A Dozen ways to Save Gas

In spite of escalated gas prices and environmental issues, not everyone can run out and buy a new hybrid car. There are a number of things we can do regardless of what type of car we have that will enable us to reduce carbon emissions, and save money!

• Drive smoothly. Cars that accelerate and slow down repeatedly consume much more fuel. Taking off as fast as you can from traffic lights, drinks up fuel fast. Allow your speed to drop slightly when going up hill. The urge to prove your cars power and ability to maintain speed, going up steep hills, isn’t energy friendly. If your vehicle has a tachometer, watching that needle climb is an indication of the gas you are consuming.
  
• Keep your tires properly inflated. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations, and inflate your tires to the maximum pressure recommended. The right tire pressure can add 15% to your gas mileage and extends the life of your tires.
• Keep your tires aligned. This provides better gas mileage. Rotating your tires at least every 10,000 km increases their lifespan and evens up wear.
  
• When buying new tires purchase radial tires. Radial tires reduce friction between the tire and the road and saves gas. All Season Radials are NOT adequate in the winter. Even though it snows very little in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, snow tires also give you better traction on slippery streets. We get more black ice than most drivers realize. The number of ICBC claims and personal injuries would drop dramatically if people installed snow tires in winter.
  
• Ensure that suspension and chassis parts are checked during maintenance checks. Misalignments, bent axels, worn-out shocks, or similar problems cause engine drag. Suspension and alignment problems can make your car unsafe to drive and waste fuel.
• Keep your brakes checked and adjusted. This is not only a safety issue, any drag reduces gas mileage.
  
• Replace air filters, oil filters, and gas filters according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Dusty filters, or dirty oil or fuel filters result in poor gas mileage.
  8. Use the right grade of oil for your vehicle. Check the manufacture’s guidelines. This can save you up to 2%. Oils listing “energy conserving” on its API performance label have additives that reduce friction in your engine.
  
• Get regular tune-ups. Worn or dirty spark plugs result in misfiring. Getting a tune-up and replacing spark plugs can reduce your gas consumption by 30%.
  
• Loose or ill-fitting gas caps can allow gas to evaporate. According to consumer reports, this amounts to millions of gallons of gas a year across the nation.
  
• Remove items that cause wind resistance and air drag, such as roof racks. The less aerodynamic your car is the more fuel it uses. A loaded roof rack can reduce fuel economy by 5 percent. Even washing and waxing your car makes it more aerodynamic and saves fuel. Remove all snow from your hood, roof and trunk – snow is heavy and is anything but aerodynamic.
  
• Remove excess weight from your car. Clean out unnecessary items from your trunk. Weight reduces mileage, especially when driving uphill. It is estimated every additional 100 pounds reduces your fuel by up to two percent.