ForbesAutos interviewed Wayne Gerdes, a “hypermiler” who can squeeze 84 miles per gallon out of a regular Ford Ranger pickup truck, or 180.1 mpg from a hybrid electric Honda Insight. Here are 10 of his techniques for achieving startling fuel economy:

10. Turn off the A/C
9. Install a scangauge
8. When pulling into a parking lot, try to coast up to the highest point in the lot, so then you can coast out upon exit
7. If you’re idling over 10 seconds, turn off the engine
6. Driving over the speed limit increases wind resistance, consuming more fuel
5. Rather than trying to maintain a constant speed, focus on maintaing a constant engine load
4. Drive like you have no brakes; coast whenever possible and avoid needless braking
3. Change your air filter yearly
2. Use the lowest weight oil recommended for your car
1. Inflate tires to maximum pressure

We also covered some of Wayne’s more unorthodox methods in a previous post, “Potentially Insane Ways To Increase Your Fuel Efficiency.”

The Pursuit of Hypermileage [ForbesAutos]
(Photo: Chris Strong)

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