Automotive Journal

1. Keep tires properly inflated. Improperly inflated tires are harder to spin and create extra drag. Check your tires frequently - it doesn’t cost anything!

2. Have tires aligned. Poorly aligned tires also create drag, particularly on turns and while going uphill. Have your tires aligned at least every six to nine months.

3. Have your brakes checked. Brakes that are improperly aligned or worn make braking much less efficient, which in turn means you have to brake longer or harder, and burn more gas to accelerate again. Check your brakes whenever you have your tires aligned.

4. Have your engine tuned. If your engine isn’t properly tuned, it runs less efficiently. Have your engine timing checked, and replace dirty or worn spark plugs.

5. Limit idling. When you are idling, you are getting exactly zero miles per gallon. while it takes more gas to start your car than it does to idle, you can actually save gas by shutting off your engine if you are going to be idle more than 30 seconds.

6. Change your driving habits. Over-accelerating, stop and go traffic, congestion, these all burn unnecessary gas. Do your effands at night when there is less traffic so you can get to and from your destination in less traffic.

There are a lot of ways to improve gas mileage. Start be visiting sites like www.gasforlessmoney.com and start putting these gas-saving tips into practice. A gas mileage improvement of just 10% actually translates into a savings of $5-$10 by reducing how frequently you have to fill your tank!