Yes, gas prices are up, and so is the volume of advertising for “gas-saving” products. When gasoline prices rise, consumers often look for ways to improve fuel efficiency. While this issue of Dollars & Sense is devoted to providing practical steps for coping with high fuel costs, the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov) warns you to be wary of any gas-saving claims for automotive devices or oil and gas additives. Even for the few gas-saving products that have been found to work, the savings have been small.
With gas prices climbing, readers have asked us to weigh in on products that promise better fuel economy. We have tested three. Our advice: Don’t waste your money. They don’t work.
— Consumer Reports
“Gas-Saving” Advertising Claims
Be skeptical of the following kinds of advertising claims.
- “This gas-saving product improves fuel economy by 20 percent.” Claims usually tout savings ranging from 12 to 25 percent. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated or tested more than 100 alleged gas-saving devices and has not found any product that significantly improves gas mileage. In fact, some “gas-saving” products may damage a car’s engine or cause substantial increases in exhaust emissions. The gas-saving products on the market fall into clearly defined categories. Although the EPA has not tested or evaluated every product, it has tried to examine at least one product in each category.
- “After installing your product on my car, I got an extra 4 miles [6.4 kilometers] per gallon [3.8 liters].” Many ads feature glowing testimonials by satisfied customers. Yet, few consumers have the ability or the equipment to test for precise changes in gas mileage after installing a gas-saving product. Many variables affect fuel consumption, including traffic, road and weather conditions, and the car’s condition.As the FTC explains, one consumer sent a letter to a company praising its “gas-saving” product. At the time the product was installed, however, the consumer also had received a complete engine tune-up—a fact not mentioned in the letter. The entire increase in gas mileage attributed to the “gas-saving” product may well have been the result of the tune-up alone. But from the ad, other consumers could not have known that.
- “This gas-saving device is approved by the Federal government.” Please keep in mind that no government agency endorses gas-saving products for cars. The most that can be claimed in advertising is that the EPA has reached certain conclusions about possible gas savings by testing the product or by evaluating the manufacturer’s own test data. If the seller claims that its product has been evaluated by the EPA, ask for a copy of the EPA report, or check www.epa.gov for information. In some instances, false claims of EPA testing or approval have been made.The Environmental Protection Agency has evaluated scores of new inventions that claim to reduce fuel use and emmissions over the last 35 years and have come to the same conclusion on the majority of the devices. They don’t work. If you are interested in their study you can visit http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/reports.htm.
The branded http://frankkrauseautomotive.com/testimonial/frank-sold-my-honda/ generic levitra brand has to provide ads for getting a sustainable place in the competitive medicine market. Kamagra jelly is a satisfactory medicine which is manufactured with the same chemical composition as the branded ones, the effects of the generic viagra canada deliver drug will also be addressed by some ingredients present in these fluids. Impotence usually cheap cialis happens to older men these days in fact young looking the man is in inclusion susceptible to this type of issues. We suppose that men struggling with andropause ought to find an alternative rather than spend time on the Playboy viagra 25 mg cover girls with the intention to attain erections! Scientific studies have considered that psychological aspects are the most prevalent initiators of erectile dysfunction.
The bottom line: The best way to get the best mileage from a tank of gas is to follow the vehicle manufacturer’s service schedule and fine-tune your driving habits.
Tip: Can you save money using premium instead of regular gas?
You won’t benefit from using premium gas in a car designed for regular. You won’t get better gas mileage and you won’t go any faster. You’ll just end up spending more money. Check your owner’s manual for the proper grade to use.