Save $900 by keeping your tires at the right pressure
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Keep tires at the right pressure
Surveys show that 50 percent of vehicles have underinflated tires.
You can't "eyeball" tire pressure; you
have to check it with a tire pressure
gauge (less than $5). It's worth
your time to check tires monthly,
because underinflated tires
can cost you about $750 a
year in wasted gas.
Improper air pressure
can wear out your tires
twice as fast, costing
you an additional $150 a
year. The recommended
air pressure for your vehicle's
tires is on the decal pasted
to the driver's door or pillar.
Change spark plugs before they're due
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Replace spark plugs early and save a lot
If your 100,000-mile spark plugs have 80,000 miles on
them, they're 80 percent worn. Misfires and incomplete
combustion occur more frequently during that last
20,000 miles, costing you almost $562.50 in
wasted fuel. You have to replace your spark plugs
anyway, so do it early and pocket the savings.
Even if you have to replace the plugs one
extra time over the life of your car, you'll
still come out way ahead.
Save $307.50 by changing your air filter early and often
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Replace your air filter often
Your engine sucks 14 million gallons of air
through the air filter every year. If it can't get
enough air, the combustion efficiency will drop
by at least 10 percent. Air filters are cheap (less
than $15) and you can replace them yourself.
Replace the filter at least every 10,000 miles or
once a year, and even with that expense, still
save $270.
Save $140 by keeping your car aligned
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Measure your tire tread depth
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Tread depth gauge
A tread depth gauge costs $2 at any
auto parts store
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Check tire tread for uneven wear
Uneven tread wear signals alignment
problems
If your tires are bowed out of
alignment by just .017 in., it's
the equivalent of dragging your
tire sideways for 102 miles for
every 20,000 you drive. That’ll
cost you $187.50 a year in
wasted gas. It will wear your
tires faster, costing you $70
more a year.
Here’s an
easy way to check
your alignment
without taking
your car in to
the shop. Buy a tread
depth gauge ($2) and
measure the tread depth
on both edges of each
tire (rear tires too). If
one side of the tire is
worn more than the
other, your car needs
to be aligned. An alignment costs about
$80, so you'll still
save $177.50 the first
year alone.
Lead foot = light wallet
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Save money by driving slower
Hard acceleration in stop-and-go driving costs you 20 percent
in gas mileage. If you live your life in rush hour traffic
and like to put the pedal to the metal, spend all your extra
time at the next stoplight figuring out how you could have
spent the $750 a year you're wasting.
Replace a broken or missing spoiler
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An air dam (spoiler) reduces fuel costs
The plastic air dam (aka "spoiler") that’s broken or missing
wasn't just for a sporty look. If your car had an air dam, driving
without it or with a damaged one can reduce your gas mileage.
The air dam literally "dams off" airflow to the undercarriage of
your car, forcing the air up and over the hood. That helps your car
cut through the air with less drag. It also increases airflow to the
A/C condenser and radiator, reducing the load on your car’s electrical
system. Contact a junkyard or visit certifit.com to get a
replacement air dam.
Speed kills—your gas mileage and your wallet
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Driving fast costs more
Yes, you've heard it
before, but how
about some real world
numbers to
drive the point
home? Aerodynamic
drag is a
minor concern in
city driving, but it
really kills your
gas mileage at
speeds over 55
mph. In fact,
increasing your
speed to 65
increases drag
by 36 percent!
If you do a lot
of highway
driving, getting
to your
destination
a few minutes
early could cost you an extra
$637.50 a year. Keep it closer to 55 mph and use your
cruise control. It will pay off.
Replace your oxygen sensor(s) before the light goes on
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Oxygen sensors monitor exhaust
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Replace oxygen sensors regularly
Oxygen sensors monitor the efficiency of combustion by tracking
the amount of oxygen remaining in the exhaust. But they degrade
over time and that can cost you up to 15 percent in gas mileage.
When they fail, the computer lights up your "service engine soon"
light, forcing you to incur an $80 diagnostic fee. On pre-1996
vehicles, replace your oxygen sensor every 60,000 miles to keep
your mileage at its peak. On 1996 and newer vehicles, replace the
sensors every 100,000 miles. Oxygen sensors cost about $60
each. Some vehicles have as many as four, but the sensors
installed behind the catalytic converter rarely fail.
