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Myth: Additives
Your neighbor promised you, “This little pill can improve your vehicle gas mileage up to 20%!” And you might have also heard adding mothballs, acetone or even WD-40 to your tank could improve your mileage. Even though a few have reported marginal MPG improvement, these additives could cost you more than the gas savings are worth. Also, you could face some car warranty troubles if manufacturers find out you’ve used unauthorized additives.

Myth: Sticks are Better
Though it’s not 100% guaranteed, a manual transmission will usually get slightly better mileage than an automatic. But the real savings comes with the car purchase, where new car prices can be as much as $1,500.

Myth: At the Pump Tricks
Did you get the email from the Kinder Morgan Pipeline employee? It was pretty much a hoax. The external temperature at which you pump your gas has been the focus of legislators in several states. While it is true that gasoline expands and contracts 1% for every 15 degrees, it has little effect going into your vehicle. And squeezing the trigger halfway to reduce vapors (as the email claims) is so economically insignificant, you’re probably losing money by waiting for the slow fill-up.

Myth: Installing fuel-saving devices
Representatives from the magazine, Popular Mechanics tested a bunch of those devices, from water injectors to magnets to vortex generators, and the outcome? Not one worked. And they said some could significantly damage the car’s engine by coming apart unexpectedly.

Myth: Trucks with Tailgates Down
Modern pick-up trucks are built quite aerodynamically to push the air flow directly over the empty bed. So there’s minute to zero drag there.

Myth: Let the Engine Idle
Back in the days of carburetors and non-electric ignitions, letting the engine idle could have saved a little gasoline, but that’s not the case now. When your car’s just sitting there, you’re just burning fuel at zero MPG. Turn your car off if you expect to be idle more than two minutes.

Myth: Cooling — A/C or Windows Down?
Some have said that driving with the windows down creates aerodynamic drag, and others claim running the air conditioning will eat up your gasoline in nothing flat. Neither one is completely accurate. Studies at Edmunds.com showed that driving with A/C can lower your car’s gas mileage by about 1 MPG, which isn’t a big deal unless you have a thirsty SUV. And driving around town with your windows down will save you a couple pennies.