May 20, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 19
Franklin Lakes Car Show & Flea Market
Little things can add up to big savings when driving your car. Practical steps, such as keeping tires properly inflated, combining trips, driving at off-peak hours to avoid stopand-go traffic, and following the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual will help ease the pain at the pump. Conservation has three basic parts: driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and vehicle selection. For many, the toughest thing about saving gas is breaking old habits. Obeying the speed limit is the most basic step in boosting your mileage. The U.S. Department of Energy says that every five miles per hour that you drive in excess of 60 is about the same as adding 10 cents to each gallon of gas. Lead-footed drivers might also consider the matter of the police officer with the radar gun.
Stop guzzling gas: Little changes make a big difference
Using cruise control is a good way to maintain a constant speed on the open highway. In most cases, this will save you gas. Use a high gear or overdrive when driving at highway speeds. The high gear will reduce engine speed, saving gas and cutting engine wear. Aggressive driving, such as jackrabbit starts followed by screeching stops, can cut your highway and city mileage. This style of driving also puts unnecessary wear and tear on your tires and car. In city driving, the flip side is chugging around in second gear. Starting in second gear strains the engine, eats gas, and puts extra wear on your clutch. Revving the engine at high speeds rather than shifting into third of fourth gear
also wastes gas. When idling, you’re getting zero miles per gallon. Shut the engine off if you expect to be waiting for even a short period. The ignition system is built to start the car, so don’t fret about wearing it out. Check the owner’s manual and be sure to buy the right grade of gasoline for your vehicle. If your baby is designed to run on 87-octane regular, filling the tank with midgrade 89-octane or supreme 91- or 92-octane fuel is tossing money out the window.. Follow the recommended service schedule listed in the owner’s manual and change oil, engine coolant, filters, and spark plugs at recommended intervals. Keep the engine tuned. This will reduce emissions and can save about five percent on gas. Check and replace the air filter regularly because a fouled filter can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
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