Don’t Be A Fuel Fool


In recent months, gas prices have swelled to record numbers. The Energy Information Administration reports the national average is swiftly moving upward to more than $3 dollars per gallon for regular grade. But don’t fret; the Alliance to Save Energy and the consumer-friendly Websites fueleconomy.com and gaspricewatch.com offer suggestions to help both your car and your wallet counter the energy crunch with some simple yet effective gas mileage tips.

Avoid idling for long periods of time. It does nothing but use up valuable fuel. According to fueleconomy.com, a well-tuned engine can improve gas mileage by an average of 4%.

Get your car serviced regularly. Keeping air filters clean and tires rotated with adequate air will benefit not only your car but also your fuel expenses over time. Keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure can improve gas mileage by about 3.3%.

Don’t pinch your pennies too hard. If you can afford to fill ‘er up, do it. You’ll see better mileage off of a full tank of gas rather than anything less than half. And when you do decide to go all the way with a full tank of gas, don’t bother topping it off because filling past the first “click” will create sloshing and allow the gas you tried to squeeze in to spill over and out.

Hit the pavement. Walking every now and then will allow you to burn unwanted calories rather than costly gasoline.


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