Memorial Day travel: Ways to save gas

Memorial Day weekend is a great time to hit the road for the first trip of the summer season, but high gas prices may cause some travelers to reconsider. However, don't let the pain at the pump put a damper on your plans. Here are some ways to save gas in your current vehicle.

Compare pump prices. Some GPS navigators and smart-phone apps let you size up local gas prices from your car. Or use a laptop at any Wi-Fi hot spot for gas comparison sites such as GasBuddy.com. A Manhattan search in May turned up prices for regular gas ranging from $4.21 to $4.73 at stations about only a half-mile apart. In Santa Monica, Calif., prices for nearby stations ranged from $4.27 to $4.79. Gas prices are often lower at stations affiliated with big-box stores and supermarkets and may be discounted further if you shop at the store. Prices at independent stations can be lower for what is often the same gasoline used in name-brand stations, but sometimes it's formulated without additives designed to clean the engine.

Watch your speed. The faster you drive on the highway, the worse your gas mileage will be. We saw fuel economy in our tested Toyota Camry drop 5 mpg when we increased our cruising speed from 55 mph to 65. Driving at 75 mph cut it by an additional 5 mpg.

Drive smoothly. Avoid hard acceleration and braking when possible. In our Camry, for example, frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced fuel economy by 2 to 3 mpg.

Don't be a drag. Don't add to your car's aerodynamic drag by carrying things on top of the roof if you don't have to. When we installed a large car-top carrier on our Camry, gas mileage dropped by a notable 6 mpg when we drove at 65 mph. Ski season is over; take off the unused roof rack.

Avoid premium gas. If your car is designed to run on regular gasoline, as most vehicles are, don't waste your money on premium. It won't make your engine run any better, and the only real difference you're likely to see is about 20 cents more per gallon. Many cars that are designed to use premium gas can even use regular. Check with your owner's manual and use the minimum recommended octane.

Skip the gas-saving gadgets. After testing several devices that were claimed to improve fuel efficiency, we have yet to find one that provides a significant difference in gas mileage or acceleration. And we're not alone. The EPA's website lists scores of such devices that the agency tested, with similar results.

For more gas savings tips, see our video below and check out our guide to fuel economy.