23 Dec Improve the Fuel Efficiency of Your Vehicle
If you have taken a recent visit to the car lot, and have looked at the window sticker’s claims to MPG, you might have been shocked to know that many modern vehicles get very good gas mileage. But those advertised numbers are statistically possible only when the vehicle is operated at its optimal best. That means the vehicle is driven responsibly (As if there’s an egg on the floor beneath the gas pedal and brake), and all of its components are in optimal shape. Here’s a few things to consider about MPG, and a few methods to keep your vehicle’s average MPG at optimal numbers.
Remember to accelerate smoothly. Drive a Toyota Prius like a racecar and you’ll likely get a MPG average close to a racecar’s. When you accelerate or brake too abruptly, it causes your engine to work harder and less efficiently than it should. It’s also a good idea to limit the amount of time a vehicle spends at idle. In the winter season, if you do need to warm your vehicle prior to driving it, then limit the amount of time you keep it at idle. A newer vehicle doesn’t need to be warmed up prior to driving it, and when you idle a vehicle for longer than three minutes, you’re going to expend considerable fuel, and your MPG average won’t be anywhere near your vehicle’s optimal capabilities.
Your vehicle’s air filter is going to help your engine burn the fuel more efficiently. If the filter is clogged or overly dirty, it needs to be replaced. And it’s also a good idea to keep the tires at an optimal pressure. Underinflated tires, even tires underinflated by 10 PSI, can cost you 5 miles or more per gallon on average—that’s significant! A tire gauge is a simple instrument, and the optimal PSI for your vehicle’s tires should be located both on the sticker on the driver’s side door and in the vehicle’s owner’s manual.
And for the health of your car and all of it’s components, you have the experienced mechanics at Willard’s Garage.
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