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5 Fuel Savings Tips for Savvy Drivers

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Saving money at the pump.

High fuel prices can drain your wallet, making it difficult for you to make ends meet. You cannot do anything about pump prices, but you can put some distance between your visits to the service station, by employing several fuel saving tips immediately.

1. Use Cruise Control

fuel saving tipsMost cars come with cruise control, a device that keeps your vehicle at a constant speed. Cruise control is ideal for the open highway when long traveling distances mean consuming much fuel.

Set your cruise control at highway speed and you may be able to find fuel savings averaging 7 percent according to Edmunds.com.

2. Keep Your Engine Tuned

Tune ups are a thing of the past, but your car’s engine still needs to run optimally. Many cars can go as far as 100,000 miles before replacing spark plugs becomes necessary. Even so, there are other parts that may need replacing sooner such as the PCV valve, fuel filters, ignition components and air filters.

By following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance intervals as outlined in your owner’s manual you can save about 4 percent on fuel, perhaps much more if your oxygen sensor is faulty.

3. Keep Tires Inflated at the Proper Level

Under inflation can lead to tire failure putting yourself at risk of an accident. Tires that are regularly under inflated can see tread life reduced by up to 25 percent notes TireRack.com.

Improperly inflated tires can have a negative affect on your fuel economy too, coming in as much as 3 percent lower when tire pressure is 10 psi below the car manufacturer’s recommended level.

2016 Jaguar XF
Avoid idling to reduce fuel consumption.

4. Avoid Prolonged Idling

Among the newest features found in many cars built today is stop-start technology. These technologies cut engine spark and fuel when idle, such as at a stop light, automatically reactivating same when you take your foot off of the brake.

Car manufacturers have been rolling out start-stop technology as an important way to enhance fuel savings. Even if your car is not equipped with the technology, you can save fuel when your idle times last for more than one minute. Double-digit fuel savings are possible when you shut down your idled vehicle.

5. Lighten Your Load

Do you use your trunk to store sporting gear? Do you drive around in your pickup truck with excess weight in the truck bed? If so, that added weight can make your engine work harder and run less efficiently.

For every 100 extra pounds that you have in your vehicle, your fuel savings can drop by up to 1 percent according to the EPA. Whenever possible lighten up to conserve fuel.

2016 Ford Focus RS
Always ensure tires are properly inflated. Check the spare while you are at it.

Take it Easy

You can realized additional savings if you ease up on the gas pedal by avoiding both jackrabbit starts and harsh braking.

Add it all up and your fuel savings can top 25 percent. This means if you currently spend $60 per week on fuel, you may be able to save as much as $15 a week or $780 per year.

See Also — 8 Steps to Buying a Used Car

Jaguar and Ford photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine. All rights reserved.

Summer Daze: Tips for Keeping Your Car Running During Hot Weather

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Avanti

Temperature extremes can wreak havoc on your car, increasing the likelihood of a problem leading to a breakdown. Indeed, sub-zero weather may keep your car from starting, while a heat wave can cause it to overheat.

Summer weather is here and with it comes extreme temperatures. No, the Fahrenheit does not need to top 90 degrees to cause mischief. However, a combination of poor maintenance habits and heat can conspire to suddenly disable your car, forcing you to call for assistance.

Here’s how to keep your car running during hot weather.

Examine Your Owner’s Manual

The best way to avoid a breakdown is to keep your car properly maintained. And that maintenance is outlined in your owner’s manual, typically tucked away in your glove box, gathering dust.

Pull out the owner’s manual and familiarize yourself with it. Learn what maintenance due items are coming up and complete them, especially if you are planning a long trip. Look back as well — you may have missed something.

Consider Severe Duty Car Care

As you examine your owner’s manual, you will typically find two levels of car care — standard and severe service. Severe duty may pertain only to a few things, such as changing the oil and fluids.

Standard care routinely covers vehicles where owners drive to work or use their cars for personal use. On the other hand, severe service should be applied to vehicles operated in dusty conditions or for vehicles used to regularly tow, operate in sandy areas, or aren’t driven enough.

Adopt the severe schedule if you live in a southern state or wherever high temperatures are constant for several months during the summer. Older vehicles or models with 75,000 or miles on the odometer should also adhere to the more rigorous severe duty schedule, covering oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and radiator coolant changes. Include your filter changes — oil, air, and fuel — and replace your cabin filter too.

Under the Hood

Beyond fluids, there are other things to examine while you’re looking under the hood. Start with your car’s battery to ensure the connection points are clean and secure. If your battery is old, check it with a voltmeter. If the battery voltage comes in less than 12.45 volts, it should be recharged with a battery charger. If the battery will not accept and hold a charge, then it should be replaced.

Belts and hoses are two other areas that must be checked. For belts, look for signs of wear and tear, sliding your fingers across the belt to pinpoint cracking, fraying, and missing sections. Check tension by pushing down on the belt. If it gives more than a half-inch, then change it.

As for hoses, check only when the engine has cooled. A hose is sufficient if it feels firm to the touch. On the other hand, you’ll want to replace it if has soft or mushy areas. Cracks and fraying are two other problems — both can lead to leaks.

Don’t Forget Your Tires

The only things separating two tons of car from the road are your tires. Thus, it is very important your tires are in top shape, especially for your next trip.

When properly inflated, tires offer sufficient grip on road surfaces. Oppositely, under-inflated tires can affect fuel economy, handling, and hasten tire wear. Tires with tread wear indicators showing should be replaced.

Adequately inflate your tires to the level outlined on the placard located on the driver’s door jamb. Don’t follow the number listed on the tires. Your spare tire should be in excellent shape and fully inflated. But know this: if your car is equipped with an air inflator kit, it won’t do you any good if you have a blowout. Therefore, consider bringing a full-size spare with you.

Getting it Done

There are a few more areas of your car to examine before you take to the road this summer.

Replace your worn wiper blades, check the air conditioning for sufficient cooling, replace burnt out lights, and test your brakes. Blades and bulb replacement you can handle yourself; coolant systems and brake care may require the assistance of an automotive technician.

Finally, you handle most problems en route if your car is equipped with basic tools, a flashlight and replacement batteries, duct tape, and a spare belt and hoses. An emergency kit contains many of these same items and can be assembled on your own or purchased.

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