Can you afford to waste gas? Worst offenders of wasting your precious (and very expensive) gas.

Can you afford to waste gas?

Buying a fuel efficient car is only the start of fighting the "gas war".  There are other factors to consider and it is much easier than you think.

Most of these "problems" take off at least 1 to 2 miles per gallon from your car's average mile per gallon efficiency.

1. Loose gas cap? Take a few miles per gallon off your fuel efficiency.  According to Service Tech Magazine, September 2000 issue, 17 percent of the vehicles on U.S. highways have either misused or missing gas caps, causing 147,000,000 gallons of gas per year to vaporize into the atmosphere.
2. Underinflated tires & Incorrect wheel alignment (increase rolling resistance);
3. Driving with the parking brake not fully released (increases resistance);
4. Dirty Oil.   Change the oil according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and use the proper grade;
5. Slipping automatic transmission;
6. Malfunctioning cooling system thermostat causing the engine to run too cold;
7. Malfunction of one or more components of the fuel, ignition or emission control systems.  A misfiring spark plug can cost you 2 or 3 miles per gallon!
8. Driving habits - idling, excessive use of cruise control, aggressive driving, driving at higher speeds, excessive use of air conditioning.  Consider a sophisticated GPS guidance that can select less-congested routes to reduce excessive idling and the mileage monitor to help drive more efficiently.  If your car is older or doesn't have these on-board diagnostics, there are a number of fuel-saving apps are also available for smartphones. 

Consider talking to your local automotive shop for suggestions and training on how to keep your car running smoothly and some of the other tips above.

Happy driving!