Easy Ways to Improve Your Gas Mileage in Traffic-Heavy Northern Virginia

As a Northern Virginian resident of Burke, Fairfax Station, Clifton, Fairfax City, or Springfield, it’s very likely that you often face a commute littered with heavy traffic, idling, and stop-and-go-traffic. The good news is that there are many common sense ways to save gas and subsequently keep money in your wallet. Following the hypermiling technique, or making every bit of gasoline work to its fullest potential, can go a long way when trying to improve your gas mileage. Ways to keep your commuting costs low:

1. Drive the speed limit. Experts state that for every 5 miles per hour (mph) above 55 mph, you can lose up to 10 percent of your fuel economy.
2. Make coasting your best friend. Knowing that congestion is a way of life in Northern Virginia, avoid accelerating from zero to 30 and back to zero. Instead, try to maintain a steady speed and avoid unnecessary braking, but make sure you’re doing it safely. Stop-and-go traffic heaps stress upon your car, especially when your engine is cold.
3. Plan your route. A shorter route isn’t necessarily better than a longer route if that shorter route is full of big hills, traffic lights, and high-traffic areas. If possible, plan your drives during low-traffic times of day.
4. Take care of your car. Invest in regular air filter and oil changes with thinner oil. Keep your tire pressure in check, as flat tires slow your vehicle down.
5. Accelerate gradually and brake gradually to cut down on your car’s wear and tear.
6. Get rid of excess weight and unnecessary items in your car. You really don’t need to carry around those three pounds of empty coffee cups on your backseat, do you?
7. Keep your cool, but don’t use your air conditioner to excess. However, take heed not to drive with the windows down more than a crack, as open windows can sometimes create more of a drag on your car than a running air conditioner.

Finally, bring your car to Wiygul Automotive Clinic and we’ll keep a check on your car’s efficiency. As an AAA-approved center for auto repair and maintenance, Wiygul Automotive Clinic specializes in complete foreign and domestic repair service and has been providing outstanding service to the Burke, Virginia and surrounding area since 1996.