365 Ways to Save Gas, by Ronald M. Weiers

The Author's Official Website

365 Ways to Save Gas -- Useful links.

Hybrids

See http://hybridcars.com and http://hybridcars.about.com for current news items, environmental information, and technical data related to hybrid vehicles and ownership. Another good source of hybrid information is http://www.hybridownersofamerica.org, a site dedicated to current and prospective hybrid owners that focuses on political developments and technical information of particular interest to them.

SUVs and Trucks

http://www.suvoa.com is an informational site by the SUV Owners of America that also gives voice to truck and SUV owners and their concerns.

For Diesel Drivers

For the diesel fans out there, the TDI Club (http://www.tdiclub.com) offers extensive information and discussion about diesel engines in general, and VW TDI diesel engines in particular. Believe me, these people know their diesels. By the way, "TDI" stands for “Turbo Direct Injection Diesel.”

Vehicle Pricing and Information

http://www.cars.com, http://www.edmunds.com, and http://autos.msn.com are handy sources for vehicle availability, prices, specifications, features, reliability, and owner discussion.

Gasoline Economics 101

The U.S. Energy Information Administration provides statistics that help us understand  gasoline and diesel prices in terms of why they are at their current levels, and in what direction they are moving. Sites of special interest include the Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp), This Week in Petroleum (http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/twip/twip.asp), and the monthly Short-Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook (http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/contents.html).

Where’s the Cheap(er) Gas?

For a heads-up on the lowest gas prices in your area, check out http://www.GasBuddy.com, which also features an interesting color-coded “temperature” map highlighting the relative prices by geographical location in the U.S. and Canada. Another handy source of national, state, and local gas prices is the AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report (http://www.fuelgaugereport.com), based on a daily survey of 85,000 self-service gas stations. In addition, there is GasPriceWatch (http://www.gaspricewatch.com), an informative site that not only provides the current average price in the U.S., but identifies the cities with the highest and lowest prices as well.

General and Technical Fuel Conservation Information

The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintain http://www.fueleconomy.gov, one of the most interesting and informative sites on the web. Besides offering myriad  bits of general information and technical knowledge, this site is also a convenient source from which to download the latest Fuel Economy Guide for new vehicles sold in the United States.

MotorWeek TV

MotorWeek (http://motorweek.org) is a weekly TV show both dedicated to and produced by rabid automotive enthusiasts. Seen on more than 600 PBS TV stations as well as the Speed channel, it has been entertaining and informing viewers for more than 25 years. It has a special meaning to this author and his 365 Ways to Save Gas, as my book and myself were kindly featured in MotorWeek program #2633 during April 2007. Information on past road tests and shows can be found at the MotorWeek website.

Monitoring Your Progress

A trip computer with fuel consumption measurement capability is an interesting and practical way to monitor your fuel efficiency and compare the effectiveness of difference speeds and driving strategies. If you bought an upscale vehicle, you may already have such a device as standard equipment among the other snazzy gauges and digital displays in your instrument panel. However, for the serious and mechanically competent do-it-yourselfer, all is not lost. Since 1996, all new cars are equipped with an on-board diagnostics port called OBD II, and Linear-Logic markets ScanGaugeII (tm) (http://scangauge.com), a compact instrument that combines a trip computer with digital gauges and a scan-code tool. As always, be sure to closely follow both the marketer’s instructions and your vehicle manufacturer’s warranty and other requirements.

More Help for the Planet

If you're concerned about global warming, air and water pollution, extinction of species, and other vital matters of global importance, you may wish to visit and consider the content of many other sites that are heavily environmental in their orientation. Some of the many possibilities are The Sierra Club  (http://www.sierraclub.org), GreenPeace (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa), and TreeHugger  (http://www.treehugger.com).