They say the only things that are certain are income taxes and death. You can safely add the rising prices of fuel to the list. We can grumble and complain about the rising fuel prices. However, there’s nothing much we can do except think of ways to get the best out the fuel we pump into our vehicles.

One way of alleviating the problem is a method called hypermilling. It allows you to get the best mileage for your fuel. Hypermilling is nothing new. If you look back a little, you would learn that it was used during World War Two when gas was in short supply and rationing was needed. It was also popular during the American fuel crisis in the 1970s .

Here are some hypermilling techniques worth considering, if you’re serious about reducing fuel consumption in these trying economic times.

Drive Slow

If you’re speed demon, you could be wasting fuel unnecessarily by stepping on the accelerator harder than is necessary. Experts say that to save fuel you should not exceed 38 mph or 61km/h. If you drive above that speed your fuel consumption increases and expect to lose about 10% of fuel economy. So, there’s no need to speed when you have all the time in the world to reach your destination.

Install Cruise Control

Cruise control prevents you from stepping on the accelerator unnecessarily. With it you could coast your car to stop at a red light and avoid hitting the brakes.

Regular Checkups

Do you maintain your car on a regular basis? Although your car runs well, especially if its new, maintain your engine regularly. Failure to do so may increase your fuel consumption from 10 to 30%. Keep a record of your checkups so that you’ll be in the know as to when the next one is due.

Oil Change

Note the maximum recommended distance you could cover before an oil change is due. Oil change apart from reducing fuel consumption will also slow down wear and tear of the important moving parts in your car engine. It saves you money in the long term.

Right Oil

If you’re changing your oil regularly, make sure you’re using the right grade. What does your car manual recommend? Using the right grade will help you save fuel even if you’ve to fork out a few extra dollars.

Fuel Filter

A clean fuel filter will keep your petrol consumption from going up. Make sure the fuel filter is one of the items you pay attention to when you’re servicing your car.

Other Techniques

Parking your car in the sun will help warm up your engine. There is no need for you to idle to get your engine going on cold mornings.

Avoid unnecessary use of the air conditioner. If the weather is tolerable, wind down your windows. The air conditioner increases your fuel consumption by up to 10%.