Plymouth Gran Fury 1980 Operating Instructions And Product Information page 40

38
What You Can Do . ..
Improved personal driving habits are often the biggest factor in
achieving better gas mileage ... and often the least suspected.
That's because many of the th ings we commonly do seem m inor
and unimportant. However, good habits can con tribu te signifi-
cantly to fuel economy. Remem ber, you are the one fac tor in the
fuel economy eq uation over which you have con trol. Here are
some facto rs to consider in order to improve your driving habits.
Trip Route and Length
Pla n you r trips b efore you go! Perform several errands each trip
and try to travel w hen the traffic is light. Avoid short trips ...
especia ll y in the winter, and routes that cause excessive back-
tracking or pro longed periods in traffic jams. Sh ort trips (less
tha n 5 m iles) don' t allow the engine to fully warm up. This no t
only wastes fuel, but causes engine oil to become contaminated
more quickly. Back-tracking is a waste any way you look at it, and
if you're stuck in a traffic jam, you're getting zero miles per
ga llon .
T raffic. Stop-and-go traffic severely reduces fuel economy.
Avoid congested intersections and industrial areas during shift
chan ges. During long tie-ups or while a t ra ilroad crossings, sh ut
off your engi ne until traffic moves again.
Acceleration and Speed
Accelerate smoothly and gradually. Unsteady speed wastes gas.
Speed variations of as little as plus-or-minus 5 mph can reduce
fuel economy by
1
or more miles per gallon. Pace yourself by
learn ing to watch the lights ahead and flow with the traffic in-
stead of fighting for position . In short, relax. l11e minute or two
you save isn' t worth the hassle, gas, and money.
High Speeds . At 55 mph a vehicle gets better gas mileage than at
70
mph, and much better mileage at 45 mph. In fact, with most
vehicles, approximately one mile-per-gallon is lost for every 5
mph over 50 mph.
Vehicle Loading
Carry only what you need on each trip. Avoid overloading the
vehicle. Fuel economy is reduced approximately l percent for
each 100 pounds of extra load during
city
driving. Tire chains,
tools, shovels, sand ... all should be left at home except when
needed.
Wind, Snow and Rain
Driving in to a 20 mph headwind can cause fuel economy losses of
over 20 percent, compared to driving without the headwind on
the same road. Wet pavement increases the power required to
maintain a given speed, and the car is subject to wheel spin on
snow and ice, which, of course, wastes gas.
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