All of us would like to go to bed and wake up tomorrow morning with a brand new car that is highly efficient on mileage. However, dreams do not come to reality in that manner, so you are left to come up with a way of making sure that you save on fuel costs. Here are a few things you can do to get the best consumption on your car.
- Keep your existing car
In as much as this might shock you, selling your current car to buy a new one may not be the best way to save on fuel costs. Instead, retain the one you have and learn to manage its consumption. The new hybrid cars may have excellent fuel efficiency ratings; however, you can do well with the one you already have. That said the first thing you need to do is get your current car serviced and good to go.
- Forget aggressive driving
Would you like to emulate the Hollywood movie stars whose vehicles start at a very high speed and go round corners with the same speed? If so, you need to let go of those desires. The U.S Department of energy estimates that these practices lower the fuel efficiency of your car by almost 40%. Driving aggressively, wears down almost all parts of your car, meaning that it will need more energy to perform as expected, hence consuming more fuel. Treat your car as a woman; gently and softly and see how much energy costs you will save!
- Keeping the tires rolling at no extra cost
It is said that a car is as good as its tires. When was the last time you checked the pressure on your tires?
For the sake of accuracy, look inside your car, especially on the interior of the driver’s door, a plaque indicates the appropriate tire size and pressure. Having the right tires and with the right pressure as indicated is one way of making sure they do not cause a drag while driving, hence consuming more gas. When your tires are in good condition, you are sure to have your fuel consumption on the lower side.
- Tune your engine to the right ‘frequency’
What is the difference between an engine and a well-tuned engine? If you have ever been in a place where the FM station frequency was not correctly set, then you know the answer to the previous question. Keeping your engine well tuned will not only make your driving smooth, but also save on fuel consumption. This is because the engine has all its parts working well, hence using the least amount of gas for combustion.
Every car has the recommended times and schedules of servicing, follow these to the letter and your gas costs will sail on a constant plain.
- Take the car for a slimming exercise
Over time, every car wears out and needs some of its parts to be replaced. This is compared to the shedding off excess weight in a person. Some metals get crooked, rusty and cease to serve their function. They make your car appear like an archeological find from an ancient civilization. Should you observe these, trim them off and replace them with new and lighter ones. In addition, open the trunk and get rid of any junk that might be in there that is not used in any frequent basis.
Making your car lighter and ‘slimmer’ is a great way of keeping its fuel consumption in check.
- Reduce your engine’s hunger by avoiding idling
Leaving the car engine idle should be avoided at all costs. It does not matter whether you are at the burger joint waiting for your kids to get the snacks or in an almost still traffic jam. Do not leave your engine idle. Idling gives you the impression that you will just drive off but what you do not know is the in addition to release toxic smoke fumes to the environment, your fuel is being ‘eaten’ by the idling engine.
There are some places where excessive idling are against the law and to enjoy both sides of the coin, have your engine turned off in situations where you are facing delays while driving. As far as the delays are concerned, even a long stop on a red light is enough reason to keep your car’s fuel appetite in check.
Chad is a car maintenance expert with vast experience in maintaining a car for a long time while keeping the lowest consumption costs. By visiting proautotips.com, you can get your car to give the best fuel economy imaginable.
