Get Better Gas Mileage This Winter
Getting the best gas mileage is harder during the winter. Here
are a few simple things you can do to improve your winter gas
mileage.
Maintain your car. Check your tires to make sure they
have plenty of tread. Slipping tires are dangerous and they
waste gas. Ask your car dealer or mechanic if you can use a
lighter weight oil during the winter to reduce friction and save
gas. Consider using a low-friction or synthetic oil to save gas.
If it's been awhile since you changed your air filter, check
your owners manual to find the recommended changing interval. A
new air filter can greatly improve your gas mileage. Consider an
after-market low restriction air filter system. Not only can
these improve your gas mileage, but they often come with
permanent filter media that can be washed or cleaned and reused.
The higher cost of the after-market filter can be offset by not
having to buy new air filters.
Check your tire pressure. As the temperature drops, so
does your tire pressure. Low tire pressure is one of the most
common causes of poor gas mileage and it can also wear your
tires quicker and make your car handle badly. Check your tires
regularly with a tire pressure gauge and make sure they're at
the manufacturer's recommended settings. To find the recommended
settings look in your owners manual or open your driver's door
and look for a sticker on the rear of the door near the latch
mechanism. Some cars have different recommended pressures for
the front and rear tires. Don't overinflate your tires because
that can make them wear out quicker and make your car handle
poorly.
Don't run your car's engine to warm it up. This is a
common way people waste gas in the winter. See your owners
manual for recommended warm-up time for your car. It's usually
less than a minute and often less than 15 seconds. Running your
car's engine longer wastes gas. If you live in a very cold
climate, install an electric block heater to pre-heat your car's
engine. Consider bundling up in warmer clothes if comfort is an
issue. If you're out shopping, park in a sunny spot and let
nature help keep your car warm for your return.
Clear all ice and snow off your car before you start
driving. In addition to being a lot of extra weight to haul
around, ice and snow can increase wind resistance which also
hurts gas mileage. Also make sure you're not dragging around any
more weight than absolutely necessary by removing unneeded items
from your trunk.
Remove your roof rack. If you use a roof rack for skis,
snowboards, or other items, remove the rack when you're not
using it to reduce wind resistance. If you must leave the rack
on, at least remove the equipment from the rack to minimize the
mileage drop. Consider using an aerodynamic box-style container
on your roof rack for your winter sports equipment. If you
transport sports gear or other items in your trunk or inside
your vehicle, remove them as soon as you're done using them to
save weight.
Avoid the drive-through. It's convenient to use
drive-through lanes for coffee, food, or banking, but all that
sitting in line wastes gas. Park your car and brave the cold to
walk inside the eatery or bank and you'll save gas.
Bonus: Holiday gift suggestions to help save gas.
>> For those on a budget, an accurate dial-type tire
pressure gauge should cost you less than $15. Even the
entry-level digital gauges are less than $20. Of course if you
want a professional-quality gauge with superior accuracy or a
digital gauge that tells you your tire pressure audibly, you can
spend considerably more.
>> If you're shopping on a higher budget, consider a GPS
navigator. These electronic marvels listen to radio signals from
orbiting Global Positioning System satellites and calculate your
location with amazing accuracy. They can display maps, give you
step-by-step directions to your destination, and even tell you
where to find the nearest restaurant, gas station, or hotel when
you're on the road. You'll never have to worry about being lost
and you'll save gas by having a computerized navigator to direct
you to your destination. The cost? An entry-level GPS navigator
is well under $100 and they range from there to over $1000 for a
top-of-the-line model.