Do You Know How To Save Gas?

With gas prices reaching $3.00 a gallon, even small ways to save fuel can add up to big total savings! Here are ten tips that can help you squeeze a few extra miles out of each gallon of gas and keep more money in your pocket.

1 - Check your air filter - A dirty air filter restricts the flow of air into the engine, which harms performance and economy. Keep your engine in tune and make sure air and fuel filters are clean. Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy. Two of our Fix Auto Collision Centers have full service mechanical departments that can provide your vehicle with "Motorvac Service". This is a service that will clean your fuel system and make your engine run more efficiently. Click on the "Locations" tab to find the mechanical department near you.

2 - Keep your tires properly inflated - Goodyear Tire says, that most tires are under-inflated by as much as 4-5 lbs. This can use up to 10% more gasoline and wear out tires sooner. Buy a reliable tire guage, check your tires frequently, check them when they are cold (driving warms up the tires and the air in them, increasing the pressure). Keep them properly inflated to the pressures shown in the owner's manuel or on the data plate in the driver's door jamb.

3 - Repair body damage - That crunched front fender adds aerodynamic drag. Just ask any racecar driver!

4 - Use the thinnest viscosty oil that your car's manufacturer recommends - The thicker the viscosity the harder the engine has to work, using more fuel. Don't use premium fuel if your car doesn't require it, using it is an unnecessary expense.

5 - Maintain a consistant speed - Avoid jackrabbit starts and constantly speeding up and slowing down. It takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Use the cruise control over long distances whenever possible. Applying slow steady acceleration and braking may increase fuel economy by as much as 20%.

6 - Slow down - As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially. Driving 62mph on the freeway vs 75 mph will reduce fuel consumpyion by about 15%.

7 - Don't idle your engine for long periods - If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the engine. Restarting the engine uses less fuel than letting it idle for that period of time.

8 - Empty the trunk - In the spring, remove the sand bags from your trunk. Extra clothes, overdue library books, and tools all weigh down your car unnecessarily. It doesn't take much to acquire an extra 40 to 50 lbs of stuff.

9 - Use the A/C sparingly - When the air conditioning is on, it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used by about 20%. The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner. Keep windows closed or only slightly open whenever possible. Open windows increase drag and can decreaes fuel economy by up to 10%.

10 - Plan your trips wisely - If you need to go to several places, plan a route that alows you to run most or all of your errands in one outing. Listen to radio traffic reports for alterate routes around congested areas.

With today's high gas prices, it's worth considering some or all of these measures to help improve your gas mileage. It will keep money in your pocket!

For assistance with the proper inflation of your tires, visit a Fix Auto Collision Center near you and we will be happy to assist you free of charge. Two of our locations have full service mechanical departments to meet all of your service and maintenance needs. Check the "Locations" tab to find the location nearest you.

For the cheapest gas prices in the Portland Metro area, check out www.portlandgasprices.com

For other Oregon cities, check out www.oregongasprices.com

For Washington cities, check out www.washingtongasprices.com

GW2006