To save fuel, drive slower and drive less

Have climbing gasoline prices finally grabbed your attention? Apparently at least some drivers have taken notice and are taking action. I did my radio show from a local dealership recently and was amazed to find a line of light trucks, SUVs and "gas guzzling" sedans outside the front door. Owners of these vehicles were parked out front when the dealership opened that morning, ready to trade them in on more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Do you find yourself staring at the "$2.59" on the huge sign in front of the station as you're inserting the fuel hose into your vehicle, praying you won't see the price go up before you finish filling the tank? Do you watch the dollars and gallons roll up on the pump itself, resigned to paying more than you did last time?

It's time to stand up and shout out, "I'm not going to take it anymore," and do something about high fuel costs. But here's the key: Be smart about what you do. Trading your 15-miles-per-gallon truck for a 25 mpg sedan might look very attractive the next time you fill up, but how much fuel will you need to save to pay for the difference in vehicle costs? This may or may not be a good time to trade your gas guzzler, but there's little question that its trade-in or resale value has dropped significantly in recent weeks because of higher fuel prices at the pump. So, while I hope you can find exactly the right fuel-efficient vehicle -- in my case it would be the new C6 Corvette, which can deliver more than 30 mpg at steady highway speeds -- there are a number of steps you can take to improve the efficiency of your current vehicle and reduce the number of dollars you spend at the pump.

I know, I know, you've heard all the "tips" that help mileage. Accelerate gently from a stop, look ahead on the highway so you can maintain a steady speed, use the cruise control whenever possible, minimize the use of air conditioning, coast toward stop signs ... blah, blah, blah. And for your vehicle itself, make sure tire pressures are at least 30 psi, the engine is tuned up and running right, the air filter's clean ... blah, blah, blah.

Tired of hearing all this because you've been there, done that ... right? Yet you're still barely getting double-digit fuel mileage? Is there anything else you can do that will improve fuel mileage?

Yes. Focus on the two most important "D's" in "driving": Drive slower, and drive less. Pretty simple concepts, but absolutely the two most important factors in how much fuel you use.

First, "drive slower." Reducing your speed on the freeway from 75 to 80 mph to 60 to 65 mph -- remarkably closer to the legal speed limit, coincidentally -- will significantly improve your vehicle's fuel mileage. Why? Aerodynamics. The aerodynamic "drag" on a motor vehicle, which is the resistance the vehicle must overcome to penetrate the air, rises at the square of the vehicle's speed.

Here's an example of "do the math." Doubling speed from 30 mph to 60 mph increases the drag by a factor of four. How significant is this? Well, let me related my experience from the race track. At speeds above 150 mph, even in relatively aerodynamic race cars, just lifting completely off the throttle of the race-prepared IROC Camaro felt like maximum/threshold braking because of the aerodynamic drag on the car's body. Said differently, while the stock Camaro would reach 110-plus mph with perhaps 175 horsepower, 600-plus full-race horsepower would only propel the same basic body shape to about 175 mph -- at roughly 4 miles per gallon.

So the message is clear. Slow down to save fuel. Most modern vehicles deliver their best fuel economy in the 50-to-60-mph range. And we're talking 3 to 5 miles per gallon better mileage than the same vehicle delivers at 75-plus mph. Think about that next time you're in the left lane on 35W barreling along at 75 to 80 mph "with the flow of traffic." How fast do you really need to get to the store?

At what speed does your vehicle deliver its absolutely best mileage? Zero miles per hour, of course. If you aren't driving it, it's not burning any fuel. Again, the message is clear. Drive less. Most of us in the metro area seem to drive 15,000 to 20,000 miles per year. Can you survive your job, your lifestyle and your commitments and still drive less? Take a close look at your weekly driving pattern. How many trips to the store? The mall? The ballpark? The restaurant? Instead of heading to the mall today, then the grocery store tomorrow, could you combine both of these into one trip? If you know you've got a doctor's appointment Wednesday, why not do your shopping after your appointment and save a trip? Instead of driving Junior to practice Tuesday and Thursday, check with his friends to see who else is going, then make a call or two to the other parents and set up a simple car pool. Speaking of car pools, do any of your friends or neighbors work near your office or store?

If you could reduce your annual mileage by just 15 percent, you'd reduce your annual fuel costs by that same 15 percent. Instead of paying roughly $2,750 year for gas -- 20,000 miles at 20 mpg on $2.75-per-gallon fuel -- you'd spend roughly $2,340 on fuel, meaning an annual savings of roughly $410, or $35 per month. Drive even less? Save even more.

No one is happy about higher fuel prices. But remember, gasoline still is a bargain. It still costs less than bottled water, and when the price is adjusted for inflation, gas prices have risen less than any other major commodity we consume on a daily basis. And today, if you lived in Great Britain, you'd be paying more than $7.50 per gallon.

So stop complaining; be smart with your automotive dollar. Drive slower and drive less -- simple steps that will absolutely save you money.

Send questions to Paul Brand, Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488 or paulbrand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in as much detail as possible and include a daytime phone number in case I need more information. Because of the volume of mail, it isn't always possible to send a personal reply.