Free Money (Almost) (Fuel Saving Tips)

You spend a lot of money on a vehicle, probably the most money you’ll spend on anything except a house. But the spending doesn’t stop after you’ve bought it. It goes into things like insurance, repairs and fuel. One good piece of news is that you can cut down the amount you spend on fuel if you follow a few tips.

Keep your speed under 50 mph/80 kph. Anything over that and your fuel economy will go down quickly the faster you go. Sure, you can legally drive faster than that, but practice this one tip and it can save you from 7%-14% on fuel.

Use cruise control. The steady speed increases fuel economy by avoiding unnecessary braking and accelerating.

If your vehicle is carrying unnecessary weight, unload it. If you can save 100 pounds/45 kilograms, it can save you 1% of your fuel.

Don’t idle. Let’s say you’re sitting in a parking lot with your engine running for 10 seconds. Any more and you’re wasting fuel. Turn off your engine and start it when you have to get going. You may have noticed that many newer vehicles automatically turn the engine off when the vehicle stops.

Avoid using a roof rack. A cargo box strapped on the top of your vehicle can reduce your fuel economy by 2%-8% in city driving, by 6%-17% on the highway and by 10%-25% at highway speeds over 65 mph/105 mph.

Also, if you have roof rails on your vehicle with crossbars, you can save 1% of fuel simply by storing them somewhere else. Some vehicles like Chrysler’s Pacifica minivan allow you to store the crossbars inside the roof rails to reduce drag.

Keep tires at their recommended inflation. It can save you 3% of your fuel bill.

Use the right motor oil for your vehicle. Using the wrong kind can cost you 1%-2% more money on fuel.

Sure, many of those savings are small on their own. But add them up and you’d be surprised at how much you can save. Also, keep in mind that a well maintained vehicle will also save you fuel, so make regular maintenance trips to your vehicle service facility.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

3 Winter Windshield Tips (Care of Windshield)

Cold weather can present some real challenges when it comes to your vehicle’s windshield. Think of it. Your windshield is your window to the world when you’re driving, and clear visibility is extraordinarily important for safe travels. So here are 3 tips to ensure that your windshield can do its job during the cold weather.

Don’t ever pour hot water on a frozen windshield. Let’s say you head outside and see your vehicle covered with ice. You think, hey, maybe I can heat up a pot of water on the stove and melt that off fast. Don’t do it! You run the risk of shattering the glass the second that hot water hits the frigid glass. Ditto for using a propane torch. Glass does not do well with sudden temperature changes. Instead, turn on your engine and start the defroster, which heats the windshield up gradually. Use a plastic scraper designed for windshields (don’t EVER use metal to scrape) and be patient. Don’t hammer on the ice to break it into pieces. Sudden pressure and glass don’t mix.
Keep your wiper blades up off the glass. If you park your vehicle outside and you think there’s a chance of frozen precipitation falling, do what smart winter drivers do. Lift the wiper arms off the glass and leave them extended with the blades not touching the glass at all. That way when you go back to your vehicle, you won’t have to try to pull the wipers off the icy glass (which can damage the rubber blades) or start the wipers with them frozen solid to the windshield. Many drivers have burned out their wiper motor that way, and that can be a pricey repair.
Keep your windshield washer fluid topped off and use it often. So you’ve followed the steps above and you’re on the road. Salt, brine and sand can muck up the windshield fast, causing your wiper blades to smear the glass, re-freeze the icy snow and blind you. It’s important to use wiper fluid made for low temperatures so it doesn’t freeze on your glass. Use it often so any road debris won’t scratch the glass like sandpaper. And make sure your defroster is working properly, keeping your windshield warm enough to prevent ice from forming.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

The Best Test

Would you buy a jacket without even trying it on? Probably not, but it might surprise you that one study shows about half the people buy a vehicle after a short test drive around the block or none at all. If you’re in the market for another vehicle, make sure you check out the most important things so you’ll know if that’s the right vehicle for you.

Check out the gadgets. Love a good sound system? Then turn it up loud. Does it have enough bass for you? See how you like its navigation system if it has one. Try pairing your Bluetooth smartphone with the vehicle. Test out how to set the cruise control and how steady it keeps the speed. Back up and check out the rearview camera. If you buy this vehicle, you’ll have to live with all of these things every time you drive.

Test the vehicle on roads you know. See how it handles bumps and potholes, how it takes that tight curve that you drive every day to and from work. Driving on familiar roads gives you a chance to compare what you know with what you’re thinking about buying.

Check the fit. One suburban driver drove a full-sized SUV and loved it until they got it home and realized it was too high for her old garage. Remodeling the garage would be the only answer! Try installing your child seats. Size matters, especially in a vehicle.

Gauge the fuel economy. Many vehicles have a trip computer that will calculate fuel economy quickly. Here’s a tip: you can reset it before your test drive and when you’re finished, check it and see what fuel economy you got. It will be a smaller sampling than would be ideal, but it will give you an idea.

Take as much time as you can. A lot of sellers will pressure you to restrict your test drive to 10-15 minutes. Ideally, you’d like to have that vehicle for a week, but that’s usually not possible. So try for something in between. Remember, this could be your vehicle for years to come.

Keep in mind that every vehicle will feel strange to you at first. Buying a vehicle is a little like getting married. You want that marriage to be happy, and you want it to last, so take the time to get to know it as well as you can.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com