Improving Vehicle Efficiency #1

Cost: $1.00 - $15.00

Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. Also remove roof racks or travel containers when not in use, the wind resistance of these items can reduce MPG by over 1% when not loaded, and a fully loaded rack by 5%.

You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent.

Some (but not all) engine oil additives such as Tufoil reduce the engine friction significantly, thus improving performance measurably.