Here are some of the things you can do to ensure improved gas mileage for your car:
Servicing Your Vehicle
- Have fluid levels & condition checked at regular intervals. These fluids play a vital role in the operation, safety and performance of your vehicle. As your car or truck ages fluids may become dirty faster and the levels may become low.
- Inspect tire condition and inflation once a month. If your tires are underinflated your gas mileage will suffer. Even a few pounds of pressure low can cause premature tire wear. This is the least expensive form of preventive and safety maintenance.
- Keep your engine tuned up. A slight engine miss may not even be noticeable until it becomes a drivability problem. Old spark plugs can reduce your engines efficiency by as much as 30%.
- Check your lighting system. Frequently your vehicles headlights or warning lights may be out without your knowledge. Avoid this potential safety hazard with regular light checks.
- Inspect you windshield and wiper blades. Small cracks or chips in the windshield can quickly lead to larger problems. Cracks, tears and age in your wiper blades will reduce your visibility when you need it most.
- Have your cabin filter replaced. This filter cleans the air you breath in your car. Pollen, dirt and dust can clog this filter and compromise your cars interior environment.
Driving Habits
- Watch your speed. Keep your driving speed as constant as possible. Avoid fast starts, abrupt stops and utilize your cruise control on the highway. Remember your gas mileage rapidly decreases at speed above 60 mph.
- Avoid idling. When waiting for someone or becoming stuck in non moving traffic, turn you engine off. You will not only avoid releasing unnecessary hydrocarbons into the air - keeping the air you breath cleaner, idling gets 0 miles to the gallon.
- Drive responsibly. Aggressive driving can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 33%. Keep the stress down and arrive at your destination calm and relaxed.
- Plan your trips. Short trips and cris-cross paths cost you money. Short trips with multiple cold starts are hard on the life of your engine and use more fuel.
- Lighten up. Take off the roof rack if not being used, clean out the trunk and lighten you load. Don't haul around extra items when not needed. Every pound starts to reduce your gas mileage.
