With
gas prices skyrocketing, why spend more at the pump than you
absolutely have to? Here's some great advice.
Question #1:
Does it really make a difference if I
fill-up using the cheapest grade? If I'm driving a
high-performance car like a Porsche or BMW or a Lexus, does
using the lower-grade/cheaper gas hurt the car?
Answer #1:
On the newer generation cars? Not
necessarily...while some of the higher-performance engines do
require a higher-octane gasoline for that maximum performance,
but all of these new, computerized-cars are equipped with what
are called "knock sensors" which
automatically-if they detect "pinging" or
"knocking"-which is usually caused by a lower-grade or
lower-octane type gasoline, it automatically retards the timing
in the engine to offset that.
So the worst that happens if you use a
lower-grade/lower-octane gasoline is that you don't get quite
the performance that you normally would if you used a
higher-octane fuel. Bottom
line? No substantial damage should occur to
the car.
Knock sensors: Do
all cars have them? How new are they? How far back do they go?
The more sophisticated European sports
sedans have had them since the mid-1980s; they're now
incorporated in pretty much all of the computer-controlled cars
from the mid-1990s and up. Earlier model cars-especially if it's
a carburetor-type vehicle will absolutely not have anything like
that.
Question #2:
What about the quality of gas you'd buy from a "name
brand" retailer, like Mobil or Shell for example-versus
cut-rate sellers like Sam's Wholesale Club or Costco or regional
bargain sellers that dot the nation. Are we at risk of putting
lesser-grades or lower-quality gas that could end hurting our
cars?
Answer #2: Not
really. The quality of the gasoline today is regulated by the
government; it has to meet certain standards...and name-brand is
what most people go by because of their heavy advertising. The
quality of gasoline really is not that much different anymore,
no matter where you buy it. But
here's a tip that could save you some money on a visit to your
friendly auto mechanic:
If you pull up to the gas
station and see the tanker truck on the premises filling up
their tanks, the smartest thing you could do is bypass them
today and either go back tomorrow or find another gas station to
fill up at right now. Why? Because anytime they re-fill these
tanks up, any sediment that may have collected on the bottom of
these big, underground tanks will get stirred up and it will get
mixed in with the gasoline-something you want to avoid if at all
possible. Sediment in your gas tank means clogged fuel injectors
and poor performance, or even a visit to the shop.
Okay...here are
FIVE THINGS you
can do right now to improve your gas mileage and lower the hit
on your wallet every time you fill-up:
1. Tire pressure:
Yeah, yeah...sure, sure...another car guy
talkin' about tire pressure, we hear this every day. But the
fact is: Nobody checks their tire pressure as often as they
should, other than the usual "walkin' around the car and
looking at the tires" level of inspection. The newer radial
tires have a lower-profile anyway, so if you're not familiar
with your tires and the actual pressure in your tires, sometimes
they'll look like they're low on air, but they're not. And of
course now you can get into the making the mistake of
over-filling your tires. You really need to take the time-or a
weekly basis-especially when the temperature changes during the
winter or winter-to-spring seasonal transition we're heading
into. On a really cold day, the tire pressure in your tires can
drop as much as 6-8 pounds of pressure! It's essential that you
check your tire pressure for not only gas mileage purposes but
to also insure [and hopefully, increase] the longevity of your
tires.
2. Regular maintenance of
the car: You need to
believe and follow the guidelines suggested by the manufacturer
for regular maintenance of the vehicle. We know it's important
to change the oil on a regular (3,000 mile) basis, but another
huge area that's frequently overlooked and even ignored? Your
filters. Fuel filters, oil filters we're all familiar with and
these get most of the attention, but pay special attention to
your air filters! Unfortunately, there's not a normal,
recommended air filter maintenance schedule, mainly because our
driving habits are so different.
If you live in the country and drive down
dusty roads all the time, your air filter probably needs to be
replaced every 2-3 weeks! As opposed to somebody that drives
back-and-forth to the store and lives in an urban,
within-the-city-limits type of environment-someone that drives
mostly in the city or on freeways may not have the same sort of
challenges as rural drivers. At the very least, and in the
interest of saving you some dough: Take the air filter out-you
don't have to replace it every single time-but take it out and
shake it out and make sure there's no debris stuck in there and
this will help insure you get maximum performance out of your
vehicle...and increase your gas mileage!
3. Slow down and drive the
speed limit...and avoid jack-rabbit starts from stop
lights or stop signs! Especially
since more and more communities have "timed" the stop
lights and synchronized them in a way that actually benefits
those drivers that drive within the speed limits. If you drive
the speed limit you've gotta better chance of "hitting all
the lights" rather than having to start-and-stop from
signal to signal.
Car pool: Let the other
guy spend their money on gas. Oops...that theory works until
you're the one that has to drive! But seriously...car pooling is
even more cost-effective as gas approaches $2 a gallon,
especially if you drive freeways equipped with HOV lanes.
4. What's in the trunk?
Ahhhh yes, the hidden price you're paying
at the gas pump because you've got your trunk or rear-end of
your SUV loaded full of junk! The auto manufacturers have been
using more and more plastic in automobiles for years-but it's
not because it's necessarily cheaper, but because it's lighter!
The lighter the vehicle, the better the gas mileage. Dump the
golf clubs, the cases of soft drinks, the extra books, etc. and
increase your mileage-and lower the damage at the gas pumps!
5. Bonus Winter (but
also as we head into warmer weather, too) Driving Tip:
Turn your air conditioner off!
As much as possible...but even in the colder weather, many
people forget that when they turn their defroster on to defrost
the front windshield in the morning, it automatically turns
you're A/C compressor on. Once
the window is cleared and moisture dried out/off the windshield,
don't forget to manually turn the A/C compressor off-because
these are always a big drag on the engine and can really chop
your gas mileage...especially the smaller engines, which really
have a tough time pulling these A/C compressors. You'll increase
your gas mileage by as much as 15% or more!
