These days, saving money any way we can is a blessing in its own. There's a few ways you can do this, some of which are free and easy to do on your own, some require the help of a professional mechanic.
If you picture your engine as a giant vacuum, sucking air in one end and(after an explosion of sorts) expelling it out the exhaust. The easier the engine can perform this the more efficient the whole process is. The other side of this is the easier it is to get the vehicle to roll the less work the engine has to do. Let's start with that.
Air pressure
The most obvious of these is air pressure. I'm never going to tell you to OVER inflate your tires for safety reasons, but you never want to run them under inflated. A soft tire doesn't roll as easy as a properly inflated tire. This is easy, and free to maintain. I would get myself a nice cheap air gauge to keep track if you don't have a tire pressure monitoring system on your vehicle.
This is a simple to use digital air gauge, that's extremely reliable. They recently replaced the cheap plastic inner piece with a new metal design improving the performance and making sure this gauge will last you 5-10 years. If you don't have your own air compressor feel free to drop by your local auto shop, they will usually be able to do this for free for you.
Alignment
This is one you can't check yourself, but you can make a conscious decision to make sure you get it checked regularly. Depending on your roads and how much you drive per year, they recommend getting it checked 1-2 times annually.
There are various angles involved, all of which make sure your tires are running straight between each other reducing the rolling resistance of your vehicle. This also has the added benefit of making sure your tires will last as long as possible and increasing your traction. When you do this, make sure you get all 4 wheels aligned. Older machines only align the front 2 wheels, but the newer more effective equipment aligns the front to the rear making sure you have a perfect alignment.
Air filter
This should be checked regularly and replaced when needed. This will make sure that your engine can breath(pull the air in, remember the vacuum) easier, making it more efficient. You can also find higher-end re-usable air filters.
K&N is an extremely popular, and effective choice. While it will typically cost around $40, you never have to replace it assuming proper maintenance on the filter, and only have to clean it every 50,000 miles. It also has the added benefit of higher horsepower and acceleration, but you need to keep your foot out of the throttle or else it'll ruin the benefits!
Fuel and additives
First and foremost, don't cheap out on gas. Saving 2 cents per gallon to go to el cheapos bargain gas station vs going to the Shell station next door isn't worth it. Seriously. It WILL last you longer. The higher end gas has better additives and less ethanol helping it last longer. Also make sure you use the proper octane rating for your vehicle, using too high OR too low of an octane makes it more difficult to burn properly and ruins your efficiency.
While I don't use it every tank like some places advertise, I have had good luck with fuel additives. Sea Foam is one of the best and has been a quality product for years. Add it to your gas tank and then fill her up. Run the full tank through till you're almost empty for best results and enjoy!
Exhaust
First and foremost, make sure your exhaust is in one piece. Any leaks, clogged catalytic converters or mufflers reduce the efficiency by blocking up the flow of air and giving oxygen sensors bad reading. If you notice it getting louder or hear any leaks, be sure to get it fixed as soon as possible. For those of you willing too, some aftermarket exhausts that have a more open muffler do have an added benefit as long as you don't get lead food syndrome!
Tune-up
Last but not least, don't forget your tune-ups! These are only required every 60-100k miles on most newer cars, but are just as important. Having good spark plugs and wires(as well as a good quality!) makes a world of difference!
NGK makes an excellent spark plug, be sure to look up your vehicle and use the proper plugs for your vehicle and pick up some wires to go with it!
If you follow these simple rules you'll be on the road for added fuel economy. There's a world of things you can do to increase it even further, but these basics will get you well on your way! Thanks again for reading, share and comment with questions or feedback!
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