Gas prices in BC are typically the highest in Canada. Unfortunately, there isn’t very much we can do about that unless you switch to a bike or a motorized scooter. Before you run off and trade in your car for a motorized scooter, take a look at these 10 tips from Imperial Street Auto Repair and Detailing to help you reduce your car’s fuel consumption.

10 Fuel Commandments

1. Accelerate Evenly– Unless you’re drag racing for a living, you have no business slamming your foot on the gas pedal every time a traffic light goes green. Fast, jerky acceleration = higher fuel consumption.
2. Keep the speedometer under 100KM/h – Your gas mileage decreases significantly when reaching speeds of 100kmh plus. For every 15kmh over 100, your gas consumption is said to increase by 10-15%. Slow down folks!
3. Use cruise control – Find yourself driving on the highway a lot with little traffic? Put your cruise control to work. Maintaining the same speed helps save gas.
4. Take Routes with Few Stops – Try your best to take the route with the fewest stop signs and the least traffic. Constant stopping and accelerating increases your fuel consumption and isn’t ideal for your car.
5. Turn off the A/C! – As the weather gets warmer, you might want to reconsider using your air conditioner – it increases your gas consumption. Roll down your windows and enjoy the wind in your hair!
6. Tighten up your gas cap – believe it or not, over 100 million gallons of gas are lost each year to evaporation from loose gas caps. Seal that sucker up and keep your hard earned money from disappearing into thin air.
7. Replace air filter when dirty – Depending on the conditions, this may mean every 10,000KM for someone drivers or 30,000KM for others. Bottom line, replace your air filter when it gets too dirty. A clean air filter will play a big role in your car’s gas mileage.
8. Properly inflate your tires – You can increase your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires properly inflated. Doing so will also prolong the life of your tires.
9. Keep your car lightweight – Stop using your car as storage space. The heavier the load in your car, the higher the gas consumption.
10. Don’t Idle – Idling is harmful to the environment and gets you 0 miles per gallon. Why not save that gas for actually getting some place?

There you have it… the 10 Gas Commandments. Now go treat yourself to something nice with all that money you will be saving.