by: Norman Fleming
Today with soaring gas prices it's more important than ever to pay attention to the little things that can help your car to run more efficiently, hence saving you money. You can turn this into a win-win situation for you and for your car.The first tip to saving money on your car is keeping it's engine properly tuned up. A car engine that isn't running efficiently can use up to 30 ore fuel than a car engine that is properly tuned. Follow your car manufacturers guidelines for servicing your car.
Make sure that your tires are properly inflated. Tires that are under inflated will cause you to burn more gasoline. Make sure that your tires are kept in alignment. This will help you car to handle better also.
Avoid running the engine unnecessarily. The cars of today don't need to be warmed up in the morning like the cars our parents used to drive. Get in, turn it on, and go. If you are going to be waiting for someone, or sitting in your car turn it off.
Drive 55 mph and not 70 mph. Driving the posted speed limit can help you save up to 15 ore fuel. That's a nice saving! Also, use your cruise control when you can. This keeps your speed steady. Avoid sudden and extreme accelerations. These use fuel needlessly.
The next time you go on your errands see if you can run them more efficiently. Pick up your dry cleaning and your prescription at the same time. Don't double back from store to store, it's a real waste of gasoline, and time. If you don't have to be out in peak traffic times, don't. Wait until the traffic thins before running errands, this way you won't be waiting in long lines to get through the lights.
Set up a car pool to help usher the kids to and from school and sporting events. Perhaps you can take Billy home this week and Billy's mom can drop your son off next week. How about a car pool for work? We're living in a time where people live farther from work than ever before. With the price of gas a work car pool makes more sense than ever.
