December can be an expensive month. Holiday parties, presents, decorations can all add up fast. That’s why this month I decided to share with you some sneaky ways to get better gas mileage and keep more money in your pocket.
1. Air filter – According to CarMax.com replacing your air filter can improve your gas mileage. A dirty, clogged air filter will reduce your car’s performance making it work harder than it has to.
2. Plan your trips – Planning and combining your driving can help save on gas. Instead of doing several short trips during the week, combine all of them for one longer trip when you have the time.
3. Set your tires to proper inflation – The U.S. Department of Energy reports that under-inflated tires are responsible for nearly 3.3 million gallons of wasted gas every day. Inflating the tires not only improves gas mileage but it is much safer for driving and improves the longevity of the tire treads.
4. Tune up your engine – There is a oxygen sensor located in the exhaust and on some vehicles it is mounted before the catalytic converter. This sensor reads the air to fuel ratio in the exhaust gases and relay the info to your car’s computer. If this sensor is malfunctioning then it won’t be able to measure the air to fuel ratio. It can also cause your check engine light to come on and cause your car to fail an emissions test.
The number one component in a tune-up that people tend to overlook is the oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensors are located in the exhaust and on some vehicles are mounted before the catalytic converters. They read the air to fuel ratio in the exhaust gasses and relay the information back to your cars computer. If the sensors are malfunctioning then they won’t be able to accurately measure your air to fuel ratio and can cause your engine to run lean or often times rich. It can also lead to having your check engine light illuminate on your dash or cause you to fail your emissions test.
5. Avoid excessive idling.
6. If you have automatic transmission use overdrive except when towing.
7. Maintain a log.
8. On fuel-injected cars, make sure the oxygen sensors, engine emissions system, and evaporative emissions control systems are in good shape.
9. Find the best gas prices in your town. A good place to check gas prices is at Gas Price Watch website: