'Fuel-Saver' Devices Will Not Save You Fuel

Forget studies and testimonials — to save money, keep up car and slow down

Like the sun rising in the east or Donald Trump embarrassing himself, rising gas pricesinevitably bring out a clutch of hucksters selling gizmos that magically boost fuel efficiency. They're scams, yet people still get suckered by the bushel.

Whether they plug into your cigarette lighteror wrap around your fuel line, black-magic gas sipping devices always involve the same trope of some secret piece of technology withheld by auto execs after a pleasurable evening under satin sheets with Big Oil. The real professionals include not just studies showing how effective their product can be, but several testimonials from people who gave them a try, and gosh darn if it didn't save so much gas they'd recommended it to all their spouse-cousins.

The current leading purveyor in this field is Fuel Doctor, a California company that's hawking its $59.99 dongle in Best Buy stores and sponsors a NASCAR truck team. The FD-47 supposedly "conditions" electrical current from an older vehicle's cigarette lighter, smoothing the flow, something something unicorns and bingo — fuel saved. Or in its own words:

Conditioned and clean power allows the vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU), fuel injection and engine timing equipment to operate more efficiently. When the vehicle's engine runs more efficiently it will require less fuel, produce more power and have reduced exhaust emissions (reduced CO2).

Science-y. And Fuel Doctor's own site has the requisite testimonials and studies to show how effective it is. As far as this field goes, actually posting the reports from the independent labs counts as a welcome step forward.

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