MILES-PER-GALLON BOOSTERS

Want to squeeze a few more miles out of that next overpriced tank of gas? Tom and Ray Magliozzi aka Click & Clack of NPR’s Car Talk fame have a list of miles-per-gallon boosters on their Web site. And they’re not just the obvious and typical “be sure your tires are properly inflated” and “replace the air filter more frequently.”

There are segments on the site devoted to driving less, ride sharing and buying fuel-efficient vehicles, but most useful are the suggestions for getting the most mileage out of the vehicle you own. Car Talk’s merchandise is listed under their “Shameless Commerce Division.” The following, admittedly, is “shameless borrowing” of the chuckling mechanics’ tips to save gas:

. Use regular gas, not premium. Most vehicles run fine on the lowest octane sold at gas stations, but many people have been seduced into believing their car runs better on the higher-priced fuel. Check the owner’s manual, and if it does not call for “premium only,” buy the cheaper stuff.

. Drive slower. Wind resistance does not increase evenly but more rapidly as speed increases. The Car Talk guys say wind resistance considerations are why so many new vehicles resemble jelly beans; unattractive, but efficient. For every 10 mph you accelerate, you lose another 15 percent in efficiency, the brothers say.

. Don’t linger in lower gears. That advice may seem contrary to the “drive slower” directive, but just as your legs work less when you get the 10-speed bicycle into 10th speed (on flat surfaces), cars are designed to work most efficiently in the highest gear. Just get to the high gear by steadily and smoothly accelerating, not by stomping the gas pedal.

. Don’t speed up on hills. For some reason, drivers feel they have to charge up hills, and actually increase their speed beyond what they were driving at on the flat stretch of road. Keep a steady speed, or allow the car to slow down a bit as you climb.

. Anticipate stops and brake less. Are you familiar enough with your route to know there’s a stop sign or lower speed limit zone ahead? Coast into it. You’d be surprised at how far the car will roll while still maintaining enough speed to avoid rude gestures from the driver following you.

. Stop idling. If you know you’ll be sitting in line at the bank drive-through for more than a minute or so, turn off the engine.

. And imagine this last suggestion coming in typical Click & Clack bluntness: Ask for directions, you knucklehead! With resources like MapQuest, there’s no excuse for taking a longer than necessary way to work.