North Texas

Getting the Most Miles Per Gallon out of Your Car

Nile Madley already drives one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles out there, a hybrid Honda Civic.

Madley, an insurance executive, wasn't happy with just a fuel-friendly car. He wanted to get the most out of each tank of gas.

Using a technique called hypermiling, Madley stretched his car's mileage by coasting to stops and accelerating gradually.

He even beat out the mileage shown on a sticker on his older Civic hybrid, "in the city, about 32 to 37 (miles per gallon)," he said.

"Right now, I have 43 (miles per gallon). Earlier today, I had 48," Madley said.

Some drivers take hypermiling a step further. They follow big trucks to reduce the wind on their cars and get more miles for every gallon.

Sgt. Steve Gaskins, of the Florida Highway Patrol, said it's called drafting. Troopers say they don't like that kind of behavior.

Gaskins is all about people saving money, within the law. He said following too closely behind another vehicle is dangerous and illegal.

"We're looking at 55 miles an hour; you're looking at five and a half car lengths between every vehicle as a good, safe rule of thumb," Gaskins said.

If Gaskins has you too afraid to try that, there are other options.

"Accelerate not too quickly," Madley suggested. "You don't want your revs to get too high. You want to steadily increase your speed while also letting off the gas as you shift into the next gear."

He admitted it's kind of like a game.

"It's so fun," Madley said. "Like right now, I'm coasting at 43 miles per hour, and I'm sitting steady at about 60 miles per gallon."

Every time you stop, you're losing miles to the gallon. Some people keep their car moving by making right turns or cutting through parking lots, but that would get you in trouble with officers as well.

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