by Murray Anderson
We all know that the price of gas has risen dramatically in the last few months and every time we fill up we’re reminded once again that buying gas can be a major hit on the monthly budget. Gas is becoming so pricey that in a recent survey more than 40% of the respondents said rising gas prices would likely affect their vacation plans or make them rethink visiting relatives. So, with summer and holiday season approaching what are we supposed to do? Forget about visiting family and friends in neighboring states or taking a camping trip up in the mountains? Stay home all the time? Well, nobody can make the price of gas go back below $3.00 a gallon, but with some planning you can keep your gasoline costs more manageable while still living a relatively normal life. Here’s some ideas...
To start with, maintain your vehicle. We hear it all the time and it’s boring, but it’s true.
- A well maintained vehicle will burn much less fuel than one in bad condition. Take your vehicle to a qualified mechanic on a regular basis for routine maintenance items like oil changes, belt adjustments, and ensuring the pollution controls are working properly. Things like old, unchanged oil, fouled spark plugs, clogged fuel filters and blocked PCV valves all make your engine work harder and cost you gas and dollars.
However, here’s some good news, you don’t have to leave everything to a technician, there are some things you can do yourself that will improve your gas mileage and leave some money in your pocket.
- Check your air filter every 3 months. If it’s clogged or dirty replace it. You can buy replacement air filters at auto parts stores or department stores like Wal-Mart for much less than service center prices. Getting to your air filter is usually a matter of opening a couple of clips or undoing a wing nut, not major mechanical work. If you don’t know how to do it, check your owner’s manual or ask a neighbor or family member who is mechanically inclined. Once they show you how, it’s easy to do yourself and only takes a few minutes. Making sure your air filter is clean can add miles to every tankful.
- Checking your tire pressure at least once a month will help keep your car rolling smoothly. Tires that aren’t inflated to the correct pressure cost you gas. The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is on a sticker usually mounted on the doorpost of the driver’s door or the door of the glove box. Don’t go by the pressure marked on the sidewall of the tire, that’s the maximum pressure the tire can withstand – never inflate your tires to anywhere near that number.
- Clean out your trunk. Lots of us carry around hundreds of pounds of extra weight in tools or ‘stuff’ we keep in our trunk, ‘just in case’. Getting rid of most (or all of this) will mean your engine doesn’t need to work as hard to move your car. If you can’t stand the idea of not having tools in your trunk, put together a small (i.e. lightweight) tool kit you can leave there. Things like a pair of needle nose pliers, vise grips, a combination screw driver, crescent wrench, electrical tape or duct tape and perhaps a few plastic cable ties will only weigh a few pounds all together and should be able to address most emergencies.
Drive differently
- It’s hard to believe but avoiding ‘jack rabbit’ starts and sudden stops can actually give you up to a 20% gain in gas mileage. Accelerating steadily and watching ahead to avoid slamming on your brakes like for example, rushing to an intersection just to stop at the next red light will have a major impact on your car’s mileage.
- Driving at the speed limit (rather than even just 5 or 10 miles over) will also save on gas. It’s estimated that by driving at the speed limit you could increase your car’s mileage by 10% or even more.
- Don’t idle. If you go to a drive through for your morning coffee or end up waiting for your kids at school, turn off your engine. A study done by Natural Resources Canada shows that letting your engine idle for more than ten seconds actually burns more gas than shutting it off and restarting it. Besides, you’ll probably get your coffee just as quickly if you park and walk in and your car won’t turn into an oven if the air conditioning is off for a few minutes outside the school try opening the windows.
- Speaking of air conditioning, do use your air conditioning, particularly on the highway. A properly maintained vehicle with the windows rolled up will burn less gas than the same car with the windows down when travelling at highway speed. Open windows will create air resistance and drag, while the closed windows reduce air drag on the vehicle, meaning it slips more smoothly through the air. Another advantage of using air conditioning is the cooler, quieter cabin means less driver fatigue and helps a driver stay alert and relaxed. Important considerations when travelling distances.
Now it’s obvious the best way to save gas is to not drive at all or get rid of your old vehicle and buy a more fuel efficient one. However, in the real world, that isn’t going to happen overnight so, we need to figure out how to get the most from the vehicle we already have. While none of these gas saving tips will make the cost of your summer driving remind you of the ‘good old days’, taken together, they will certainly help lower your gas bill, and allow you to do the things you enjoy – while leaving a few dollars in your pocket.
. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted to our "