I Love My Car, Don’t You?
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Gas prices are leading individuals to alter their vacation plans. My neighbor not long ago packed up his SUV, drove thirty ft, and he and his family camped at the end of their driveway.
So like defensive driving can help you to avoid accidents on the roadway, today I will offer a couple of recommendations on how a little extra care here and there, when it comes to your automobile, can save you a lot of cash, not simply on fuel, but on repairs as well!
Keeping your engine humming is big. If your tailpipe is emitting enough exhaust that it looks as if you are spraying for mosquitoes, this means less cash in your wallet. I know it does not often fit very easily into your routine, but replacing filters and fluids as recommended, and following the service routine posted in your owner’s manual, will save you money in the long run.
On a regular basis check your tires for appropriate air pressure. Low air pressure causes your motor to work harder to drive the vehicle. Keep those tires inflated properly, and you will save as you drive.
Aggressive driving, speeding, fast acceleration and heavy breaking, all waste fuel. Pass the barf bag, please! Use cruise control on open highways to hold your speed as constant as possible. When you cruise sensibly, you benefit enormously.
Fuel Economy Benefit: 5-33%
Fuel Savings: $0.16-$1.03/gallon
If sixty MPH is the speed limit, drive it. Although every car reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed or range of speeds, gas mileage usually decreases swiftly at speeds over 60 mph. You can presume that every 5 mph you drive on top of 60 mph is like spending an added $0.30 per gallon for gas.
Fuel Economy Advantage: 7-23%
Fuel Savings: $.22-$.72/gallon
I drove an old hunk-of-junk during college. Nevertheless, I tried to stay positive. Every single time anything fell off, my miles per gallon increased!
Less weight means much better mileage. An additional 100 pounds in your car might lower your MPG by up to 2%.
Fuel Economy Advantage: 1-2%/100 lbs
Fuel Savings: $0.03-$0.06/gallon
Note: Gas savings estimates are being founded on the national average fuel cost of $3.13 per gallon as of Febryary 16, 2011.
Like wondering why new personal computers are out of date before you can even get them out of the box, excessive idling gets you nowhere. Because an idling automobile will get 0 miles per gallon, shut off the engine whenever possible. 10 seconds is the magic number. More than 10 seconds of idling and you generate savings by turning your engine off. And remember, today’s cars are designed to warm up fast. So after started, there’s no need to let them idle before placing the transmission in gear.
So take good care of your baby! Go the additional mile for it, and it should save you cash and run the added miles for you. And if all else fails, since kilometers are shorter than miles, to at least feel better regarding saving fuel, consider changing your odometer setting to kilometers.
Until Next Time,
Eddie
ASenseOfHumorDriving.com
7920 Glenview Drive
Richland Hills, TX 76180
817-577-8854