by Heather J Powell

Created on: July 03, 2007

I am fortunate enough to drive a car that has an on-board computer. This computer shows me the direction I am traveling, the life left in my oil, the amount of gas I have used since the last reset, the number of miles left in my tank and the average miles per gallon my car has achieved since the last reset.

But the display that I keep on at all times is the one that shows the miles per gallon I am getting RIGHT NOW - the "instant economy" display!

This has been an incredible education for me.

How many of us realize that when we pull away from a stop, the gas consumption goes down to between 5 and 8 miles per gallon? A heavy foot on the gas pedal trying to get away from the stop light that has just turned green can even drop the rate down to 3 miles per gallon!

I have found, by watching the computer display, that a gentle depression of the pedal instead can change that consumption to anywhere between 11 and 18 miles per gallon ("mpg").

Trying to maintain a 55+ speed while climbing a steep hill is also a killer - as soon as the transmission drops down a gear and the revs of the engine pick up, that gas consumption can drop down to 15 to 18 mpg. That is the same effect that will happen if you put the pedal to the metal to try to zoom through traffic - those agressive drivers you see weaving in and out of the traffic on the highways. Listen to your engine - watch the rev counter - if the transmission changes down a gear or the revs go up, ease off the gas a little - a couple of miles per hour can make a big difference to the MPG.

When you reach the top of a hill and start down the other side - ease your foot off the gas - I have seen consumption as high as 99.9 mpg while coasting down a hill at 55+!

I recently reset the readings on my computer and drove the 65 miles from Morgantown, PA to Doylestown, PA - mostly highway but either end is very congested local traffic.

By watching my "Instant Economy" reading and adjusting my driving based on the display, I achieved an overall gas consumption of 27 miles per gallon - not bad for a non-green SUV! This is compared to the 19.7 mpg that was showing before I reset the computer.

Considering I have driven 53,000 in my car since new, had I driven in the "new" style for the past 3 years I would have used 1,963 gallons of gas instead of 2,690 - a saving of 727 gallons!

Gentle acceleration, watching and listening to your engine can save you money and can save the planet's limited resources. I may drive a non-green SUV, but now I know how to minimize the effect that decision has on our environment.

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