Whether you’re traveling the U.S. interstates or great back roads on your next vacation, one thing is certain: Americans love a road trip—just not the price of gas. If you’ve filled your tank after Memorial Day, you’ve seen the costs creep up into the summer months. This happens for two reasons: stations sell a different fuel mixture to combat evaporation in the summer heat, and fuel demand increases as vacationers hit the open road. Luckily, these tips can help you combat those higher prices at the pump.
Keep a well-maintained machine
A smoothly running vehicle is the first step to ensuring you get the best MPGs on your next road trip.
- Check your tire pressure and tread. Under-inflated tires, sometimes undetectable by the human eye, can increase friction with the road and cause an engine to work harder. This, in turn, uses more gas. Make sure your tires are kept at the pressure recommended by your manufacturer, which is usually listed inside the driver’s side door. Sufficient tread for a tire is typically no less than 1/16 of an inch.
- Get an alignment. Potholes can wreak havoc on front-end alignment, and a car that’s pulling a little one way or the other is working harder on the road. In fact, improper alignment can reduce gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, which ultimately cuts into your summer vacation budget.
- Stay on top of oil changes. Regular oil changes help keep the engine clean and running smoothly. If you’re concerned on how to save gas, it’s also important to make sure you’re using your vehicle’s suggested weight oil based on the make and number of miles on the odometer. It also never hurts to use the best quality oil as you’ll save money on gas and engine repairs in the long run.
- Replace spark plugs. A tune-up is a great way to improve gas mileage. Make sure that your spark plugs are firing efficiently and not causing too much gas to enter the exhaust system, which can lead to inefficient engine performance.
- Check the gas cap seal. The rubber on a car’s gas cap seal breaks down over time, and a loose seal allows air to leak in and mix with the gas. It’s recommended to replace the gas cap every few years to keep it tight.
Use good habits at the wheel
Even with your car in tip-top shape and your road safety check complete, how you drive can have a big impact on MPGs.
- Mind the speed limit. Fuel consumption goes up drastically with speed, with a noticeable drop-off in efficiency as you go above 55 mph. If your vehicle has cruise control, turn it on to keep a consistent speed. After all, some of the best road trips feature scenic views you won’t want to speed past.
- Accelerate gently. Imagine a raw egg between your foot and the pedal to avoid accelerating too fast and wasting fuel. Using your vehicle’s cruise control feature, when available, to keep a consistent speed will also help you avoid quick or unnecessary acceleration.
- Brake smoothly. By anticipating stops and coasting up to them, you can avoid speeding toward stop signs and wasted fuel consumption.
- Only run your engine when you need it. Don’t idle the engine to warm it up (this isn’t necessary with modern vehicles) or cool it down (a fuel-consuming luxury).
- Remove extra weight. Pack light when possible and clear the back of any heavy day-to-day items you won’t need on your trip, which can hamper efficiency.
Get in on mobile app savings
Keep in mind that saving money on gas isn’t just about vehicle efficiency; it’s also about finding best prices.
Not only can you download the Choice Privileges app and use your points to redeem gas cards for select stations across the country, there are a wealth of price-tracking and cash-back mobile apps out there to keep your road trip on-budget! Here's some of our favorites:
Top 5 apps for finding the best gas prices:
- AAA TripTik – For AAA members, this app helps plan your road trips and find cheap gas along your route.
- GasBuddy – A crowd-sourced favorite, GasBuddy shows real-time prices at nearby stations and offers ways to get extra savings.
- Waze – Appreciated most for navigation, Waze also displays gas prices along your route and is updated by fellow drivers.
- Gas Guru – Simple and completely ad-free, Gas Guru pulls prices from the Oil Price Information Service for the best accuracy.
- Fuelio – Truly ideal for budget-concious drivers, Fuelio tracks fuel costs and consumption with crowdsourced gas prices.
Top 5 apps for discounts & cash back:
- GasBuddy – An app so nice, we've listed it twice! The Pay with GasBuddy program discounts are a huge hit with road-trippers.
- Upside – Earn up to $0.25/gal cash back by claiming offers, filling up, and uploading your receipts with Upside.
- Checkout 51 – While typically known best for its grocery rebates, Checkout 51 also features rotating gas cash-back offers.
- TruNow – Discounts are easy with TruNow. Simply snap a photo your gas receipt for instant cash back at any station.
- Fetch Rewards – Scan any receipt (including gas) to earn points for gift cards with Fetch Rewards.