TEXAS, USA — With gas at around $4 per gallon in Texas, we would all like to improve our car's gas mileage. So we turned to one man to learn his secrets for getting 50, 60 or more miles per gallon.
Bosco Engels says, "The best thing with that is to not accelerate as fast, and to anticipate your braking."
Engles is a "hypermiler" who saves money on gas by treating the engine pedal like a carton of eggs.
Here are his biggest tips:
- No jackrabbit starts
- Anticipate red lights and stop signs
- If your car has a "start-stop" feature, turn it on
- Drive the speed limit
"Every five miles an hour over 70, you are going to get 5-10% less gas mileage," said Engles.
Some people probably want to ignore that advice and look for other ways to save.
So is there any gadget you could buy to help boost your mileage? Jason Torchinsky says you can try, but it won't be worth it.
"Almost any fuel saving gadget you are going to buy on the market is nothing. I mean, they're garbage," he said.
Torchinsky has studied fuel-saving devices for a decade as a tech writer for Jalopnik and The Autopian. He says today's cars are so high-tech that gadgets like the infamous "fuel sharks" won't boost your mileage.
"People have done studies, laws of physics," said Torchinsky. "There is no reason to believe these will do anything for you whatsoever."
The FTC has shut down dozens of "fuel savers" over the years.
According to Torchinsky, you could try using some oil additives like thinner motor oil, but it could do more harm than good for your engine.
"Maybe you will get an infinitesimal advantage of efficiency."
So your best bet: Slow down like Bosco. That could make the biggest difference when it's $4 at the pump, so you don't waste your money.