Gasoline

Car owners seem to have a love/hate relationship with gasoline. We love where fuel can take us, but despise the rising cost of getting it in to the tank. There are many misconceptions out there, so the rules that used to apply to may no longer be true. Todays technology is changing the game constantly, so lets get to the bottom of common myths about gasoline - and hopefully, how to use less of it.

Is premium fuel is the best for my car?

Not unless your engine was designed to burn a higher octane. There is no advantage to premium grade fuel if your engine was made to burn 87 octane (regular gas) at a lower ignition temperature.

Will I get more gas if I fill up early in the morning?

Because the gas station tanks are underground, the temperature is pretty much the same throughout the day. Gas does turn to vapor when it's hot, but a collection system with a carbon-filled cannister sends it right back to your engine. Buy gas when you need it - there is no magical hour.

Does rolling down my windows instead of running the air conditioning save money on gas?

When driving more than 35mph the car has to cut though wind resistance, causing it to drag if the windows are down. The engine has to work hard to push through that resistance at faster speeds - requiring more gas. The aerodynamics of cars are designed to reduce this drag, but only if the windows are UP. The amount of fuel used by the AC system is not significant, so why suffer the Texas heat?

Do I need to warm up my car first if it's cold outside?

It is no longer necessary in cars made in the last twenty years. Your cold start won't do any harm, as your cars fluids will warm up efficiently in the first few minutes of normal driving. However, during sub-freezing temps, warming the car first can help the oil circulate - but is that really ever a problem for us Texans?

Should I avoid the pump while the tanker is filling at the station?

Tanker trucks do stir up particles inside storage tanks, but gas stations are required to install heavy duty filters to trap dirt and sludge. Modern cars also have efficient fuel filters to catch debris, so some stirred-up particles won't have much potential to adversely affect your car. What will damage your fuel pump is running below a quarter of a tank! So fill up before that happens, any time any where.