One of the main ways to keep your miles per gallon at their most optimum is to keep your car well maintained. Read your owners manual and follow the schedule it lays out for every thing from oil changes, to total system flush and overhauls. Many dealerships and service stations will remind their customers when it's time to service their vehicle, taking the guesswork out of maintenance records. Ultimately a car in good condition runs better, requiring less gas to perform.
Tire condition is another factor many people don't consider. Keeping tires properly inflated will ensure that the engine doesn't waste fuel and will prevent tire tread from wearing unevenly.
Get More Exercise
Very few people can honestly say they don't need more exercise, we should embrace the high gas prices by walking and biking to all of our close destinations. Not only is this good for our bodies and the environment but on our wallets as well, it costs nothing to use our feet.
Another easy option is living near work, whether it means relocating to eliminate a commute or by finding work close to your home. While it is not an option for many people it is important to weigh options, the cost of the commute could be the justifying factor to eliminate commutes from your life altogether.
Membership and Credit
Some gas stations offer credit cards and/or programs that earn you money towards gas for every dollar you spend, instead of cashing in on those frequent flyer miles, try getting a break on gas instead. Over the long haul chances are it will save you money.
Make Wise Purchases
It should be a no brainer, but lets hope the next car you buy will be more fuel efficient and cleaner for the environment. Some of us will go super extreme and buy electric hybrids or attempt to turn a diesel into a bio diesel and eliminate the need for petrol. Others will buy smaller cars, and the new and used car market for smaller 4 cylinder vehicles will reflect this fact. Suddenly the safety that the bigger vehicles offer translates directly into money wasted on gas for many families.
Plan Ahead
Wasted trips use gas unnecessarily. Before leaving the house to run errands, be sure you have a list of everything you need to get accomplished. Taking a moment to establish the most effective route can save you dollars on wasted idle time and retraced steps. Most of the big search engines offer directions and maps giving the shortest route to your next destination. Note: None of the map services are known for their reliability so use them for guidance purposes only.
Parking Lots
Parking lots are another place where people waste unnecessarily. Being idle is wasted gas, waiting for pedestrians to struggle with carts outside the grocery store wasted gas, waiting for parking spots wasted gas. Head directly to the back of the parking lot, there is more space, less pedestrians and allow for easy in and out because the area is not busy like closer to the store tends to be.
It's all about using common sense and keeping your machine in good running order. These things make sense on more than just a gas saving level, they will help extend the life of your vehicle in addition to keeping it as safe and clean for use as it can be.
The correct tire pressure is different from car to car and from tire to tire. The correct or manufacturer recommended pressure for the tires on personal vehicles can be from 20 psi to over 50 psi.
The correct tire pressure for your vehicle is listed on the information placard. This placard is normally located on the edge of one of the doors, the inside post of one of vehicle's doors or inside the glove compartment, trunk, or fuel door. Your owner's manual should include the correct tire pressure or direct you to the placard's location on your vehicle.
Many drivers have the mistaken idea that the numbers on the tire sidewall indicate the correct pressure. This couldn't be farther from the truth. The information on air pressure listed on the tire is the maximum tire pressure that can safely be used in that grade tire. It also indicates the highest pressure that should be used in order to load the maximum weight in the vehicle.
Once you find the recommended tire pressure then you have to be able to measure the tire pressure on all of your tires to make sure they are at the correct pressure. Here is the correct way to measure tire pressure.
How to measure and correct tire pressure:
Step 1:
Make sure you have a tire pressure gauge. There are many kinds. You do not need an expensive one. A gauge with a dial is easier to read than the pop up kind.
Step 2:
Check the tire air pressure informational sticker or the car operating manual to determine the manufacturer suggested pressure for your tires. Once you have that information you can proceed with the actual measurement.
Step 3:
Tire air pressure should only gauged when the tires are cold. A tire that has been at rest at least 3 hours or a tire that has not been driven for more than 1 mile is considered a cold tire.
Step 4:
Complete tire inflation pressure check: Remove the cap from the valve on one tire, press the pressure gauge onto the valve and take a pressure reading. Make sure you press the pressure gauge completely onto the valve. You should not hear any air escaping from the tire as you are taking the reading. If air is escaping, remove the gauge from the valve and try reseating it again.
Step 5:
If you find the pressure is low, add air to the tire until you get to the correct air pressure. If you find the tire is over inflated or you put too much air in the tire, you can lower the pressure by pushing on the metal stem at the center of the valve which will allow air to escape from the tire. Measure the air pressure again to make sure you have the correct level and adjust the air in or out again if needed. Repeat measuring and adding or purging air until the desired pressure is reached.
Step 6:
Repeat this same step by step procedure for the other tires. It only takes one low tire to rob you of fuel economy, so you need to measure all the tires.
The standard recommendation that tire experts suggest is to check your tire pressure at least once per month. The tire pressure will change from day to day as air permeates from the tire over time. Heat and driving conditions can accelerate the rate that air pressure is lost. If you are able to check the pressure once each month you can be sure that the tires on your car will remain at the proper pressure all the time.
This is one of the easiest ways to save $100 to $200 dollars of gas costs. Just follow this advice and you will have more money in your pocket.
Both P. Filler & Scott Siegel are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
P. Filler has sinced written about articles on various topics from Build Muscle, Car Rental and Cars. About the Author:My name is Paige Filler and I'm a creative writer with a love of all things that go vroom. I do my homework to bring thought and innovation into everything I write about the auto industry.You can find more of my stuff at. P. Filler's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Scott Siegel has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Motorcycle Tips and Family. Scott Siegel has written a 143 page manual of automotive industry insider information on saving gas and dollars at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can get