Here are some Gear Head tips to save you some gas and money at the pumps
Here are a few Gear Head tips that could save you some money at the gas pumps.
We are all feeling the effects of rising gas and oil prices, even celebrities have taken their struggles to the internet as well. It doesn't look like the prices will drop anytime soon, so we're here with some tips to help you out, of course if you're Stephen Colbert, who’s worth $75m, and admits that he doesn’t mind paying high gas prices, then you shouldn't read this article.
These tips are just coming from person experience and from you, our Gear Head followers.
TIP 1: MAINTAIN EXCELLENT VEHICLE MAINTAENCE.
It is very important to maintain good maintenance on your vehicle. If your vehicle is having noticeable issues like being out of tune, thumping or has failed an emissions test, it is important to get it looked at right away as you can save an average of 4%, but that varies depending on your issues.
Taking care of serious maintenance issues, such as a faulty gas line, bad intake manifold or having a worn-out oxygen sensor can improve your fuel mileage by roughly 40%, once again, this varies.
TIP 2: Use your Heat/AC less in your vehicle.
Yes, you can save gas by using your AC/Heater less, but it usually isn't enough to matter. This is according to David Bennett, manager of repair systems for the American Automobile Association (AAA). “The AC system, when operating, does add a slight load to the engine, which could slightly increase gas usage,” he says.
TIP 3: Try to avoid hamming your gas Pedal.
Avoid being a lead foot, unless you are racing that is.
When hammering your gas pedal, you are burning more fuel than you think, more than the Grammy going 20 in a 45.
TIP 4: Avoid unnecessary trips.
This is an obvious one here, but as a remember making unnecessary trips of course can lead to wasting your fuel, plan your trips accordingly.
If you need to travel, plan your routes on the highway.
Driving on the highway instead of City streets can save you gas because you maintain a constant speed and you avoid stopping and going.
Making sure that your car has good maintenance and by using cruise control during your commutes can all reduce your cars gas intake.
TIP 5: Make sure your car is not idling for long periods of time.
You might think leaving your car idle for a few minutes while you go inside the store to do your shopping isn't a big deal but leaving your car idle can use up a shocking amount of fuel. If you need to wait outside for a while in a parking lot for someone, it may be a good idea to turn off the car's engine and only start up the vehicle when needed. Of course, we all know it is nice to get back into a nice warm car in the winter but beware how long you leave your vehicle running.
TIP 6: Join a store with Gas Rewards.
When shopping at your local Albertson or Safeway, remember to punch in that phone number as each grocery purchase leads to .10 cents to $1 off per/gallon your next fuel up.
Many gas stations like Shell offer gas discount cards to their customers. With every purchase from their store location, you can build points to get gas.
TIP 7: Travel with well aired and aligned tires.
You don't need Bugatti wheels to ensure that you have good air pressure and a good tire alignment on your vehicle. By ensuring you have the proper tire pressure in your tires, you can guarantee that your gas mileage will lower by 0.4 percent. And we are not pulling your chain on this either.
When you do proper maintenance on your tires you can improve your fuel economy, increased handling and safety, you will have better braking, and a smoother traveling experience.
TIP 8: Coast downhill.
When you are driving downhill, it is a good idea to lift your foot off the accelerator and allow your vehicle to coast, just let gravity do its thing... It as can save you in fuel.
TIP 9: Use cruise control.
When using cruise control, you are staying at a continues speed limit without stopping and going at stop lights and stop signs. By using cruise control, you can save on average around 7-14% on gas.
When hitting the gas and releasing repeatedly, it can use up more gas than just hitting the cruise control buttons.
Use these tips and you can save some more gas money to come to our car shows!
