Gas saving Tips from your Car-X Man
Here in the Midwest we all know there is a certain amount of car know-how that must go along with our general driving skills. It doesn’t have to be that extensive, but since we have four seasons every year; we are aware that driving conditions in summer are not nearly the same as driving in winter.
With the summer months approaching us, it is important to remember that taking care of your car before it gets hot out is just as important as taking care of your car before it gets cold. What a lot of people forget to think about in summer is tires.
Properly inflated tires aren’t just necessary for overall car safety, but having the right tires and maintaining them well can actually save you money! According to an informal study by students at Carnegie Mellon University, most cars in the US are operating on tires inflated at only 80 percent of their capacity. And according to fueleconomy.gov, inflating your tires to their proper pressure can improve mileage by 3.3 percent. 3.3 percent doesn’t sound like much but when you really look at the bigger picture, it is a lot of money per year that you could be saving. A person who drives 12,000 miles annually on under-inflated tires, uses 144 extra gallons of gas than someone who maintains proper tire pressure. This will save you about $500 per year on gas for your vehicle. Also, each time one of those extra gallons of gas is released, so is 20 extra pounds of carbon dioxide into the environment.
You can prevent harming the environment and save on money at the same time by just having your tire pressure checked at least monthly. The correct air pressure for tires should be in the owner’s manual or inside the driver-side door. When in doubt, mention tire pressure the next time you stop at your local Car-X and the mechanic will be happy to show you exactly how to check and maintain your own tire pressure; as well as recommend what tires suit your car best for every season.
Safe travels this summer!
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