Feeling the fuel crunch? Don't be hasty!

Okay, you're probably expecting some sort of joke out of this, but no. I'll be serious on this matter. Gasoline prices are well over $3 per gallon at this moment and there are doomsday predictions of over $5/gal by the end of the year.

This is causing many hasty decisions.

Japanese car company stocks are in an upward trend, while Detroit is spiraling downward.

Why?

There's always been this perception that Japanese companies KNOW fuel efficiency. That they might, but also at the expense of comfort and horsepower. Anything with a V6, by nature, will not do as well on gas. The small American cars do very well on fuel consumption as well. My little 2005 Ford Focus gets 25 mpg regularly on a mix of city and highway driving. When I do more highway it does even better. It's light, comfy, and the 140 HP makes it VERY peppy. The Cavalier and the Neon are also similar. The numbers may be lower than the Honda Civic, but it has a lot more horsepower to start, and more room. I think I made the right investment.

But what about those trendy hybrids?

Well, allow me to disclose their dirty little secret: Unless you do a LOT of city driving, they aren't really all that efficient. A hybrid SUV still gets less miles to the gallon than a smaller sedan, and forget comparing it to my car. Not even close. The truth is that for many in the population, a hybrid is NOT a good choice. Allow me to explain. A hybrid is a car that is powered from a combination of gasoline and electricity. Instead of having a standard alternator, they have a huge generator and a giant set of battery packs. With all the added weight, it already starts off as less efficient. Plus, the electric part is only useful in the city. On the highway it uses gas. You have a usually underpowered engine having to lug this heavier car. They say if you go on a cross country run in a regular car and a hybrid, likely, they will do about the same in the end. Wow! How unimpressive is that? That's certainly NOT some extra bang for your buck.

So what's the best way to stretch that gasoline buck? Drive a smaller lighter car with a smaller engine. Try to keep your RPMs low and steady. If you drive a stick, avoid red-lining every gear. Keep your air filter clean. A high flow air filter will cost extra, but will get you better gas mileage and a little extra in the horsepower. Keep your fuel filter clean. Watch your gas. Different cars react differently to different brands and grades. Check to see which brand and level your car does best on. If your car gets a couple extra miles to the gallon on premium, you're far better off in the long run to pay the extra cash for the extra distance it affords you between fill-ups. An efficient exhaust system can also increase efficiency. Proper tire inflation. Take highways and cruise at 48-55 mph as often as possible. Don't jack-rabbit your starts or come to quick stops. If you feather them both nicely, it saves fuel.

Keep away from those stupid Jeep rip-offs. Usually you see one small woman in the biggest and stupidest trucks on the road. It's like penis-envy or a Napoleon complex. Making up for their small size with the biggest, stupidest truck on the road.

And those electric cars? Pass on those. They aren't quick, and have a limited range before you have to recharge them. Expensive. Heavy. Not worth the investment.

In the end, there really is no silver bullet at this time to save us. However the use of common sense can save you money and not cripple your bank account in these times.

Okay, now, get out there and drive smart.