Summer Auto Maintenance Checklist
You've got your suntan lotion, a giant cooler and three cheap novels -- you're ready for a summer road trip. You may be prepared, but are you up to date on your summer auto maintenance? Sure, auto maintenance is the last thing on your mind, but it'll jump to the front pretty quickly if you're on the side of the road. Below are some tips to get your vehicle ready for the scorching summer sun:
• Radiator Flush. Over time the coolant in your radiator can break down and start to corrode the inside of your radiator. This can lead to cooling problems and radiator repair.
• Replace Your Air Filter. It is recommended that you replace your air filter twice a year. Flush and refill the cooling system.
• Tire Checks. Your car tires are the only thing keeping your car on the road, so making sure you have enough tread depth to drive safely in any conditions should be a top priority. While you're at it, check your Tire Pressure too!
• Replace Your Windshield Wipers. YWinter weather can be brutal to your windshield wipers, making them almost useless if you get caught in a summer rain shower. Replace them at the beginning of the summer and you won't have to worry.
• Click Here to read more ways to get your vehicle ready for summer.
Fuel Economy Tips
Fuel economy continues to be a hot topic and Car-X Auto Service provides many services to help you maintain favorable fuel efficiency, such as:
• Tires - Repair/Rotations
• Oil Changes
• Tune-Ups
Other ways in which to improve your fuel economy:
Properly Inflated Tires
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 25% of cars have one tire that is under inflated! That’s dangerous and wastes gas. Each year 33,000 injuries result from accidents caused by under inflated tires. Keeping your tires properly inflated can save you 12 cents per gallon in gas.
Don't Drive So Fast!
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
• Fuel Economy Benefit: 5-33%
• Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.12-$0.76/gallon
Observe the Speed Limit
As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.
Observing the speed limit is also a safety precaution.
• Fuel Economy Benefit: 7-23%
• Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.16-$0.53/gallon
Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
• Fuel Economy Benefit: 1-2%/100 lbs
• Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.02-$0.05/gallon
Avoid Excess Idling
Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.
Use Cruise Control
Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
Use Overdrive Gears
When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.
Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $2.31/gallon.
Data Sources:
• Estimates for fuel savings from sensible driving are based on studies and literature reviews performed by Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc., Washington, DC.
• Estimates for the effect of speed on MPG are based on a study by West, B.H., R.N. McGill, J.W. Hodgson, S.S. Sluder, and D.E. Smith, Development and Verification of Light-Duty Modal Emissions and Fuel Consumption Values for Traffic Models, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, March 1999.
Top 5 Items that Significantly Impact Fuel Economy
** Proper tire inflation
** Proper wheel alignment
** Properly tuned engine
** Properly following maintenance schedules
** Properly operating brakes |
