If the air filter is dirty, the tires are low and you haven't had it tuned-up in four years, it's probably sucking you dry at the gas pump. The first basic thing is make sure your car is well-maintained. Fla. Simply maintaining the correct tire pressure can make a huge difference. Twenty percent of the gasoline your car uses is needed to keep tires rolling, according to truck maintenance experts for the American Trucking Association. Tires under-inflated by only 8 pounds of pressure wastes 5 percent of your gasoline.
Experts suggest checking tire pressure at least once a week.
Consider clearing the junk from your trunk. Get rid of that bag of sand left over from winter and those old phone books. Each additional 100 pounds of extra weight in your car can eat up an extra 1.5 percent of your gas. And clear off that roof rack. Run all your errands on the way to and from work, for instance.