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 With gas prices getting higher and our wallets getting emptier when we pull up to the pumps, we need to save on gas whenever possible. We all know that keeping our tires inflated properly, not storing heavy items in the trunk, and maintaining our car help to save on gas. Here are some tips on how to get the most for your money when buying gas.
- Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold during warmer weather months. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening... your gallon is not exactly a gallon..
- When you're filling up, do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
- Fill up when your gas tank is half full. The more gas you have in your tank, the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.
- Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up - most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
- Follow your owner's manual recommendation for the right octane level for your car. For most cars, the recommended octane gas is regular. Using a higher octane offers no benefits and costs you at the pump.
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