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With the cost of fuel on the rise, thrifty drivers look to improve mpg with the use of fuel additives. But before using the all important dollars you earn on a product that supposedly helps you, make sure that this expenditure will actually help you get better gas mileage.

Additives are believed to promote better gas mileage as well as give the engine life a boost. This may hold true for some additives and in certain cases. Although, all these additives do is clean the parts like fuel injectors and fuel lines, removing deposits that block the unrestricted flow of fuel. Hence, these additives may be rendered useless by a regular maintenance regime involving dismantling and cleaning of fuel injectors.

Additionally, most gasoline sold in developed nations already contains additives. Premium gasoline contains more of these additives than regular gasoline. However, the higher octane rating of premium fuel plays no role in improving fuel efficiency for the great majority of passenger vehicles. Higher octane fuels are only helpful for older engines with "pinging" problems, as well as certain specialized engines, such as small boating engines.

Neglecting the care of the vehicle is one good reason to try a fuel additive especially designed to treat the neglected components, such as clogged fuel injectors. The temporary use of an absorbant fuel additive may be required to clear water in the fuel tank or the fuel line. The temporary use of a fuel additive may be useful in used vehicles with an unknown maintenance history.

With these specific exceptions, fuel additives are usually not needed. Most gasoline already contains similar additives, and more of these additives will not help your engine get better gas mileage. In addition, high levels of additives will cost you money and damage the environment. If you are not sure whether you should use a fuel additive or not, consult your local mechanic and get his opinion.

You need to carefully follow instructions if and when you decide to use fuel additives. The additive may or may not float in gasoline, so you may need to pour it into your gas tank when it is empty or when it is full. If you use the additive improperly, then it won't work as well.

As gas prices rise, more people are turning to products that claim to inprove mpg, such as many fuel additives. Before dumping even more money into a bottle of fuel additive, consider if the product is really necessary, or even helpful for obtaining better gas mileage. These additives work by cleaning parts, such as fuel injectors and fuel lines, of excess deposited materials that are inhibiting the smooth flow of fuel. Moreover, in the developed nations gasoline already has additives in it. The regular gasoline has fewer additives than the premium one. You need to carefully follow instructions if and when you decide to use such additives.