Saving Money on Gas: Tuning Up Your Car to Tune Up Your Wallet

What is the cost of transportation freedom? How much are cup holders, DVD players, and satellite radio systems? How many pennies add up to airbags, anti-lock brakes, and other safety features?

According to the gas pump, the cost is $2.90 per gallon and rising.

As gas prices increase, consumers are feeling the pinch of inefficient vehicles and long commutes. While gas prices also affect the cost of public transportation, airline travel, home heating, and other necessities, the greatest dent is at the pump. Coworkers, neighbors, friends, and family members commiserate about the price of gas, but rarely do they share tips or tricks for conserving fuel. Meanwhile, conservation is the key to putting your gas bill on cruise control.

Everyone knows the basic tips: carpool, use public transportation, consolidate errands into one trip, and plan your route to eliminate unnecessary backtracking. Few consumers are aware, however, that a properly tuned car conserves more than all those tips combined: with regular care, your car’s fuel efficiency increases up to forty percent.

For example, a tune up increases fuel efficiency by four to twenty percent. Not sure when you need a tune up? Simply use the trip gauge or standard odometer to track your mileage per gallon, and when the efficiency starts to drop, it’s time for a quick trip to the mechanic.

A clean air filter, which controls engine air flow, can increase fuel efficiency by up to ten percent. Proper tire inflation and balancing adds another three percent. This may not seem significant, but with today’s fuel prices, three percent is equivalent to nearly nine cents per gallon. What driver wouldn’t want to see prices nine cents cheaper, or to squeeze nine more cents out of each gallon?