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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - When CNN/Money asked readers how rising gas prices are affecting them, our in-box was flooded with stories of budget cutting, tried and true gas-saving strategies, car switching and even changing jobs to cut down on the commute.
Some, however, are doing what they can to squeeze extra mileage out of their existing cars. Here are some of the steps they are taking.
- "I started turning off the air conditioner in idle and on acceleration. Once I get to a steady speed,I turn it back on with a high-speed fan to cool down quick. I leave it that way until it gets so cold it's almost unbearable, then turn it off and on over and over again. It seems to use less gas." - - Henry G.
- "Back in good old days, whenever I would see a truck ahead of me, I would pass around it. But after finding out that by reducing air-drag in highway speed, I could increase my gas mileage, I drive right behind the truck, instead of passing. Hoping to save few cents." - - Yujin K.
- "To save gas I don't accelerate to red lights, I roll to them, Also I merge onto the highway slower. Guess what -- it works!" - - Anon.
- "I emptied everything except the spare tire out of my trunk and have been driving 55 mph on 65 mph highways. I now get 29 mpg on my Toyota Avalon on the highway. Before I did these things I never got better then 25 mpg." - - Len T.
- "I drive a 4-cylinder Ford Escape. I keep the RPMs at a flat 2000 (roughly 60-62 miles per hour). Life in the slow lane isn't very exhilarating, but, it's yielding 29 miles per gallon with remarkable regularity. My wife says when she drives up behind me some day, she fully expects that I will have forgotten I left the blinker on. But, I'm saving a few extra bucks a week on my 485 mile per week commute!" - - Dave T.
- "I took all the junk out of my car. Cleaned out the trunk and took the back seat out of my BMW to lighten the load. I now get about 3 to 4 MPG more and I never used the back seat anyway." - - Nairb
- "We really haven't changed the amount of driving, but I am more conservative in my style. Combining trips, no jack-rabbit starts, slowing down a bit on the highway, and anticipating red lights have all helped. In addition, I keep our cars in top mechanical shape to maximize their efficiency. I install new spark plugs and air filters every year. I use synthetic oil in both cars. I check the tire pressure every two weeks. It all adds up -- on a recent 300 mile trip, I got 31 MPG." - - Anon.
- "I commute 60 miles a day both ways in rural Texas. I have slowed down from 70 mph to 55mph, removed the tailgate and made sure my tires are aired up to the recommended 35 pounds. I have picked up 2mpg on the reduced speed, 1 mpg on the tailgate and while I am not sure about the mileage lost from low tires, I jumped from 17mpg to 20.4mpg. Luckily there is not much traffic on my roads so I am not slowing down traffic. My advice: everyone slow down, save gas." -- Judy L.
Want more tips? Here are 101 things every consumer should know.
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