Top 25+ Things to Do Now to Improve Gas Mileage

Avoid Additives

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

There are a lot of online gimmicks and additives that claim to boost your fuel efficiency, but before using one, do your research and don't believe all of the hype.

"If most of these were legit, the manufacturer would have already put the device on your car or recommended the additive with every fuel tank," says Pyle. "Most of these things offer less than 3% gains and can potentially damage your engine or emissions system over time, causing repair bills that could be $1000 plus."

Carry Less Stuff

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

The more weight you have in your car, the worse your gas mileage will be and the more strain you'll put on your engine, brakes and suspension.

"Be diligent about not leaving items on the car's roof or trunk," says Hartman. "Heavy cargo increases the amount of power your car needs to move."

If you regularly have to carry a lot of weight, buy a car with adequate boot space and towing capacity, says Robert. "This way, the car will be capable of carrying extra weight without affecting gas mileage."

Avoid Heavy Traffic

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

When you are stuck in traffic, the engine has to work overtime, which uses more gas. If your car has a manual transmission, all of that shifting also creates extra wear on your gearbox and clutch. "It's almost impossible for everyone to follow this one," says Robert. "However, if you can avoid stop-go traffic routes whenever possible, you can consistently build up and improve your car's overall gas mileage."

Remove Accessories

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

When you're not using them, remove the cargo pod, bike rack and even the roof rack. This will significantly improve your vehicle's aerodynamics and reduce its weight. "Swapping a heavy, fixed rack for a sleek, retractable tonneau can reduce drag and save fuel," says Bisciotti. Also, opt for lighter accessories, like bed and floor liners, when possible.

Use an Air Dam

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

The plastic air dam (aka spoiler) that's broken or missing can reduce your gas mileage. The air dam literally dams off airflow to the undercarriage of your car, forcing the air up and over the hood. That helps your car cut through the air with less drag. It also increases airflow to the A/C condenser and radiator, reducing the load on your car's electrical system.

You can also get spoilers for aftermarket roof racks to help improve their aerodynamics, too.

Choose the Right Fuel Grade

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

What grade of fuel you use will affect your gas mileage, but that doesn't necessarily mean you should always reach for the most premium octane. Instead, go with the octane recommended by your car's manufacturer. "Using premium fuel in an engine that doesn't need it doesn't boost performance or mileage, just your expenses," says Bisciotti. "Stick to the manufacturer's recommended grade for optimal efficiency and cost savings."

Buy Efficient Tires

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

Tire selection also affects your miles per gallon. Bigger tires and knobby tires have more rolling resistance, aka friction, so they'll cost you at the pump. "Some tires on the market are designed to offer low rolling resistance," says Vorisek. "There's also a difference in the rolling resistance of winter tires compared to all-season tires, so it's best to remove winter tires once the cold season is over."

Keep Your Car Aligned

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

Vorisek recommends performing a professional wheel alignment after any steering or suspension work. "Incorrect wheel alignment can reduce gas mileage and it's also a safety hazard," he says.

If your tires are bowed out of alignment by just .017 inches, it's the equivalent of dragging your tire sideways for 102 miles for every 20,000 you drive. Here's an easy way to check your alignment without taking your car into the shop. Buy a tread depth gauge and measure the tread depth on both edges of each tire (rear tires, too). If one side of the tire is worn more than the other, your car needs to be aligned.

Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

Avoid Additives, Carry Less Stuff, Avoid Heavy Traffic, Remove Accessories, Use an Air Dam, Choose the Right Fuel Grade, Buy Efficient Tires, Keep Your Car Aligned, Keep an Eye on Warning Lights

You might think a glowing check engine light isn't important because it just means you've got an "emissions problem." Guess what? Emissions problems are almost always caused by an incomplete burn, which means you're not getting the most bang for your buck.

Worse yet, all that extra gas goes right into your expensive catalytic converter, causing it to fail early. A new catalytic converter can cost upwards of $1,000, and then you still have to fix the underlying problem that turned on the check engine light in the first place. Many times, the check engine light comes on due to a bum sensor or vacuum leak. Replacing a sensor or fixing a vacuum leak can save far more than what you'll waste in reduced gas mileage.

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