There are tips and hidden secrets when it comes to improving the gas mileage of your vehicle. With these changing times and the skyrocketing fuel prices, it seems more important than ever to cut down on gas mileage. The most important piece of advice in these times is to cut down on driving. Unfortunately, the most important piece of advice - and the most obvious - doesn't seem to impress upon most people because people seem attached to driving, even if it's just a quick trip to the corner store three blocks away.

If driving less is something that you cannot fathom, you can practice a few other methods to cut down on gas mileage and save some money.

Keep Your Car Working Properly

One of the best ways to ensure that you are getting more bang for your buck in terms of gas mileage is to check your car frequently and make sure that it is working as it should be. Cars that are regularly checked and have regular oil changes usually manage more gas mileage because they are in sharper working order.

Serious maintenance problems that go unchecked, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can cost you lots of money in terms of wasted gas mileage and can impact your vehicle performance overall. Air filters and tire pressure is important too, as having proper air filters can save you up to 10% on your gas mileage and can impact the overall performance of your vehicle. Properly balanced tires with appropriate tire pressure can offer fuel economy benefits up to 3%.

Drive Properly

Driving properly is also an important component when it comes to saving money on gas. Observe the speed limit, as gas mileage actually decreases rapidly at higher speeds (above 60 miles per hour). Not only is observing the speed limit a safer way to drive, it can also save you up to 25% on your overall gas mileage.

Remove any excess weight in your vehicle to avoid putting extra strain on your engine and your fuel consumption. Having extra weight in your vehicle reduces your miles per gallon and, in turn, reducing your overall fuel economy. This weight aspect affects smaller vehicles more than it does larger vehicles.

Avoid idling for long periods of times, like in border line-ups and other places, as this is hard on the engine. Use cruise control and overdrive gears to reduce overall engine wear, too. This will help in saving gas mileage and will also cut down on the standard wear and tear on your vehicle.

Drive Less!

Most people don't like to hear about this particular way to save gas mileage, as society is largely addicted to their vehicles even for the smallest of trips. Carpooling, taking public transit, and combining trips into one larger trip are all effective and logical ways to reduce the overall gas mileage and save money in the long run. Instead of taking several trips during one day, try to combine all of your trips into one longer trip to save additional starts and stops of your engine. Your vehicle and your pocketbook will thank you!