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5 Fuel Savings Tips for Savvy Drivers

September 12, 2017 by admin 1 Comment

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.

Filed Under: Car Tips Tagged With: CRUISE CONTROL, EDMUNDS, ENGINE, idling, JAGUAR XF, save gas, TireRack.com, tires, weight

8 Reasons to Avoid a Particular Used Car

August 12, 2015 by admin 3 Comments

You are in the market for a car and a used one at that. Shop around carefully and you just may find a deal that suits you. Then again, if you are not careful when evaluating your options, you could be taken for the kind of a ride you do not want: notably, getting stuck with a problem-plagued vehicle. When considering a particular vehicle, avoid those that miss the mark due to any of the following eight reasons.

Volkswagen Beetle1. A problematic vehicle history. What do you know about the vehicle’s history? Have you obtained a CARFAX report? (A disclaimer: this correspondent is a contributor to CARFAX). A CARFAX or similar comprehensive report should spell out the owner’s name, the service work reported, accident information and other details. Certainly, such a report will not tell you everything about the car, but a report that lists a glaring problem such as being hit on the side in an accident is a car that should be avoided. In other words, you may be dealing with a car with a bent frame.

2. Coolant system trouble. A well maintained car will have clean coolant. A car that has been neglected will show signs of debris in the fluid, something that the average buyer might miss. Ask your mechanic to check the car to determine if the fluid has been changed regularly.

3. Engine oil or transmission fluid discoloration. New oil is amber in color, while older oil can be black, but still effective. However, most people are not able to determine if the oil is actually bad, something a skilled technician such as your mechanic can substantiate. As for the transmission fluid, if it smells burnt or looks dark brown, you may soon be faced with an expensive transmission repair if you go ahead and buy the car without taking it to your mechanic for inspection.

Jaguar4. Most performance models. The more power a vehicle has under the hood, the more likely the owner pushed the car to its limits. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with a performance model per se, such vehicles are typically prone to wearing out faster. For example, suspension parts may take a beating, the engine and transmission may have shorter life spans, and other parts related to vehicle performance may wear out faster.

5. Visible signs of wear and tear. Foggy headlights, worn tires, cracked rims, faded paint and ripped seats are signs that a car has been through it all. Likely, the visible wear and tear issues demonstrate that the owner has not kept up with overall maintenance, suggesting that this particular used car will offer a greater share of reliability woes.

6. Accident damage. We looked at this concern in the first point, but there are additional details that should be mentioned. First, if the car was in an accident, how severe was that accident? Second, was the car in more than one accident? Third, are there signs of corrosion present? Fourth, is the paint texture uneven or are the various panels poorly fitted? If you are still not sure about the car’s condition, then take the vehicle to a mechanic for an inspection.

Lexus RC7. The current owner is a smoker. You might be a smoker yourself or have nothing against people who smoke. But, if you are in the market for a car, smoke is one odor you may find impossible to remove from a vehicle. Moreover, ashes may burn holes in the seats or in the carpeting. Furthermore, smoke will permeate the fabric, settle inside the dashboard and simply pollute the cabin.

8. The model has a reputation for problems. Most cars built in the new millennium are far more reliable than those that preceded them. Yet, there are certain models that have performed poorly in crash tests, have gone through multiple recalls, or simply are outclassed in their segment. If you buy a particular model with a reputation for problems, your repair costs may come in much higher than a similar vehicle with a superior track record.

Used Car Considerations

Most car shoppers do not possess the expertise to buy a used vehicle without having someone else with them to also scrutinize the car. For a pricier used car, it is always sound policy to pay your mechanic to give the car a good looking over. If the owner refuses to allow a mechanic review, then you should move on to the next car.

See Also — NHTSA Recall Action Targets Rental Car Companies and Used Car Dealers

Photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine.

Filed Under: Car Tips Tagged With: CARFAX, COOLANT, ENGINE, MECHANIC, TRANSMISSION, USED CAR, VEHICLE HISTORY

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