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Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Soaring Gas Prices Prompts 7 Tips On Saving Gas
by Ken Pierce, published on October 7, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Storyline: Ken Pierce Public Relations
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I recently realized that two things I desperately needed to get under control. First, gas prices have shot up...way up, and while prices will certainly level out, it’s just a matter of time when we will be facing higher prices once again.
Alright I can’t do anything about that, however I also noticed my Subaru Outback wasn’t getting the MPG (miles per gallon) I was getting several months ago. I had to have some answers so I asked Stephan White, Owner of Stephan’s Auto Haus, what is going on and how can I save on fuel?
“While there are the obvious answers to your question, like driving slower and cutting down on non-important trips, taking public transportation or riding a bike, there are a few things most people don’t think about when it comes down to finding ways to reduce fuel consumption when using a vehicle.” answered White.
1 First, if your Wheels are not aligned properly, they are fighting against themselves and causing wear as they “scrub” the road. This causes more rolling resistance. Higher rolling resistance uses more fuel.
2 Shocks and Struts are important too, keeping the tires “on the road” instead of bouncing which causes uneven wear of your tires. Once this happens, there will be high and low spots created on your tires better known as “chopped” tires. Replacing worn Shocks and Struts will help save fuel.
3 Tire rotation saves fuel too. Keeping your tires wearing evenly helps for easy road resistance, thus saving on gas use.
4 Regular changing of your oil and air filter…yes really, changing your engine oil gets rid of fuel robbing deposits that your engine creates under normal driving conditions. Replacing your Engine Air Filter saves your engine from struggling to pull air though the dirty air filters.
5 Tire pressure is obvious and most suggested by experts. A properly filled tire pressure will help reduce rolling resistance of your tires. Once again the lower the rolling resistance, the less fuel consumption you will experience.
6 Back in the day, they used to be called tune ups, but today they are maintenance services that are done at certain mileage intervals, mostly at 20/40/60k miles. These services are required to protect your new car warranty, but they also save fuel.
7 Lastly, Stephan suggested I get a GPS device for my car as I recently did. When I calculate a trip I mostly use the “Shortest Distance” calculation and was surprised to find short cuts I never knew about before. Cutting down the distance to and from places I travel daily has shown a vast improvement at the gas pump.
Stephan’s Auto Haus is a full service, auto repair shop specializing in German, Japanese and Domestic automobiles. The shop is located at 3950 Attawa Ave., Sacramento, CA 95822. For a free multi-point inspection call Service Advisor Robert Mosqueda or owner Stephan White at (916) 456-3040 or check out their Web site at www.StephansAutoHaus.com.
Disclosure:
Ken Pierce is a local Freelance Journalist and activist. Pierce owns a Public Relations and Social Media Consulting business here in Sacramento. You can contact Pierce at kpierce8272@yahoo.com.
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I don't think "tune ups" are really necessary--there's a litany of items that need to get maintained on a car, but they're all on a specific schedule, detailed in your owner's manual. While it can make sense to batch them together for convenience or cost while the car's in the shop, calling something a tune-up will often lead to unnecessary work. (Eg, your 60k tune up might include a transmission flush, whether or not you've already had one.)
Also, the article should probably mention that tire pressure is the runaway winner here, far more important than everything else for improving MPG on the average car. The correct PSI is what's written on doorjamb. Some argue for a higher pressure (such as what is written on the tire sidewall), but that also puts you at higher risk for blowouts.
Interestingly and counterintuitively, it looks like changing your air filter doesn't actually help MPG, though it's needed for car longevity and performance.http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.shtml