Save gas: Learn from 'hypermilers'

By MP Dunleavey

The last time I filled up the tank of our Dodge Caravan, the total was $64.78. That hurt.

But my husband and I can't afford to spend $20,000 or more on a hybrid car just to save on gas (a very American equation!). Instead, I decided to look into "hypermiling."

Hypermiling is a collection of hotly debated driving techniques that advocates swear can get you 40, 50, maybe even 90 miles per gallon. Although some hypermilers may go to extremes to get mileage like that, most practice a few simple techniques for smart driving.

"There really isn't one thing that's going to increase your fuel economy by 25%," says John Flory, an experienced hypermiler whose mileage runs about 35 to 40 mpg in his Subaru and about 100 mpg in his Honda Insight, a tiny gas-electric hybrid. "It's the cumulative effect of taking lots of smaller steps."

Don't believe the hype

Our 1999 Dodge Caravan has a six-cylinder engine, which means it uses a lot of gas to begin with. According to our rough estimates, we were getting 20 mpg driving locally (we live in a hilly area) and about 27 mpg on the highway, right in line with the Environmental Protection Agency's ratings. I hoped to boost those numbers 50% by hypermiling.

• Talk back: How do you cut your gas costs?

While I'm as eager as everyone else to slash my fuel costs, I really just wanted to quickly glean the best tips and drive off into the sunset. Turns out it's not that simple.

Hypermiling is considered controversial because, as with almost any pursuit, there are a few fanatics. But their influence is grossly overstated, says Eric Powers, the founder of Hybridfest, a sort of Indy 500 for mileage mavens. "The gold standard for many hypermilers is: Would you do this during a driver's test?"

Your licensing-agency examiner would keel over if, for example, you tried drafting an 18-wheeler or if you shut off your car while coasting downhill (actual techniques practiced by some hypermilers).

I didn't want to try anything risky. I just wanted to save a bundle.

That's a smart attitude to take, says Jake Fisher, a senior automotive engineer for Consumer Reports, "because there's a fine line between hysteria and really saving fuel." Though some hypermilers view Fisher as the enemy because of his cautionary tone when he's writing about the topic, Fisher simply believes in getting your money's worth.

"Slowing down by 10 mph will give you a huge bang for your buck, but making a modification that gives you an extra 3 mpg but increases your risk, that doesn't makes sense," Fisher says.

Luckily, Flory, my driving tutor, who acts as an unofficial spokesman for CleanMPG (run by Wayne Gerdes, who coined the term "hypermiling" and kicked this obsession into high gear), is about as prudent as they come. Flory runs biotech labs at Yale for a living and takes a conservative stance, as I learned during my lesson with him a couple of weeks ago.

Ready? Here we go.

The best investment in gas mileage is . . .

You need some way to measure gas mileage. Otherwise, as Flory says, it's like trying to diet without a scale.

If your car doesn't have a built-in mileage gauge, consider investing $160 in the ScanGauge II or a similar device. It's pricey, but it's easy to install (although it would need to save me about 40 gallons of gas to pay for itself).

If you are handy with programmable devices, you won't have a problem operating the ScanGauge. Technophobe that I am, I had to ask for Flory's help to get the gadget to display the data I wanted.

By watching the instant mpg readout, you become aware of a lot of bad habits that increase gas usage. For example, I had no idea that I pretty much keep my foot on the gas pedal all the time.

The gauge also provides the easiest way to know whether any other changes you make -- to driving habits or to your car -- are paying off.

The instant feedback has been by far the biggest benefit to our driving. Having the mileage gauge right on the dashboard is a constant reminder that gas costs money. That alone keeps me focused on being the best possible driver at all times.

Continued: Double-check your mileage

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