Products don't improve mileage, but slowing down does
They don't work, according to Consumer Reports.
Three popular brands that promise to improve mileage and boost your engine's power — Fuel Genie, Platinum Gas Saver and Tornado — showed no significant improvement in fuel economy or performance, Consumer Reports said.
The three products, which range in price from $70 to $119, are among dozens of devices that promise the impossible.
Steven Szakaly, an analyst with the Center for Automotive Research, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., said every time gasoline prices swing upward, products promising better mileage make a comeback.
"You saw the same thing when gas was 99 cents a gallon and jumped to $1.40," said Szakaly, who added that he has seen everything from people putting pills in their gas tanks to special oils and devices. "The stuff people put in there, it makes mechanics happy."
Another device, the Super Fuelmax, promises an increase in fuel mileage up to 27 percent.
Last year the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested Super Fuelmax and found that the device provided no fuel-economy or tailpipe emission benefit.
"In general, the slower you drive the more gas you are going to save," Szakaly said. "At 65 miles per hour, the engine is going to be at 3,000 revolutions per minute. At 80 miles per hour it is going to be at 3,500 rpm. It's not hard to figure out that if you're doing an extra 500 revolutions a minute, you're using more gas."
Just observing the speed limit can save several miles per gallon of gas, Szakaly said, compared to driving 10 to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit.
For people considering purchasing a large sport utility vehicle, Szakaly suggests purchasing a crossover utility vehicle (CUV), also known as a "car-based" SUV.
"Given that most people don't even use their massive SUVs to their full potential, it's not that much of a sacrifice," Szakaly said. "You'll have enormous fuel savings, and you'll spend less."
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