7 Inexpensive Maintenance Items that Save Fuel
Very little money required but lots of savings!
Fuel economy and cost of gasoline become much more significant when money is tight and the price of this precious liquid keeps going up. You can save fuel cost by following these economical tips.
If your kitchen faucet drips you may not worry that much about how much water is lost. But put a bowl under that drip and I bet you’ll be surprised how fast those drops accumulate in short order. At $2.50 to $3.00 a gallon, gasoline “drops” can add up to significant amounts of money. Here are some tips to “stop the drips” . . .
- Keep your car, truck or SUV tire pressure at the correct level. According to a Car Care Council survey, incorrect tire pressure was found in more than 50 percent of the cars they inspected. Fuel consumption can increase by 1-2 percent when tires are underinflated by as little as 2 pounds.
- Keep air filters clean. Clogged filters were found on 16 percent of the cars they inspected by the Car Care Council. Replacing a dirty air filter can increase your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
- Use the correct weight motor oil. The higher the weight, the thicker the oil. Many features put in place by manufacturers to improve fuel economy will not work as designed when oil is thicker than specified. An inprovement of 1-2 percent in fuel economy can be realized by using correct oil weight.
- Replace spark plugs at the recommended interval or repair restricted fuel injectors as needed. It is easy to consider these an inexpensive maintenance item if you consider that worn plugs or restricted injectors could be reducing your fuel economy by as much as 30 percent. For a car rated to get 20 miles per gallon that could mean as much as 6 more miles per gallon.
- Keep your transmission fluid clean and at the proper level. Transmissions that slip can grreatly affect fuel economy, and fluid that is dirty or at a low level can quickly lead to improper shifting or slippage.
- Have a regular vehicle inspection. Even if your trusted mechanic charges for the inspection, you may be money ahead if they find damage or wear that could result in breakage and create a much more expensive repair later.
- Get brake system inspections at least twice a year. Brake systems on today’s cars are designed to allow for low rolling resistance to improve fuel economy. Brake parts that are not properly maintained or lubricated interfere with this design, and lead to higher rolling resistance. That translates to lower fuel economy.
Maintenance costs but it also pays. Nobody likes to spend money on maintenance work but remind yourself there is a return on that investment in dollars saved over time. Here’s an ADSi tip . . . If your trusted mechanic charges for their inspection, ask if you can negotiate a FREE inspection in return for your loyalty as their customer and for referring friends in need of quality car care.
You can save fuel today with minimal maintenance expense.
Copyright 2009 Dave Eastman, ADSi. All rights reserved. This post subject to Dale’s Auto Care website copyright as approved by Dave Eastman. (for verification email dave at daveeastman.com)
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