Do you ever feel like you can’t keep up with the rising cost of gas? ABC’s “The Lookout”, a television show exposing a variety of consumer issues every week, says it may be gallons you pay for, but never actually receive.
Last week they investigated the different treatment men and women experience with auto mechanics. This week’s featured problem is known as “meter creeping”, and it happens when a gas pump over or under charges customers. The fault doesn’t lie with unscrupulous gas stations, but in software.
“Gas dispensers are just big dumb machines,” Shawn Marquez, a representative with the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures, told ABC.
A startling one in ten pumps are broken and may be ghosting charges onto your car’s gas bill without you knowing it. It can also save you money by undercharging for fuel dispensed.
There’s not much you can do except be vigilant at the pump. The Lookout suggests whether under or over charging, you should let the attendant know the pump is malfunctioning and ask that the pump be set back to zero.
Or you can spend less time and money fueling up with some of these efficient green vehicles.
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Like them or not, U.S. dealerships are going to be offering more and more electric vehicles in the next five to ten years. Engineers are finding ways to extend the range of these plug-in vehicles to hundreds of miles and shorten their charging times to mere minutes.
“At that point, who needs a gasoline engine anymore?” asked former General Motors chairman Bob Lutz.
At present, EVs aren’t quite ready for the mass market and, thus, automakers aren’t really relying on them to satisfy government rules mandating that vehicles get much higher fuel economy. Instead, in addition to offering more hybrids, extended-range electrics and diesels, car companies are vastly improving the fuel economy in good old gasoline-powered internal-combustion engines.
We’ve assembled a list of cars that get the most out of a standard internal combustion engine. If all the newfangled technology isn’t for you, but you still want to save on money on gas, check out this list of green-friendly cars.
Sticker Price: $21,545 – $29,220Invoice Price: $20,929 – $28,377Fuel Economy: 26 mpg City, 35 mpg Highway
Thought this list was going to be filled with cars the size of postage stamps, didn’t you? There are a few exceptions to the size-determines-fuel-economy convention.
The excellent CX-5 is one of them. Mazda achieves 26 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, the best fuel economy in the small SUV segment, through the use of its SkyActiv engine technology.
What is SkyActiv? In short, it’s Mazda’s way of saying it found a way to increase mileage and engine output by increasing the compression ratio. It may not be your grandaddy’s internal combustion engine, but rest assured, it is an internal combustion engine.Research the Mazda CX-5Mazda CX-5 OverviewMazda CX-5 Photos & VideoMazda CX-5 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $12,170 – $16,385Invoice Price: $11,805 – $15,730Fuel Economy: 31 mpg City, 39 mpg Highway
Sure, the Spark may seem a bit small. But what you don’t know is that consumers and automotive journalists alike are really starting to like the Spark for its versatility and interior roominess since it arrived in the U.S. last year.
Its electric power steering is well-suited for urban driving, as is its ability to be parked in tight quarters.Research the Chevrolet SparkChevrolet Spark OverviewChevrolet Spark Photos & VideoChevrolet Spark Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $16,195 – $22,195Invoice Price: $15,801 – $21,381Fuel Economy: 31 mpg City, 40 mpg Highway
Small cars scream sensibility. The Fiat 500 gives buyers a chance to add a little personality to their small-car purchase. Inside and out, the 500 is one of the true distinctive vehicles on the American road.
Just fair warning: While the Fiat is fun and stylish, and especially enjoyable in the 500-C convertible package, or the Abarth performance trim, its backseat is fit for a couple of skinny kids at best.Research the Fiat 500Fiat 500 OverviewFiat 500 Photos & VideoFiat 500 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $22,110 – $30,760Invoice Price: $20,913 – $28,433Fuel Economy: 27 mpg City, 38 mpg Highway
If there’s no way you’re cramming your family or cargo into a subcompact vehicle, then your next-best bet may be the Altima, which is one of the best-selling cars in the country.
There are a few terrific sedans on the market today, namely the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Mazda6 and Altima. Where the Altima distinguishes itself is in fuel economy.
Based on a continuously-variable transmission (see our”Techsplanation” on CVT here), the engineers at Nissan have squeezed a few more miles per gallon out of its 182-horsepower, four-cylinder engine – just enough to put Nissan in the fuel-economy lead.Research the Nissan AltimaNissan Altima OverviewNissan Altima Photos & VideoNissan Altima Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $17,895 – $23,195
Invoice Price: $17,104 – $21,978
Fuel Economy: 25 mpg City, 34 mpg Highway
TheSubaru Impreza achieving 34 mpg on the highway isn’t much to write home about, but the fact that it hits that pretty solid number with standard all-wheel drive is impressive. This small sedan offers all-weather versatility, while still being easy on your wallet when it comes to the pump.
The Impreza is also one of the safest and most reliable cars in its class. Many people who switch to the Subaru brand tend not to switch back. Cars like the Impreza make it fairly easy to see why.
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