Carr Chevrolet Fuel Savings Tips

April 22, 2011 - PRLog -- These ten fuel saving tips can help you improve your car's fuel economy and take some of the sting out of high fuel prices. Most of these tips will give you a very slight increase in MPG -- but use several together and the gas mileage improvements will really add up.

1. Avoid High Speeds
As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph vs 75 mph  will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

2. Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard
By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.

3. Keep Tires Properly Inflated
Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1%. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.

You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer

4. Use A/C Sparingly
When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.

5. Keep Windows Closed
Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.

6. Service Vehicle Regularly
Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.

Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned: Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.

Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.

Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil: You can improve your gas mileage by 1–2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1–2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1–1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.

7. Use Cruise Control
Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.

8. Avoid Heavy Loads
Remove the sand bags from your trunk in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.

9. Avoid Long Idles
If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.

10. Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle
When buying a new vehicle examine the vehicle's rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission will provide you with great fuel economy.

Selecting which vehicle to purchase is the most important fuel economy decision you'll make. The difference between a car that gets 20 MPG and one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $948 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $3.79). That's $4,740 extra in fuel costs over five years!

Carr Chevrolet is the LARGEST Chevrolet Dealership in the Northwest and have the largest allocation of Volt's which enables us to provide a greater selection to our customers than other dealerships in our region. We service Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Wilsonville, Vancouver and the rest of the metro area!
To view our Inventory please go to www.carrchevyworld.com to check current availability or contact us at 888-679-3830.

information from GasBuddy.com & fueleconomy.gov

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Carr is a family owned and operated business that has been rated in the Top 100 Companies to Work for in Oregon 5 times! We have over 50 employees that have been with Carr for over 10 years!
For over 70 years, Carr has been the leader in Sales and Service for General Motors. Our multi-million dollar service facility is equipped with state of the art diagnostic and repair equipment to handle even the most complex problems including the new VOLT. Our Parts department is very knowledgeable and well stocked- if we don't have it we can get it quickly! We also have a great tire department if you would like to upgrade the wheels and tires on your new vehicle. Carr is also the Highest Rated Dealership in Customer Satisfaction in the Northwest.
Carr Chevrolet
“Where Salaried Salespeople see it your way”