For most people, driving every day is necessary, whether it’s commuting to work, running errands, or taking the kids to school. Even though it is necessary, that doesn’t mean it’s not expensive. Driving is often a family’s most significant expense, and while car maintenance can be pricey, gas tends to be one component of driving that is more expensive than anything else. Even if you have a fuel-efficient vehicle, you may still find that you are spending more money on gas than you would like.
If you find that your gas expenses are continually high, you’re going to want to employ a few tactics. There are specific techniques you can use to increase your mileage and extend your tank of gas. The more often you exercise these habits, the more likely you will be saving each month on gas expenses.
Keep An Eye On Your Tires
Almost 25% of vehicles on the road have vehicles with tires that are not properly inflated. Your tires need to have the correct amount of air in them for them to be working correctly. If your tires are not inflated correctly, it will reduce your mileage and ruin the tires. When paying attention to your tires, you also need to make sure they are correctly rotated and balanced, as it’s going to improve your fuel efficiency immediately. If you speak to a vehicle maintenance specialist, they can regularly check out your tires to ensure they are in good working condition.
Reduce Vehicle Weight
You’d be surprised that many people drive around with their trunks loaded up with stuff. Whether it is supplies you have in your vehicle in case of an emergency or something you just have forgotten to remove, this extra weight is going to reduce your mileage. The heavier your vehicle is the more gas required for it to get going. Not only will removing these items improve your mileage, but it’s going to take the stress off of the rest of the components within your vehicle, like your brakes and engine. By cleaning out your trunk and removing unnecessary items, you can start to save money immediately.
Lay Off The Brakes
If you are consistently pushing the brakes, like to slow down after speeding up unnecessarily, you’re going to be reducing your mileage by at least $.90 a gallon. Not only does pressing on the brakes wear down the rotors and pads prematurely it’s also going to waste a ton of energy. Rather than pressing on the brakes all the time, let your vehicle coast to a stop.
If you know there is a stop sign up ahead; there’s no need to start speeding up. The same goes for a red light. Keep your eyes ahead of you, scanning for areas where you’re going to stop and adjust your speed so that you aren’t continually pressing the gas and then pressing the brakes. Not only will laying off the brakes improve your mileage, but it’s also going to extend the lifespan of your brakes.
At McKinney Motor Company, we can help ensure your vehicle is working as it should so that you aren’t wasting extra mileage because of faulty vehicle components. Contact our experts today and start saving money.
