Keep track of your MPG

A new site has appeared that allows users to insert their gallons used, miles driven, model/make of vehicle and keep track of it after every fill-up. Allowing users to find their average MPG, and compare to EPA standards or even other users. Best of all the site is free! Another excellent feature is the ability to input this information using your mobile phone. That way you won’t forget to do it later or lose the information before you have a chance to input it. Once your data is recorded clicking through your profile shows you a chart of your MPG as well as several interesting stats and comparisons.

Visit Fuelly

Using Miles and Gallons

You need to find out how many gallons of gas fits in your gas tank. You can do this by looking it up on the internet or by filling the gas up full when your gauge is empty, and recording the amount of gallons listed on the pump.

Then load the car with a full tank of gas, for most accurate results.

After that you need to get a starting point in which you can either use your trip meter, or odometer by recording the current mileage and end mileage.

Next you drive. Once your car has reached close to empty, take your mileage driven and divide it by the number of gallons it took to fill-up or your vehicles tank size that you found. This will give you your MPG.

Compare to EPA ratings.

Using Kilometers and Litres

You need to find out how many litres of gas fits in your gas tank. You can do this by looking it up on the internet or by filling the gas up full when your gauge is empty, and recording the amount of litres listed on the pump.

Then load the car with a full tank of gas, for most accurate results.

After that you need to get a starting point in which you can either use your trip meter, or odometer by recording the current mileage.

Next you drive. Once your car has reached close to empty, take your km driven and divide it by the number of litres it took to fill-up or your vehicles tank size that you found. This will give you litres per kilometer.

Now to convert this to MPG, multiply your litres per kilometer by 3.788 and 0.6 This is now your MPG rating.

Compare to EPA ratings.

Are you ready for the slippery slopes? When the snow is falling you want snow tires! Makes sense right? Truth is many people think All-Season tires will do just as well. Well for areas with significant snowfall that just isn’t the case. All seasons are meant to be used year round so they need to work in a variety of situations therefore compromising their ability to work extremely well in any one season. Whereas winter tires are made just for winter. They are created with better tread to grip into the snow, as well as a different tire compound material to provide a softer tire. The tread can even be designed so that it may throw the snow, for example when turning. All this will greatly improve your handling in snow weather. Finding a snow tire with the snow symbol printed on the sidewall indicates that the tire will perform better than an All-season tire. How many tires should be changed? All four tires will provide best stability and handling. Remember though to remove the snow tires for summer and spring as the tread will wear faster due to its softer compound the tire is made of.

Used vs New

People complain all the time about having no money, being broke, and always having bills to pay. Chances are that person also owns a new car. I’m not sure how broad a range this “new car syndrome” extends, but I have seen it a lot. This is not just geared towards young people, many older people do the same thing. Why I’ll never know.

Here’s my take on it. Everybody wants to drive something nice, whether its to be respected or look cool or some other arbitrary reason. Why do people want new vehicles?: To show-off, to seem well-off, they believe they will have less maintenance, or problems, or they just plain like the vehicle that no other will suffice.

Vehicles depreciate fast, and their biggest drop is when you drive it off the lot. BAMMM you just lost $5000-$10000. Still like that new car? If your leasing you have the monthly payments to make and the buyout at the end of the lease to pay, its just so much money. All that could have been used elsewhere.

What really get me is when someone buys a new crappy car. Really come on. Why not use the money to buy a used car of nicer make. Used cars can look just as good as old, and grab just the same amount of attention. Buying used you pay once your done. You can afford to get the brand you want, but say a couple of years older, but with a lot lower price. Or cars you could never afford new, why not by a older used version? How is that a loss. Cars usually keep their design for at least a couple of years so no one can tell the difference anyway. Is that at 08′? No, its a 06′.

To me if you aren’t Mr. Moneybags buying used makes more sense to me anyway. People may say what about all the breakdowns, maintenance on older vehicles? Well i say this. You most likely bought too old or didn’t completely check out the car before buying. Cars are becoming more reliable as the years progress, so they will last longer without the extra repairs. I for one will never buy a new car, unless i can pay for it in full with cash. I’d advise most people to think the same way for their financial future.

Gas Saving Devices for you?

Save 5-10 MPG Instantly!!! Is probably one of the many advertisements on gas saving devices you have seen when searching for methods to save you gas. These products are usually in the form of engine add-ons or replacemnts. Do they work??? The answer is NO. Many studies have been done on these so called gas saving devices, and little to no truth has been found in any. Devices that do provide results are usually extremely minimal maybe 1mpg. Users of these devices are also at risk of damaging their vechile, as some may cause the car not to perform as well. Truth is if such a device existed, I’m pretty sure everybody would have it by now.

MyGallons recently created company that allows members to pre-purchase gas, was given a F rating by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This was in part of MyGallons problems and agreements with payment partnerships, and dealings with the US Bank. BBB has revoked the rating, and a new rating is pending. Steven Verona, Founder and CEO is predicting an A rating.

Source MyGallons

This is a example of how mpg relates to the speed of you car. In this example top mpg is 30. As you can see mpg at lower speeds is dramitcally lower then when cruising quicker. Reaching a peak at roughly 50mph (80kmh) but then dropping again after, but not as drasticlly as before. It appears in the battle of speed and mpg, a speed of 50mph is where you want to be. Hmmm is it coincidence so many speed limits seem to revolve around that speed? I don’t thinkkkk so.