John McCormick

Drivers 'fuelishly' seeking savings

Is the high price of gas driving you to drafting? If so, you are adopting one of the more dangerous, not to mention illegal, practices used by people desperate to save fuel.

While drafting -- driving inches behind the car ahead to gain an aerodynamic advantage -- is a commonly used tactic in motorsports, it is for highly skilled drivers only and clearly not appropriate for public roads.

Truckers, for example, are less than happy when they find a car is tucked in close behind them in an effort to eke out the mileage.

There are other extreme fuel-saving measures employed by so-called "hypermilers."

According to AAA, some of the more dangerous techniques include cutting off the vehicle's engine or putting the transmission in neutral to coast on a roadway, rolling through stop signs and driving at erratic and unsafe speeds.

"The goals of hypermiling are positive, such as eliminating aggressive driving and saving energy," notes Marshall L. Doney, AAA Automotive vice president.

"Unfortunately, some motorists have taken their desire to improve fuel economy to extremes with techniques that put themselves, as well as their fellow motorists, in danger."

Cut engine, lose control

Although fuel-saving "stop-start" engine control systems are coming from automakers (several are already on the market), these only shut down the motor when the vehicle is at rest.

Some consumers may not realize that turning off one's engine while on the move will mean no power steering and much reduced braking capability -- two obviously hazardous driving conditions.

Moreover, the concept of putting one's transmission in neutral and coasting down a hill also is deeply flawed, as a free-wheeling vehicle is far less controllable than one with its drivetrain properly engaged.

How a motorist maintains his or her vehicle also is an important element in saving fuel.

Making sure the engine fluids, filters and belts are all up to spec and that tire pressures are set correctly are among the more obvious steps to take in order to ensure maximum fuel economy.

Again, however, some hypermilers are going too far. Over-inflating tires is one reported tactic, but this can lead to premature wear in the center section of the tread and can cause handling problems because of a reduced tire contact patch with the road.

AAA says that using the recommended grade of motor oil is helpful in improving fuel economy, but switching to the lowest "weight" motor oil (or that with the lowest viscosity) on the market, as do some hypermilers, is not advisable. Motor oil is not a fluid that can be freely interchanged and using too light oil can cause major damage to a vehicle's engine.

Save fuel the smart way

For consumers interested in reducing their gas consumption sensibly, the smartest techniques include smooth and easy acceleration and braking, maintaining a steady speed, using cruise control and looking ahead to anticipate changing traffic conditions.

On a related note there is one other interesting option available to fuel price conscious motorists. A company has set up a system to allow consumers to pre-purchase a supply of fuel at the current price, saving money if the cost goes up. On a small scale the scheme is like the fuel-price hedging strategies used by airlines.

Go to www.mygallons.com to learn more and remember, be a safe fuel saver.

John McCormick is a columnist for Autos Insider and can be reached at john.mccormick@detnews.com.