Driving · Savings
10 ways to use less gas
You don't need a new car, and you don't need to drive like a snail. The way you drive and maintain your car weighs more on your fuel use than most people think. Here are ten habits worth picking up, and the last one works on the price of each litre rather than the number of litres.
Keep your tires properly inflated
Underinflated tires don't roll as easily: they create more resistance, the car uses more gas and the tires wear out faster. Check the pressure once a month, when the tires are cold, before you've driven anywhere.
The right number is on the sticker inside the driver's door frame, or in the owner's manual. Not the one on the tire sidewall: that's the maximum pressure the tire can handle, not what your car needs. And keep an eye on it in winter, because pressure drops when it gets cold.
Accelerate gently
Jackrabbit starts at green lights burn a lot of gas to gain a few seconds, which you often lose again at the next light. Press the gas pedal gradually: you get to the same speed, just a little more calmly.
Anticipate stops
Look far ahead. If the light is already red or traffic is slowing down, ease off early and let the car coast, instead of accelerating until the last second and then braking hard.
Every time you brake, you turn momentum you paid for at the pump into heat. The less you brake hard, the less you waste.
Ease off on the highway
Air resistance climbs quickly with speed, much faster than the speed itself. Driving a little slower on the highway makes a real difference to your fuel use, for a few extra minutes on a long trip.
Bonus: you stay on the right side of the speed limit, which is even cheaper than a ticket.
Travel light
Roof bars, a bike rack or a roof box hurt your car's aerodynamics, even when they're empty. If you're not using them this week, take them off.
Clean out the trunk too. Sports gear, a toolbox or bags of salt that ride around all year add weight, and the heavier the car, the more energy it takes to get it moving.
Don't idle for nothing
An idling engine burns gas to travel exactly zero kilometres. If you're waiting for someone in a parking lot or outside a school, turn the engine off.
Several municipalities have rules on unnecessary idling, too. And even in winter, a modern engine doesn't need to sit and idle for long to warm up: it warms up faster when you drive off gently.
Combine your errands
A cold engine uses more gas than a warm one. Several short trips, with the engine cooling down in between, cost more than one well-planned loop.
Plan your route: grocery store, pharmacy, hardware store, in an order that saves you from doubling back.
Use cruise control on flat roads
On a flat, open road, cruise control holds a steady speed better than your right foot, and a steady speed means less gas.
On hilly roads it's less clear-cut: going uphill, cruise control can accelerate harder than you would. That's when you take back control.
Use the octane your manufacturer recommends
If your owner's manual calls for regular, paying for premium gets you nothing: no extra power, no better fuel economy. Octane measures how well the fuel resists engine knock, not its quality or how much energy it holds.
The reverse is true too: if your manufacturer requires premium, follow that. The right fuel is the one in the manual, period.
Compare prices before you fill up
The first nine tips cut the number of litres. This one cuts the price of each litre. Two nearby stations don't always post the same price, and the gap can be surprising.
Gazo shows the stations around you, sorted by price. In Quebec, those are each station's official prices, reported to the Régie de l'énergie. Elsewhere in Canada, they're prices reported by users or, when there aren't any, an official estimate for the area, clearly labelled. No station pays to rank higher, and the “Go” button gets you there with Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps.
