Save Gas By Performing Simple Maintenance

Vehicles can be very expensive, as any driver probably already knows. There is the cost of oil changes, repairs, car insurance, and let’s not forget, gas! The price of gas alone is enough to make many drivers want to go into hibernation and simply wait for them to come back down to earth. However, that is not a real option, as we all still have places we have to get to, and it simply costs money to get there.
Luckily, the regular maintenance that you have to perform on your vehicle anyway can actually help you to get more mileage out of the fuel you use! It is nice to know, especially these days, that the money you spend on this kind of maintenance can also help you save money at the gas pump! Conversely, if you do not have the regular maintenance done on your vehicle like you should, your gas mileage is sure to suffer.
One of the very rudimentary things that has to be done with your car every so often is getting an oil change. Oil changes can occur ever few months or even sooner, if you drive a lot, but you do not want to let them slide (no pun intended)! After all, oil changes keep your engine running smoothly, which in turn allows you to get more mileage out of the gas you put into your car. It is also important to use the correct grade of motor oil, as this can have a small effect on your gas mileage, as well.
Another type of regular maintenance that can help you to increase your gas mileage is getting your car tuned. Tune-ups are hard to measure in terms of increased fuel efficiency, but it has been speculated that a car that is properly tuned will use 4% less gas than a car that is not tuned and has not been in some time. While 4% may not seem like that much money, think of it as sixteen cents of savings for gas, if the price is $4 per gallon. As you can see, that can add up to a substantial amount!
It is also of the utmost importance to get your car checked regularly, especially your fuel intake, exhaust and other systems that can affect gas mileage. If there is a problem with an important part of these systems, you car will probably still run, but fuel efficiency can be very badly affected, causing you to lose almost half of your fuel efficiency in some cases! It definitely pays to get problems like those fixed!
One of the least expensive, but most effective, improvements you can make for gas mileage is to simply replace old, clogged air filters. Although it may not seem like a big deal to drive around with dirty air filters, filthy ones can rob you of 10% of your fuel economy! Again, for the price it costs to fix this simple problem, you really can’t beat the results you receive!
These are a few of the things that you should be already doing for your car that will provide you with benefits to your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. If you have been slacking on these areas of maintenance, make sure to get on the ball! It may cost you money to maintain your car at first, but it may very well save you money in the end!