Fuel additives

Fuel additives are touted as great products that help you get more mileage out of your tank of gas. Are they really such great products? What is their impact on the environment? We will clear up any questions that you may have about fuel additives.

There are many who claim that fuel additives are the next best thing since sliced bread. Others claim that they are a rip off and are harmful to the environment. Both sides are right...gasoline additives do increase your car's mpg, and they do accelerate combustion, which gives your vehicle more power and an overall smoother performance. On the flip side, they are just as harmful to the environment as any fuel, and some companies tend to exaggerate their product claims.

These are some of the claims of companies who manufacture fuel additives:

• Decrease hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions in the exhaust
• Reduce engine knocking
• Improve fuel stability when the vehicle sits for extended periods of time
• Increase fuel mileage 8-12%
• Reduce hydrocarbon emissions

On the flip side, opponents say that that fuel additives are misleading and bad for the environment. Certain additives have been proven in testing, to reduce the hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions from a vehicle. Many are bad for the environment, in that they are are considered no less harmfull than gasoline fuel. So yes, they are bad for the environment if they were to spill on the ground, but according to testing, they may actually give your car cleaner emissions. Others knock the additive companies for overstating figures and hyping the products actual abilities. Isn't this true with most companies? We should instead be pushing Congress to raise the auto fuel standard.