Toni-Lynn
08-08-2008, 10:10 PM
A Clean Car Is a Happy Car
http://www.scottcommonsense.com/images/ap_2008_07_neat.jpg
Americans love their cars – all 250 million of them. But sometimes, that love affair is a little one-sided. While our cars continue to keep us moving day to day, we don't always do everything we can to keep them moving.
We all know that routine maintenance can help our cars last longer, run better and maintain their value – that's common sense. But did you know that keeping a car clean can help it get better fuel efficiency? With gas prices being sky-high this summer, it makes sense to do everything we can to get the most out of each tank.
Store away excess cargo and carriers.
Whatever you can do to make your car lighter and sleeker will improve its aerodynamics and lead to better gas mileage. So take the luggage container off the roof and empty the old camping equipment out of the trunk to save gas.
Replace your dirty air filter.
Replacing a clogged filter can improve your gas mileage by as much as 10%. Experts recommend changing the air filter every 30,000 miles.
Change and recycle that dirty oil.
Manufacturers recommend changing your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles for the best engine function. When you change that oil, make sure you are using the right grade oil – the wrong grade for your car and the season can lower your gas mileage. Also, make sure you use Energy Conserving motor oil, which has additives to reduce friction and improve your fuel efficiency.
Fill up your tires, not your tank.
Properly inflated tires are not only safer, because they give you better traction on the road, but they also improve your gas mileage by more than three percent.
Straighten up your alignment.
Poor wheel alignment can be detrimental to your fuel efficiency. Have your wheels re-aligned and rotate your tires so they wear evenly and cause less gas-guzzling friction.
Keep your car well tuned.
Worn spark plugs, dragging brakes, low transmission fluid, or transmission problems are all contributors to poor gas mileage. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/***/maintain.shtml), fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.
Polish up your driving skills.
In addition to keeping your car cleaner, cleaning up your act on the road can reduce your gas consumption. Don't drive aggressively (stay alert to avoid sudden breaking and accelerating), turn the car off rather than idling and don't exceed 60 mph on the highway.
http://www.scottcommonsense.com/images/ap_2008_07_neat.jpg
Americans love their cars – all 250 million of them. But sometimes, that love affair is a little one-sided. While our cars continue to keep us moving day to day, we don't always do everything we can to keep them moving.
We all know that routine maintenance can help our cars last longer, run better and maintain their value – that's common sense. But did you know that keeping a car clean can help it get better fuel efficiency? With gas prices being sky-high this summer, it makes sense to do everything we can to get the most out of each tank.
Store away excess cargo and carriers.
Whatever you can do to make your car lighter and sleeker will improve its aerodynamics and lead to better gas mileage. So take the luggage container off the roof and empty the old camping equipment out of the trunk to save gas.
Replace your dirty air filter.
Replacing a clogged filter can improve your gas mileage by as much as 10%. Experts recommend changing the air filter every 30,000 miles.
Change and recycle that dirty oil.
Manufacturers recommend changing your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles for the best engine function. When you change that oil, make sure you are using the right grade oil – the wrong grade for your car and the season can lower your gas mileage. Also, make sure you use Energy Conserving motor oil, which has additives to reduce friction and improve your fuel efficiency.
Fill up your tires, not your tank.
Properly inflated tires are not only safer, because they give you better traction on the road, but they also improve your gas mileage by more than three percent.
Straighten up your alignment.
Poor wheel alignment can be detrimental to your fuel efficiency. Have your wheels re-aligned and rotate your tires so they wear evenly and cause less gas-guzzling friction.
Keep your car well tuned.
Worn spark plugs, dragging brakes, low transmission fluid, or transmission problems are all contributors to poor gas mileage. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/***/maintain.shtml), fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.
Polish up your driving skills.
In addition to keeping your car cleaner, cleaning up your act on the road can reduce your gas consumption. Don't drive aggressively (stay alert to avoid sudden breaking and accelerating), turn the car off rather than idling and don't exceed 60 mph on the highway.