We recently launched a new section on our blog that allows users to search and view gas prices across the country.  Currently we are providing a graph that analyzes the price of Regular Unleaded Fuel in an individual state and compares this to the national average price of regular unleaded fuel.  The data will consistently be updated to provide accurate and timely information.

Please keep an eye out for other updates to this section.  Some possible additional features may include, daily prices, price by metropolitan area, etc…

We hope that you find this information helpful and please let us know if you have any feedback.

As fuel prices continue to grow so does the cost of everything.  A double edged sword is affecting the costs associated with road construction.  Fuel prices have had both a direct and indirect affect.

The more obvious affect is the tremendous increase in fuel needed for the vehicles and machines used to do the actual construction.  Fuel prices have grown by about twenty five percent since this time last year.  This growth is quickly eating away at construction budgets.

Additionally, as gas prices continue to surge people are driving less.  According to the State Department of Revenue, gas sales have been down for the first five months of 2008.  February showed one of the most significant declines from 211 million gallons of fuel purchased in 2007 to 198 million gallons in 2008.  The result of a decline in driving and fuel usage is a decrease in revenue generated from tolls and gas taxes.  This decrease has a negative affect on funding for road construction.

There are obvious benefits to driving less and reducing fuel usage, however, our roads are likely to take a serious hit as fuel prices continue to grow.  If fuel prices continue down the current path, I think politicians will need to look more closely on where funding is coming from and what needs to be changed to ensure incentives are pointing in the right direction.

One of the biggest factors that goes into purchasing a car these days is a vehicle’s fuel economy. Many consumers however are still on the market for cars that perform equally as well on the track as they do for your wallet. Road and Track published an article in its August 2008 issue titled “The Fast & The Frugal“. The story reviewed the top 10 most fuel efficient performance vehicles and concluded that the Chevy Cobalt SS was the best balance of fuel economy and performance.

With a 0-60 time of 5.5 seconds and an average fuel economy rating of 26 MPG, the Chevy Cobalt is an affordable solution for those who crave performance.

We thought it would be a bit more interesting to create a measurable value that could be used to compare car models on cost of performance. Here is what we came up with:

(Car Price * 0-60 time) / MPG

This formula only takes three pieces of data into account. Car price, 0-60 time in seconds, and MPG. The lower the number the better. We want an inexpensive, high performance, fuel efficient car. We applied this formula to every car tested by Road & Track in their article. The results are below.

1. Chevy Cobalt SS - ($23,490 x 5.5 seconds) / 26 MPG = 4,969
2. Mini Cooper S - ($28,850 x 6.4 seconds) / 30 MPG = 6,155
3. Pontiac Solstice GXP - ($30,299 x 5.5 seconds) / 23.5 MPG = 7,091
4. Mazda MX-5 - ($27,000 x 6.5 seconds) / 24.5 MPG = 7,163
5. Honda S2000CR - ($37,000 x 5.3 seconds) / 21.5 MPG = 9,120
6. Nissan Nismo 350Z - ($38,070 x 5.3 seconds) / 21.5 MPG = 9,348
7. BMW 135i - ($43,670 x 4.8 seconds) / 21 MPG = 9,981
8. Lotus Elise SC - ($54,000 x 4.6 seconds) / 23 MPG = 10,800
9. Audi 3.2 Quattro - ($45,620 x 5.1 seconds) / 20.5 MPG =11,349
10. Chevy Corvette Z51 - ($56,185 x 4.3 seconds) / 21 MPG = 11,504

So it appears we agree that the Cobalt SS is the best bang for the buck. The next 5 results are different. Road & Track took many more data points into account with their assessment, with less emphasis on cost compared to performance and efficiency.

As gas prices continue to rise in the US we can get a picture of what’s to come by looking across the pond.  British gas prices are currently at a staggering $9 per gallon.  To combat the surge; Britons are driving less than ever, using mass transit and a growing number are starting to car pool whenever possible.  Many surveys show that Britain is a leader in changing driving habits primarily due to the surge in gas prices.

Sources say that there has been an observable change in the purchasing of fuel from gas stations as well as the number of cars and congestion on the road.  Overall buying is down and it is becoming clear that consumers are cutting back on unnecessary outings.

Many environmentalists believe the growing cost of fuel to be a benefit that will drive consumers to consider alternative energy sources.  If nothing else it will curb an unnecessary use of oil.  On the flip side, economists remind us to consider the population on a fixed income or who barely make ends meet.  Growing gas prices will put these groups in a tough spot and they surely will not have extra funds to invest in the required lifestyle change.

Check Your Air Filter: Air filters become dirty and clogged over time.  This is an inexpensive part to replace and a clean filter can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 10%.

Tune Up Regularly: A regular tune-up is a good idea to keep your car performing the best it can.  Additionally, be sure to check for worn spark plugs as a misfiring plug can cost a lot of fuel.

Inflate Tires: Low tires can cause poor fuel performance and unnecessary wear.  Look for a sticker on the inside of the driver door that contains a maximum tire pressure chart.

Driver Slower: Generally driving slower can be a simple way to save money on gas.

Drive More Smoothly: Accelerate slowly and leave plenty of room between you and the car ahead.  Give yourself lots of time to allow your car to come to a natural stop rather than hitting the breaks at the last second.

Clean out Trunk: Remove unnecessary items from your car.  A decrease in weight can increase mpg.

Turn Car Off: As a general rule of thumb, if you expect to idle for 30 seconds or longer you should turn off the engine.

Turn of Air Conditioning: The compressor used to air condition your car causes more fuel to be used.  Weather permitting, consider using the vents rather than A/C.  Opening windows as a replacement for A/C is still up for debate.

Remove your roof rack: Reduce friction.  Removing an unused roof rack is a simple way to increase gas mileage.

Avoid Rush Hour: If you schedule permits avoid rush hour and busy roads.

Plan Ahead: Consider alternate routes to avoid traffic, busy intersections and traffic lights.