Car Care Tips

Driving Habits

Clean your car regularly. Mud can weigh down the undercarriage of your car, slowing you down.
Consolidate your daily trips and errands. Restarting your engine uses a lot of gas, so plan your errands with as few stops as possible.
Whenever possible, avoid air conditioning. Keep in mind, however, that driving at higher speeds with windows open creates drag.
Change speeds gradually. Sudden stops and speed increases use more gas than gradual changes, so don’t throttle the gas or brake hard.
Don’t idle for long periods of time. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait, or you will use more gas than it takes to restart the engine.
Limit car warm-ups during the wintertime.
Clear unnecessary items from the trunk. More weight results in more drag.
Avoid high speeds. Although high speeds are nearly impossible to resist, you can improve your gas mileage by nearly 15 percent by driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph.
Use overdrive. If your car is equipped with overdrive gearing, use it as soon as your speed is high enough.
Use cruise control. Keeping a steady speed is ideal for improving your gas mileage.

Improve your engine’s spark. This will allow the air and fuel mixture to be burnt better.
Improve your intake/output system. Efficient intake of gas and output of exhaust will improve your vehicle’s overall performance and gas mileage.
Reduce friction. Use high-quality or synthetic motor oil.
Check your oil! Low oil levels force your engine to work harder.
Change your filters. Dirty filters may increase the amount of fuel your vehicle uses by 10 percent.
Keep tires properly inflated and aligned. Check regularly to ensure that your wheels are fully inflated and that your car’s wheels are properly aligned.
Get regular engine tune-ups and car maintenance checks. A lot can go wrong with a car, so check for needed repairs on a regular basis. Damaged spark plugs or transmission problems can also contribute to poor gas mileage.