Debunking Gas Myths on the Internet: Which Ones Can Give You More Bang for Your Buck and Which Ones Can Hurt Your Mileage?

2 min read By eCompareMo on December 30, 2014

The internet is a great highway of information, and people can learn a lot from the infinitesimal knowledge that is accessible on the web. While the World Wide Web can be a useful learning tool, there also are dubious information circulating on emails, social media, and other outlets. Since time immemorial, gas-saving techniques have been countlessly sent, with some of them doing more harm than good. To break the cycle, we listed some of the most common gas myths and the truth behind them.

Myth: topping off your gas tank allows you to get more out of your usual refill

Some people think that filling their gas tanks to the brim will allow them to get more gas. However, this tip can actually do more harm than good. If you gas up to the point of overfilling your tank, you can seriously damage your tank’s evaporative emission system, the mechanism in your car that collects vaporized gas for maximum fuel efficiency. Furthermore, the pump’s vapor recovery system will collect additional gas you try to pump in a full tank.

(Check out: The Price of Crude Oil in the Philippines Over 10 Years)

Myth: tailgating saves gas

Tailgating, also known as drafting, is the practice of driving closely to a frontward vehicle. People believe that by tailgating, they can extend their liters per kilometer ratio because of reducing the drag to the vehicle. While tailgating can actually help you save gas, it is highly dangerous and may lead to road accidents. Risking yourself and the lives of others isn’t worth the maximum mileage.

Myth: smaller cars have better fuel efficiency

Size matters, or at least smaller size matters for people who believe that smaller cars offer better mileage because they use smaller engines and smaller frames. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, since what makes a car fuel-efficient is the component under the hood. Not all compact cars are fuel efficient, and not all SUVs are gas grazers. Make sure to check with your car dealer to know the average mileage of your car to know if it’s fuel-efficient.

Myth: the older the vehicle is, the lesser its fuel efficiency becomes

One persistent myth about fuel efficiency among vehicles is that older vehicles consume more gas. While it is true that older vehicles are less fuel efficient as compared to newer ones released today, the key to making sure that your car is in great shape is maintenance. Making sure that your engine is always in tip-top shape will extend the life of your vehicle and keep its mileage rating close to a new vehicle’s.

Myth: using premium gasoline even if your car manual doesn’t require you to do so will improve mileage

TV ads of premium gas entice people to purchase premium gasoline instead of regular ones because the former offers better fuel efficiency as well as other perks like engine-cleaning particles and other additives. While premium fuels have higher octane than regular ones, there is no strong connection between higher-octane fuels and better fuel efficiency. Unless recommended by your vehicle’s manual, do not fall for the premium gas shtick.

These are just some of the myths regarding gassing up and fuel efficiency, and you may encounter more along the way. While there are several tips on the web on how to save gas, make sure to do thorough research first and seek the advice of professionals to make sure that you will not do more harm than good to your vehicle.