If you’re the type that changes your own oil, or the type who never looks under the hood – do you know the MPG of your car? . Knowing miles per gallon can help you be more in touch with your auto and alert you to issues that may be developing. How do you easily measure miles per gallon?
Know your miles per gallon
The first part of figuring out your MPG is filling your tank. Each time you fill your tank, you need to write down the mileage on your odometer. Each and every time you fuel up your vehicle, you need to fill the tank to the top. Write down the odometer mileage and how many gallons you put within the tank. Once you have filled your tank a couple of times, you are able to start doing math. For the whole time period, or for each trip, divide number of miles traveled by number of gallons. This gives you a miles per gallon number.
MPG differences
The numbers of MPG can change quite a bit depending on your driving. Highway miles traveled are usually more efficient than in-city. You should track your miles per gallon for at least a month to get a good average. Once you know what your average MPG is, you are able to work to improve it.
Improving your MPG
By working with your miles per gallon, you are able to teach yourself how to improve it. Start with changing the oil inside your automobile. Your MPG will improve by a few miles per gallon whenever you change your oil each 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Changing a dirty air filter will save 10 or 15 percent of your MPG as well. An old spark plug will eat fuel, so change that out each and every 30 thousand miles. You should also check your tire pressure each time you fuel up your vehicle. Each time you make a change like this, record the MPG.
