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Written by greeniac12112007   
Wednesday, 30 April 2008

Tips to Save You Money at the Pump This Summer

Summer is notorious for high gas prices and with the price of this precious commodity already flirting with $4/gallon in the early spring, it seems inevitable that the $4.00/gallon mark will be hit sometime this summer.  It is important that drivers learn how to manage this new price pest. However, don't run out and buy a hybrid or an economy car just yet. Did you know that fuel efficiency depends largely on how you drive more so than what you drive? For example, Al Gore's kid probably wasn't getting anywhere close to the advertised 50mpg when he was doing over 100mph in his Prius. The good news is, with proper maintenance and a few adjustments to your driving habits, you can be getting the most out of your car in no time!

Change the way you drive.

1. Don't be a maniac driver. Controlled acceleration and deceleration-essentially taking 15 seconds to slow down or speed up, versus 10 second- can save you up to 37 percent savings with an average savings of 31 percent according to a study conducted by edmunds.com, an on-line car buyers guide.

2. Be the tortoise and not the hare. Slower is a proven better in saving on fuel mileage. Driving the speed limit is no longer just for your safety, Edmunds.com found that driving the speed limit could save you Up to 14 percent in savings with an average savings of 12 percent.

3. Don't Drive, Cruise. When able set the cruise control, which helps in eliminating unwanted "surging" of the gas pedal while driving causing a decrease in acceleration. This has the benefit of up to 14% in savings according to the study conducted by Edmunds.com. This advice also depends upon road conditions, in mountainous areas cruise control decreases fuel efficiency because as the engine increasingly downshifts, requiring more fuel.

4. Idle hands are the devil's playpen, Idle cars are a gas-guzzlers heaven.< The moral of the story- don't let your car idle. Avoiding excessive idling can save up to 19 percent. It is still hard to determine what "excessive idling" actually means, but Edmunds.com recommends if your card will be idle for over one minute that you should probably shut it down.


Essentials of Car Maintenance.

1. Keep your tires pumped. Lower Psi decreases the fuel efficiency in the vehicle by increasing the amount of contact of the tire to the ground.

2. Regular tune-ups with the correct type performance oil will not only prolong the life of your vehicle but keep the engine at maximum efficiency. The correct type of oil essentially matches the correct viscosity of the fuel, incorrect oil may increase friction of the engine, which requires more fuel to be burned.


Other Techniques to lessen the strain.

1. Carpool. Two people are always better than one to share the costs.

2. Reduce your overall trips. Plan accordingly for multiple errands and you not only will save yourself time, but money too.

3. Avoid congestion. As best as possible, choose routes that will decrease your chances of idling or a great deal of accelerating and decelerating.

4. Decrease the weight of your vehicle. Remove the junk in your trunk and decrease the amount of friction between the car and road.




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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 13 August 2008 )
 

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