Trip Tips, Gas Tips, and Seasonal Tips

Fuel Saving Tips

The following are Fuel Saving Tips and their respective impact on gas mileage provided by the Car Care Council, a non-profit consumer education organization.

Under inflated tires increase rolling resistance - 0.6 mpg
Dirty air filter causes excessively rich fuel/air mixture - 2.0 mpg
Worn spark plugs cause in-efficient combustion, wasted fuel - 2.0 mpg
Worn O2 (oxygen) sensor, unable to compensate for malfunctions - 3.0 mpg
Dirty or substandard engine oil increases engine friction - 0.4 mpg
Loose gas cap allows fuel to evaporate - 2.0 mpg

Potential loss in fuel economy if all of the above are neglected - 10 mpg. Yes, that is 10 miles lost for each gallon.

All of the items above are common maintenance items that are often overlooked. These can really increase your fuel expense on longer trips as well as in your regular daily driving. Some other things to consider according to the Car Care Council are your driving habits.

Don’t be an aggressive driver

Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage as much as 33% on the highway and 5% on city streets which results in 7 to 49 cents per gallon.

Avoid excessive idling

Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon. Letting the vehicle warm up for one to two minutes is sufficient.

Observe the speed limit

Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each mph driven over 60 results in an additional 10 cents per gallon. Cruise control is recommended to maintain a constant speed on the highway.

Combine errands

This saves gas and time. Several short trips taken from a cold start can cause twice as much fuel as a longer multi-purpose trip covering the same distance.

Avoid carrying unnecessary heavy items

An extra 100 pounds can cut fuel efficiency by a percent or two.

Some services that are helpful in making sure your vehicle is operating at peak efficiency are:

Motorvac Carbon Clean Service

Millions of vehicles today run at significantly reduced efficiency due to the high concentration of carbon deposits accumulated in the fuel injection system , intake valves, combustion chambers, oxygen sensor and catalytic converter. This service which is recommended every 30,000 miles benefits your vehicle in the following ways:

Repairs drivability problems (hesitations, hard starts, rough idling or lack of power)
Restores “new car” performance
Reduces harmful emissions and smoke Opacity (black smoke)
Extends the fuel system components life
Restores Fuel economy

Alignment inspection

Having your alignment checked in addition to making sure your tires are properly inflated will reduce friction drag which increases rolling resistance and contributes to poor fuel economy. We recommend having your alignment checked annually.

Trip Trips

An average of 13,000 Americans are killed between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, some a result of unperformed vehicle maintenance, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Each year, neglected maintenance leads to more than 2,600 deaths, nearly 100,000 disabling injuries and more than $2 billion in lost wages, medical expenses and property damage.

Most mechanical failures can be traced to neglected maintenance. For example, the U. S. Department of Transportation reports the leading cause of mechanical breakdown on our nation's highways is overheating, a condition that is easily avoidable. Other deficiencies that are simple to detect include low antifreeze/coolant, worn or loose drive belts and defective cooling system hoses.

Checking tire pressure and inflating a tire costs nothing, yet an average of 21 percent of cars inspected in check lanes during National Car Care Month have under inflated tires. This can lead to a blowout and a serious accident.

Seasonal Tips Will Go Here