Does anyone know the mileage figures exactly? How many MPG does the 2010 Camaro get from an automatic transmission?

I have an old fashioned manual gearbox. Not this new stuff where there is no clutch. I have a foot-operated manual clutch on my car with a stock-standard four-on-the-floor stick shift gear change lever.

I really want to save gas as I drive.

What I want to know is, do I burn more gas in a higher gear or a lower gear. Where should I keep the RPM’s when I’m driving in the higher or lower gear at that as well? Example. It redlines at 9000 revs.

To save the most gas. Should I keep the engine revs halfway up the tachometer while driving in any gear, and should I be driving in a high or low gear to minimize my fuel consumption?

First, let’s look at ways you can obtain better miles per gallon or, for folks in Europe or Australia, use less litres/Km. You use strategies to improve your fuel consumption, and the higher MPG you get then takes care of everything else, like saving petrol or gasoline.

Some petrol-saving tricks can be as simple as car pooling or taking your vehicle in for a lube and a tune-up. Or you may have to re-learn your driving skills so as not to be a “lead foot”. (A person who accelerates too heavily and has to brake hard as well.) Apart from being antisocial and probably illegal, this kind of aggressive stop-start driving wastes fuel.

Other ways to save gas money can be more radical, such as modifying your car’s air intake or carburetor, maybe changing the engine or even exchanging your present car or truck for a hybrid, an electric vehicle or a smaller, more fuel-efficient automobile.

Alternatives to the Motor Car

And for city dwellers with short commuting distances, there are even more alternatives. These include motorcycles, motor scooters and even super-economical mopeds (pedal-assisted bicycles with small built-in motors). These have been popular in Europe and Mediterranean countries for several decades. But that’s an important point… Two-wheeled vehicles are not well-suited to cold weather driving. And wet-weather riding on a bike or scooter is no fun either.

The recent high cost of oil was caused in part by global warming and greenhouse gas emissions (such as carbon monoxide). Therefore, any methods we can come up with to improve your fuel efficiency will also reduce pollution (which is good for the world) and cut your gas bill (which is good for you, personally).

It may also be good for our balance-of-payments figures, and for our struggling national economy.

With fuel prices around the world leaping up and down like the stock markets, anything we can do to burn up less fuel is good for our pocketbook, is good for our country, our children and their childrens’ children.

Think of the environment, as well.

However, we also need to be sure that these fixes and adjustments to our lifestyle does not create new problems we hadn’t thought about. We need to be saving the environment rather than destroying it.

In modern-day Viet Nam, as an example, and many other Asian countries they cope with their traffic problems by having millions of people getting around on small motorcycles and motor scooters.

This gets folks around economically on their many small congested roads, but the two-stroke engines of those little motor-bikes has also created a major pollution problem because 2-stroke engines burn a mix of lubricating oil with their gasoline. They are terribly smoky.

So each of us will have to weigh the pros and cons most carefully before we decide how to improve gas mileage for ourselves.

While that is certainly a great idea, to allow you to choose a car that offers better fuel economy, it is not the only time you should be using a gas mileage calculator. Here are a few good reasons to keep on checking that you are getting more miles to the gallon!

Mileage Diagnostics

If your car is not in great shape, it is unlikely to save fuel. In fact, a car that is mechanically unsound will almost certainly cost more in terms of fuel consumption. Checking that your gas mileage is similar to when you first bought your car is a very good way to find out whether there is anything wrong with your car, without visiting a mechanic.

Even if your car is regularly serviced, small problems like clogged air filters, flat tires or a host of other minor issues can mean that your car, which falls into, for example, the category of cars that get more 30 mpg or more, may be giving you far less for your money. Not paying attention, and not checking consumption will end up costing you far more, and may mean a serious problem goes unnoticed!

If you check your gas mileage regularly, and notice a sharp increase in your fuel consumption, you will be alerted that you need to take a trip to the auto shop for a check up!

Change in Driving Patterns

Let us say, for example, that you change your route to work, or start leaving to take the kids to work at a different time. You might not notice it, but a change in driving habits can have a big impact on your cars fuel efficiency! Even if you are driving to save fuel, small changes like these can have a big impact.

The best idea is to check your fuel economy / miles per gallon before you try to change your habits, and again after. If you get more mpg with your new route or driving habits, then great. But if not, you may want to consider having a re-think!

Check Your Driving Habits

With the EPAís new gas mileage calculations based on more realistic data, it is easier than ever to check whether your driving habits are allowing you to save money on fuel costs, or costing you more.

If your fuel consumption is about the same, or better than the EPA standards, then you are fine. But if they are worse, you may want to consider learning how to really save fuel, including, perhaps, some of the following tactics:

• First and most obviously, check for fuel leaks. Perished hoses or faulty seals can cause a huge loss in fuel, through leaking or evaporation!
• Driving less aggressively. Not breaking or accelerating suddenly.
• Sticking to the speed limit. Driving excessively fast uses more fuel.
• Not overloading your vehicle, and removing heavy items before driving if you do not need them.
• Planning your trips to accomplish multiple tasks, or combining resources, by car-pooling.

Car Modifications

These days, it is not uncommon to make certain changes to a vehicle, whether cosmetic or mechanical. If you have made a change to your car, it may be a good idea to check whether you are having a positive or a negative effect on your car.

It may surprise you, but even leaving your engine standard and simply making changes to the look of your car, such as adding a body kit or wing can change the aerodynamics of your car, and you may end up paying much more for your daily commute than you used to!

Again, check your fuel consumption before, and after making changes to your carís body or engine, and make sure you are still saving on fuel! There is no point buying fuel economy cars, and then changing things and counteracting the fuel saving effect!

Where to Find Gas Mileage Calculators

When on the lookout for a good gas mileage calculator, your first stop should be the EPAís website, which will allow you to look up your carís make, model, and year, and give you the average fuel consumption statistics for your car.

Once you know what you should be getting in terms of fuel economy / miles per gallon, you have a reference point. Now it is time to find a fuel use calculator. The internet is a good resource, and you can either download software or an excel based spreadsheet, or use an online version. There are even versions available for mobile devices, such as cell phones and PDAís.

There are also offline versions though, in case you do not have access to the internet, or want to check consumption while on a long trip. These stand-alone gadgets can be very helpful in making sure you save fuel, and alerting you to any potential problems. Some even offer more detailed information, relating to your car, which can go a long way in improving your car’s condition, and your overall fuel savings.

Whatever option you choose, if you are serious getting more mpg, it makes sense to keep an eye on your fuel consumption. A mileage calculator is a great way to do that.

So, have a look at your options, choose one (or more) that work for you, and make sure you increase fuel economy with everything you do!