Does it seem like every time you go to the gas station, you spend all your money? By taking care of your car and driving in ways that use less gas, you can get more miles out of every gallon you pump.
Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council, said, "Most drivers don't realise that the little things that don't take much time or cost much can really make a difference when it comes to saving money at the pump." "Loose or missing gas caps, tyres that aren't inflated enough, spark plugs that are worn out, and dirty air filters all lead to bad fuel economy."
The Car Care Council suggests these ways to keep your car running well and save gas.
Lock the gas cap on your car. About 17% of the cars on the road don't have gas caps or their gas caps are broken, loose, or missing. This wastes 147 million gallons of gas every year.
Keep your tyres at the right pressure. Driving on tyres that aren't inflated enough is like driving with the parking brake on, and it can cost you a mile or two per gallon.
Always replace spark plugs that are worn out. Every 1,000 miles, a car's spark plugs can fire up to 3 million times. If the spark plug is dirty, the engine won't run right, which wastes fuel.
Change air filters that are dirty. If the air filter gets clogged and stops letting air in, it makes a mixture that is too "rich" in gas, which makes the engine lose power. If the air filter is clogged, replacing it can improve gas mileage by up to 10%.
Don't be an aggressive driver. Aggressive driving can reduce gas mileage by up to 33% on the highway and by 5% in the city.
Don't idle too much. Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon. Just one or two minutes is enough time for the car to warm up.
Don't go faster than the limit. At speeds over 60 mph, gas mileage drops quickly. On the highway, use the cruise control to keep your speed steady.
Don't put heavy things in the car that you don't need. A weight gain of 100 pounds can cut fuel efficiency by 1% to 2%.