"Johnny English Gadgets"

 Ever since I’ve been digging into my own pocket to buy gas, I’ve been constantly in search of ways to stretch my wallet. The most foolish was being lured by an assertive salesman in buying a magnetic fuel device that separates the fuel bIah..blah from the dah…dah, thus giving you up to 20% savings and 20% more power. Wow! I was so sold out, I had to get one. To my dismay, the opposite happened. It was a case of a cat killed out of curiosity. I will never fall into that trap again.

Mileage-boosting gadgets found in the market have been around for years. They seem to make a comeback every time fuel prices go up. While the names, the packaging or the appearance of these devices may change to fit the times, they actually are still the same.

Some of these devices use magnets or “ionizers” to supposedly change the molecular structure of the gasoline or diesel fuel. These manufacturers claim that this reaction makes fuel burn faster and more completely in the combustion chamber thus giving you more power and more efficiency. Not to mention a label on the bottom of the package that reads “NASA TESTED”. Hooowa! I still have to research on how a simply magnet can alter the composition of fuel and bring spacecrafts to outer space and back efficiently.

Other products claim to have a similar effect by using an intake turbine that breaks the air particles into solid streams that when mixed with the fuel mist will give the engine chamber a more powerful combustion. Imagine a simply plastic propeller installed inside your intake hose. Does that make sense? I’ve always thought science was most interesting if it didn’t make any sense.

And yes, many of these so-called fuel-saving devices are simply well-packaged hoaxes that base their claims on dubious studies which offer no change in a car’s performance. These devices might actually even decrease your car’s mileage and worst, cause engine damage.

Although gadgets like these often do not perform the way these were advertised, the market for these gadgets will always be present as long as the demand for gasoline is high and prices remain high. For me, the safest way to stretch your mileage on a liter of gas is to choose your ride well, keep it in tip-top shape and eliminate your bad driving habits. Either that or get a hairy ride that eats grass.