Sobering thoughts on saving gas

With gasoline prices soaring toward $4 a gallon, many Americans are trying to figure out ways to cut their fuel costs -- and politicians are only too happy to suggest ways they can get the credit for a price drop.

One of the more creative personal projects, however, comes from a blogger in Munster, Ind. who calls himself -- no joke -- "The Drunken Swede." An engineer, he's decided to experiment by mixing E85 fuel (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) with regular gasoline in his car, which is not a "flex fuel" vehicle meant to take E85.

You're not supposed to do this, of course -- long-term engine damage and all that, even though a regular engine can take about 10 percent ethanol. But after seeing E85 (which is heavily subsidized) being sold for 50 cents a gallon less than gas, he figured he could save a few bucks by adding just enough E85 to his tank to make a difference without hurting the car.

I know it's just an experiment to see what works, but as a matter of economics, I think this guy is living up to half of his nickname. By my calculations, even if you do a 50/50 mix of E85 and gasoline -- the maximum E85 he figures could work without stalling out or harming your car -- you might save $3 to $5 per 16-gallon tank (his first-tank savings were $2.79).

But bear in mind that E85 gives you less mileage than gas (estimates are anywhere from 5 percent to 30 percent less), so a mixture could wipe out your savings. Also, a more optimum concentration for a non-E85 car seems to be only 25 percent to 30 percent E85.

But hey, at least the guy's trying. He even put E85 in his wife's van -- then she called him Monday to tell him the van stalled. Talk about dedication.

Got any other ideas on saving gas?