: BTW, <Jaws music> http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm18/projectedpath_large.html?from=wxcenter_maps

</Jaws music>

Pancake Rabbit

09-23-2005, 12:41 AM

3. Start thinking about alternative fuels. You don't have to buy gasoline to fuel a vehicle. Try out this website: http://www.greasecar.com/. I don't know how full of shit they are, but (supposedly) they're buying Vegetable Oil for 90 cents on the gallon in large quantities. If they'll sell it for $1.50/gallon, an average consumer driving 12,000 miles with 30 MPG save $600 the first year.

I saw that on the show Trucks on Spike TV it really does work.

opportunity777

09-23-2005, 12:54 AM

Motorcycles are great unless you need a car seat.

Put your kid on the handle bars.

fatherofcaitlyn

09-23-2005, 01:02 AM

Put your kid on the handle bars.

If I did that, I'd hope the cops would catch me before the wife did.

In six months, there'll be another bundle of joy. I guess I could learn to juggle while driving or attach a radio flyer wagon to the back of the motorcycle.

:lol:

opportunity777

09-23-2005, 01:05 AM

If I did that, I'd hope the cops would catch me before the wife did.

In six months, there'll be another bundle of joy. I guess I could learn to juggle while driving or attach a radio flyer wagon to the back of the motorcycle.

:lol:

Get one of those add-ons they put on the side (the name escapes me right now).

Congrats dude ... I love kids, but I really can't handle any of my own right now. My lifestyle sucks and I'm too selfish :-)

Actually, if I got someone pregnant I think I would probably die from a heart attack, and if that didn't do it I would probably jump off a bridge into oncoming traffic.

urzishra14

09-23-2005, 10:22 AM

i'm waiting for something to make the cars burn more effeciently (they burn at abou 35 percent... i read that this guy is working on a device that makes it 95 percent effecient)

but now.. I drive a car that gets about 40 miles to a gallon.. but i will fill up the bastard today so hopefully I can hold it out till it climbs and drops again.

Lister

09-23-2005, 10:34 AM

urzishra14. That article was bunk. Cars don't burn at 35%, they burn at around 99.5%. However, your engine can only use about 35% of the energy created. The rest gets pushed out of your exhaust pipe in the form of heat. I don't think his invention will increase gas milage, but it does look to reduce emissions greatly