Pain At The Pump: Government Gas Secrets

[Anaconda_Dinar_Sheik]

The government has been keeping a secret about automobiles under wraps for the past 30 years.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/kcra/20060508/lo_kcra/3452610

[Lux]

I never trusted those number because I assumed they were under perfect conditions with the car running at it's highest efficiency - a level that most people don't tend to maintain with their own vehicles.

There are many things that affect you mileage. Four simple things you can do to make sure you are getting the best out of your car:
Replace the air filter regularly - this is the cheapest and most effective way to improve gas mileage
Tune ups - if your car is out of tune you are burning too much gas
Properly inflated tires (also keep them aligned) - making it harder to move your car sucks money right out of your wallet
Use the right oil grade for your car - don't make your engine work harder than it has toThese four tips alone could increase your gas mileage by 20%. The air filter alone could increase you mileage by as much as 10%. That's easily hundreds of dollars for most of us and maybe thousands for those who drive alot.

Most of the recommended maintanance can be found in the manual to your car. If not, ask your dealer

The better you maintain your car, the more efficient it will run, and the more gas mileage you will get out of it. And of course, the less likely you will dish out big money for major repairs.

:wave:

[Lonestar]

I guess I will get a new air filter on the way home from work, then check the tires, I may need a tune up but do change my oil myself and use the recomended viscosity. Good tips Sports, thanks!

[Lux]

Glad to help.

There's a video on CBS regarding the Consumer reports study about the faulty numbers - scroll down the center.

Faulty Gas Mileage Figures

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?channel=/sections/national/videoplayer201.shtml

[reconaz]

I never trusted those number because I assumed they were under perfect conditions with the car running at it's highest efficiency - a level that most people don't tend to maintain with their own vehicles.

There are many things that affect you mileage. Four simple things you can do to make sure you are getting the best out of your car:

Replace the air filter regularly - this is the cheapest and most effective way to improve gas mileage
Tune ups - if your car is out of tune you are burning too much gas
Properly inflated tires (also keep them aligned) - making it harder to move your car sucks money right out of your wallet
Use the right oil grade for your car - don't make your engine work harder than it has toThese four tips alone could increase your gas mileage by 20%. The air filter alone could increase you mileage by as much as 10%. That's easily hundreds of dollars for most of us and maybe thousands for those who drive alot.

Most of the recommended maintanance can be found in the manual to your car. If not, ask your dealer

The better you maintain your car, the more efficient it will run, and the more gas mileage you will get out of it. And of course, the less likely you will dish out big money for major repairs.

:wave:

Excellent post. On this note I recommend K & N air filters. They are re-usable. They cost around 30-40 dollars, depending on the make and model of your car. They allow more air to be sucked into the engine, there for giving your car a better mixture of air and gas. This saves you money. K & N makes cleanining kits (CANT clean it with anything else) for $10. I think they last about 5-6 cleanings. This has saved me alot of money because I live in AZ and used to replace my filter every 3-5 months (to much dirt). Check them out.

[Lux]

Thanks for the tip reconaz!

I'll be putting them in on my next change.

:wave:

[Aunt Gwennie]

I never trusted those number because I assumed they were under perfect conditions with the car running at it's highest efficiency - a level that most people don't tend to maintain with their own vehicles.

There are many things that affect you mileage. Four simple things you can do to make sure you are getting the best out of your car:

Replace the air filter regularly - this is the cheapest and most effective way to improve gas mileage
Tune ups - if your car is out of tune you are burning too much gas
Properly inflated tires (also keep them aligned) - making it harder to move your car sucks money right out of your wallet
Use the right oil grade for your car - don't make your engine work harder than it has toThese four tips alone could increase your gas mileage by 20%. The air filter alone could increase you mileage by as much as 10%. That's easily hundreds of dollars for most of us and maybe thousands for those who drive alot.

Most of the recommended maintanance can be found in the manual to your car. If not, ask your dealer

The better you maintain your car, the more efficient it will run, and the more gas mileage you will get out of it. And of course, the less likely you will dish out big money for major repairs.

:wave:

You can also find many more tips for preventative maintenance at www.aaa.com (http://www.aaa.com). They give a few more tips for the tire pressure, air filter, and oil change recommendations you have made. Made it a little easier for me to understand....anyways....with regards to when the best time is to check your tires and explains the weight of the oil a little more.



Tire pressure. Why? Over-inflated tires ride roughly and suffer premature wear at the center of their tread. Under-inflated tires decrease fuel economy, cause imprecise handling, suffer premature wear at the edges of their tread and can overheat and fail at highway speeds. Tires typically lose about one pound of pressure per month through normal seepage and as seasons change, tires lose or gain another pound of inflation pressure with every 10 degree change in outside temperature.

When? Check the tire pressures (including the spare) at least once a month when the tires are cold. Always follow the inflation pressure recommendations in your owner's manual, or those on the tire information label that is located in the glove box, on a door jamb, on the fuel filler door or the underside of the trunk lid. Don't use the inflation pressure molded into the tire sidewall; this is the pressure needed to achieve the tire's rated load capacity and it may or may not be the correct pressure for your particular car.
Engine Oil. Oil is the lifeblood of your engine. Without adequate supply of clean oil, your engine will wear more rapidly, and could even seize and be destroyed. Oil doesn't freeze like water, but its viscosity (thickness) does increase as the mercury drops. Lighter grade oils reduce the load on your car's battery and starter, allowing more rapid cranking and starting. Lighter oils also reach critical engine lubrication areas much quicker than heavier oils, greatly reducing wear.

When? Change your engine's oil and oil filter at the specified intervals and follow the more frequent "severe service" recommendations if your driving habits meet any of the conditions described in your owner's manual. Always use the weight of oil recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer for the existing temperature conditions.
You can read more here......
http://www.aaa-texas.com/CORPINFO/05-09-30-AUTO.ASP

AG

[kashkow]

If you want good gas milage for our car you need to be using this!

http://www.4-ecorp.com/zoom99


With gas milage at $3 a gallon and it will get higher we will all be using this. :happy26: