FAQs About Fuel Efficiency & Better Gas Mileage for Used Cars & Trucks in Missouri

The staff at Thompson Sales believes you should enjoy your vehicle for as long as possible. Regular maintenance can lead to improved fuel efficiency and gas mileage for used cars and trucks. 

Please read our FAQs about fuel efficiency and better gas mileage for used cars and trucks in Missouri.

What is fuel efficiency?

Scientists and engineers define this concept as how well chemical energy, from fuel, converts to kinetic energy in an engine thanks to the process of combustion. Combustion is the process by which hydrocarbons are burned in the presence of oxygen and a heat source.

How do I calculate my used car or truck’s fuel efficiency?

You can calculate your used vehicle’s fuel efficiency by dividing the number of miles you drive by the number of gallons of fuel your used car or truck burns over those miles. For example, you drive 500 miles on 20 gallons of gasoline. Your fuel efficiency, also known as gas mileage, comes to 25 miles per gallon.

What is considered good gas mileage for a used car or truck?

Good fuel efficiency depends on the class of vehicle. For example, hybrid SUVs can get 35 MPG on the highway. Pickup trucks and minivans without hybrid options can get 20 to 25 miles per gallon. Compact and subcompact cars can get more than 30 miles per gallon.

How many miles can I drive on a full tank of fuel?

You can determine how far you can drive on a full tank of fuel by multiplying the miles per gallon rating on a new vehicle by the number of gallons you can fill in a tank. For instance, the rated MPG in city driving is 23, and the tank holds 25 gallons. This means you could drive around 575 miles on a single tank of fuel.

Your results will vary, depending on driving conditions, how fast you drive, and the condition of your engine.

How many hours can I drive on a full tank of gas?

It depends on how fast you drive and where you drive. On average, you can drive around 16 hours on a full tank of gas, but your results will vary.

However, you can calculate how many hours you can drive on a full tank of gas in your used car or truck.

For example, you get 25 MPG and have a 25-gallon tank. That means you can drive 625 miles. Driving 65 miles per hour on a long-distance trip, you can drive around nine and a half hours. If you drive 30 miles per hour on that same tank of gas, you can travel for 20 hours. At 40 miles per hour, it comes to 15 and a half hours.

What miles per hour is the most fuel-efficient?

Your used car or truck has a peak fuel efficiency anywhere between 35 and 60 mph. Your fuel efficiency drops the faster you go over 60 miles per hour.

How much gas does my used car or truck burn in one hour?

It depends on your speed. If you get 25 miles per gallon and you drive 60 miles in one hour, your vehicle consumes 2.4 gallons of fuel in that span. If it costs $2.50 per gallon, you spent $6 to drive that one hour.

What can I do to improve my used car or truck’s fuel efficiency?

You can do several simple things to improve your used car or truck’s gas mileage, including:

Drive more slowly. For every five miles per hour over 50 mph, you might see a reduced fuel efficiency of between 7 to 14 percent. At $2.50 a gallon, you could save anywhere from 18 to 35 cents on your fuel costs per gallon.

Avoid sudden acceleration or speeding. Maintain the speed limit as much as possible and avoid sudden acceleration. Slow, steady acceleration is the way to go if you want to save more money on gas.

Travel light. Adding 100 pounds of weight to your vehicle decreases gas mileage by up to 1 percent. Driving one hour at 50 mph with 25 miles per gallon expends two gallons of fuel. If that gas costs $2.50 per gallon, that drive costs $5. Adding 100 pounds of weight increases that cost to $5.05. Over eight hours of driving, your fuel costs rise by 40 cents. Multiply this by 30 days, and that adds up to $12 in fuel costs.

Use cruise control. Activating cruise control along relatively flat terrain while traveling on a highway can improve your gas mileage by 14 percent. 

Inflate tires properly. The Department of Energy estimates that Americans cumulatively waste 1.25 billion gallons of gasoline because of underinflated tires. That’s because too much of the tire hits the ground, and it increases friction. Each tire underinflated by 10 psi reduces fuel economy by around 3.3 percent. If all four tires are like that, your fuel efficiency may dip by as much as 10 percent. Check your tire inflation at least once a month. Inflate the tires to their optimal levels, as noted in your vehicle owner’s manual.

Keep your tank fuller. Maintain a fuller gas tank for optimal fuel efficiency because an empty tank can hurt your fuel injectors. Also, sediments and rust settle in the bottom of the tank. Maintaining a fuller tank keeps those rust particles away from the fuel line.

Replace spark plugs at regular intervals. Spark plugs that misfire can decrease fuel economy by up to 30 percent because the timing of the combustion is off. If your gas mileage suddenly gets worse, a spark plug might be to blame.

Keep tires aligned. Misaligned tires drag more and don’t roll as freely as they should. Tires wear out more quickly and cause you to expend more gas due to uneven tire wear.

Change filters. Your air filter and fuel filter help your engine stay clean. Replace these items regularly, according to your vehicle owner’s manual.

Maintain your car regularly. Getting regular tune-ups and maintenance can save on fuel efficiency and gas mileage over the life of your vehicle.

Why is fuel efficiency important when owning your used car or truck?

Improved gas mileage reduces the ownership costs associated with your used car or truck because you spend less on fuel. When you purchase a more fuel-efficient vehicle, you can save more money. 

Using less gasoline reduces your carbon footprint, which lessens your impact on global warming by putting less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

You can lower our dependence on fossil fuels. The United States imports anywhere from 5.8 to 7.0 million barrels of crude oil per day, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The crude oil goes to oil refineries where companies turn it into gasoline for cars. These numbers are the lowest in the United States since 1991, and the country became a net exporter of petroleum products in 2020.

Using gasoline wisely increases the sustainability of your vehicle. Eventually, electric plug-in vehicles may become cheaper to own compared to internal combustion vehicles.

Can fuel with a higher octane rating save on gas mileage for my used car or truck?

Under normal driving conditions, high-octane fuel doesn’t benefit your vehicle unless the owner’s manual specifically states use a particular octane rating for fuel. This is generally true for luxury vehicles. Under severe duty conditions, such as towing, carrying heavy loads, or driving in hot weather, high-octane gas can save you on gas mileage.

Where can I get maintenance on my used car or truck to improve gas mileage in Springfield, Missouri?

Contact the service department at Thompson Sales to make an appointment. Need more information? Contact us or call (417) 763-6811 for more information.