It wouldn’t be wrong if we call the modern age the “Age of Information”. Nevertheless, many myths and fallacies still prevail. Talking about cars, there are many common myths about fuel economy. Motorists have come up with different ideas that they believe can save them money in terms of fuel consumption. Let’s have a look at some of these myths and see how true they are:
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As the vehicle ages, the fuel economy decreases:
This could be true if you do not maintain your car as it ages. As per experts, if you take good care of your car over the years, it will retain its efficiency and you will experience only a minor decrease in fuel economy.
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A car in idle state consumes less fuel:
The stop-start technology should have put an end to this myth. People still believe that an idle vehicle consumes less gas. For your information, depending on your auto, each 10 minutes of idling may charge you between 1/10 and 4/10’s of a litre of fuel. To save gas and reduce greenhouse gas emission, it is recommended to turn off car’s engine in idle state.
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Letting a vehicle warm up is best for gas mileage:
Despite the fast progress in the automobile industry, some people still stick to the old belief about cars. That is, if you let the car heat up before you take it to the road, you can save fuel. This misconception about fuel economy is rather absurd. As long as the car doesn’t move, it remains on 0 mpg. Manufacturers advise that it is best if you let the engine warm up by taking off slowly.
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A smaller car will have a better fuel economy:
This misconception has been hanging on since old days, when small cars actually had better fuel economy rating. But that’s untrue in today’s tech world. Newer technologies like turbo charging, hybrid drive-trains, direct fuel injection and aerodynamic designs have enabled midsized and larger cars to deliver better mileage. You would be surprised to know that these are the most efficient cars of today.
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For better fuel economy, use Premium gas:
Car owners usually believe that if they use Premium gas, their car engines would consume less fuel and be more efficient. The facts are quite contrary. Your car would consume just the same amount of fuel whether it’s Premium or regular. The only difference is that you will be spending much more on filling up the tank with Premium fuel. Use Premium only if your vehicle is designed for Premium fuel and knocks badly on regular gas.
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Replacing the air filter will improve fuel economy:
This misunderstanding comes from the times when carburetted engines were used and dirty air filters would severely damage the engines. Today, the modern fuel injected engines are much more efficient. They reduce the air-fuel mix to compensate for dirty air filters. Although changing dirty air filters will not save fuel, it is recommended for a more powerful and strong engine.
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Fuel additives improve fuel economy:
You can find fuel additives at auto parts store that promise an improved gas mileage. Unless you have personally experienced an improvement in gas mileage by using such additives, we recommend not falling for such claims.