How to Improve Your Gas Mileage

If there is one thing that we all can agree on, it’s that everyone loves saving money. And when it comes to the pump, we are always looking for a cheaper price. With gas prices always rising, improving your gas mileage will save you more money than driving out of your way to pay a few cents less per gallon.

10 Tips to Improve Your Miles Per Gallon

Whatever Acura model you’re driving, there are plenty of steps you can take to improve your gas mileage. Here are 10 of our best ideas to help you save money at the pump.

• Drive Slower

  There is a reason why NASCAR is as popular as it is—we like to drive fast. While cruising at 80 in the passing lane might be fun and can be done safely, it isn’t helping your gas mileage. More than a lead foot on the highway, the same negative effects can be found for those of us who treat too many traffic lights like starting blocks in a perpetual drag race. The constant hard acceleration not only sucks up gas where you could be sipping, it also puts undue strain on your engine that can decrease the lifetime of your vehicle.
  
  

• Trim Some Weight

  While the cargo size and trunk space can be a selling factor when you’re purchasing a car, it also has a huge effect on your gas mileage. Whether you’re toting supplies from point A to point B or just stashing your golf clubs in the trunk because the garage is already overflowing, we all can fall into the habit of stashing “stuff” in our cars. Unfortunately, your car needs to burn more fuel to move that additional weight. The easiest way to improve your gas mileage is to keep your car as light as possible. And the easiest first step to keep your car as light as possible it to not treat it like an extra closet.
  
  

• (Safely) Avoid Potholes

  For New England, drivers, pothole season is as much a marker of the year’s passing as pumpkin spice season. Avoiding a pothole is easier said than done, however, and the risk is greater than a flat tire or bent rim. Driving over a pothole can throw off your Acura’s wheel alignment. When you that happens, your car has to work harder and it can decrease your gas mileage.
  
  

• Check Your Tires

  Under-inflated tires are one of the biggest contributors to decreasing gas mileage. Your tires might lose air over time; cold weather can cause the PSI to decrease, and potholes can pop a tire or bend a rim. You should periodically perform visual checks of your tires, and should check their pressure semi-regularly.
  
  

• Secure Your Gas Cap

  We all know that you’re supposed to securely screw the gas cap back on after you fill the tank. Not doing so can cause your Acura’s fuel efficiency to decrease—when the gas cap isn’t tightly sealed, oxygen is able to enter the gas tank, which makes your engine burn gas more quickly.
  
  

• Use Recommended Motor Oil

  When it comes time to change your Acura’s engine oil, using the recommended oil and filters will help your Acura maintain performance. For an Acura, Honda USA recommends that you always use Acura genuine oil and an OEM Acura oil filter. You should always be sure to use the recommended engine oil.
  
  

• Replace your Air Filter

  One of the easiest ways to improve gas mileage is simply to replace your Acura’s air filter. A new air filter improves your fuel efficiency by making it easier for the engine to draw in air from the outside to use in fuel combustion. A clogged air filter will mean that your engine has to work harder to draw the air in to mix with the gas. Replacing your air filter can be an easy DIY project that can have a big effect on your gas mileage.
  
  

• Use Cruise Control

  Highway driving typically means higher MPGs, as you’re not dealing with the constant stop-start of surface streets. That’s only true to a point, however, as flooring it means burning more fuel to go faster. The easiest way to counteract your own lead-footed tendencies is to set your Acura’s cruise control when driving on the highway. That will help stabilize your speed and save you from wasting gas.
  
  

• Replace Your Spark Plugs

  Worn-out spark plugs are more likely to misfire, which means you’re wasting gas by not fully combusting the fuel that passes through your engine. Most newer cars—Acuras included—typically call for spark plugs to be replaced at the 100,000-mile mark, but some drivers will notice decreased fuel efficiency even earlier, sometimes at around 80,000 miles.
  
  

• Avoid Roof Racks

  Roof racks are great for vehicles that are short on storage, and for a big road trip, but they can wreak havoc on your gas mileage. Having items outside your vehicle creates drag and changes the aerodynamics of your Acura. OEM roof racks and roof boxes are designed to limit that drag, but any items on your roof rack will mean your vehicle has to work harder and burn more gas.

How Bernardi Parts Can Improve your Gas Mileage

Now that we have gone over all the tips and tricks to improve your gas mileage, it’s up to you to apply them to your vehicle and your driving behavior. If you’re due for regular maintenance, you can shop with us for OEM air filters, spark plugs, and motor oil to have a big effect on your gas mileage.

To get started shopping our selection of OEM Acura parts and accessories, click this link to open a new window and follow along with the video below to select your model, year, and trim package.