-By Cathy Gniewek, MT Publisher

Source: GasBuddy.com

Michigan's  average price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline at $2.642, down more than 37.4 cents in the past month across the state and down more than 53.5 cents in the past year according to GasBuddy.com.

MichiganToday.net's Top Ten Fuel Saving Tips

1. Keep your car in shape

By providing proper maintenance to keep your car running at its best can improve your gas mileage by an average 4 percent.
2. Check and replace your air filter regularly

Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.
Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 10%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings: up to $0.27/gallon
3. Keep your tires properly inflated

You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.
4. Only use the manufacturer's recommended motor oil

You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives
5. Drive Sensibly

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. Reduction in gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and by 5 percent in city driving is a great reason to stay calm behind the wheel.
6. Observe the Speed Limit

Optimal fuel economy is obtained at different speeds, gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph costs an additional $0.19 per gallon for gas. Safety and savings - two good reasons to slow down!
7. Remove Excess Weight

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
8. Avoid Excessive Idling

Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines consume more gas idling than do cars with smaller engines.
9. Use Overdrive Gears

Overdrive gearing reduces your car's engine speed lowering engine wear and gas consumption.
10. Combining trips reduces gas consumption

Several short trips uses twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance.

For a list of the most fuel efficient cars click here:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bestworst.shtml

Estimates for fuel savings from vehicle maintenance, keeping tires properly inflated, and using the recommended grade of motor oil are based on studies and literature reviews performed by Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc., Washington, DC.

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