It's a debate just waiting to rage whenever gas prices climb and the differences in opinion can be seen in almost any parking lot around Cherokee County.

One would think a pickup truck would be more aerodynamically efficient with the tailgate down. Not so, say those who have studied such topics.

Is it better to drive your pickup truck with the tailgate up or down?

Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, decided it would test the theory and came to a simple conclusion; the tailgate is better up than down.

Richard Small, senior auto test engineer, said the results weren't necessarily dramatic but leaving a truck's tailgate down actually costs you a little extra gas at highway speeds.

"It was always better with the gate up," he said of the magazine's tests. "It always ran a couple tenths (of a mile per gallon) better."

While it may seem counterintuitive, putting the tailgate down actually increases aerodynamic drag, something which Small said has been proven by another publication's tests in a wind tunnel.

Up or down doesn't really matter, however, if you're just driving around town as the impacts normally come into play at highway speeds, Small said.

One way to avoid the debate, and actually save a little gas, is to cover the bed. Consumer Reports testing of a hard bed cover's affect on gas consumption showed a covered bed increased fuel efficiency a little more than 1 mpg.

"Just food for thought," he said. "It you watch truck racing, they're all covered in the back."

With gas prices staying near the $4 level across the country, Small said some of the best things you can do to save some money are to make sure your vehicle is in good running order and to replace parts like spark plugs and air filters as recommended by the manufacturer.

Letting off the gas pedal helps, too. Fuel consumption actually increases beyond 55 mph.

And don't get hooked by the claims of fuel-saving devices, Small said. "None of them work."