According to our recent poll, the rising cost of fuel has caused many families and individuals to restrain from driving habits that we've been so accustomed to. Before the fuel cost skyrocketed we wouldn't think twice about hopping in our car for a 50 or 60-mile trip, perhaps to a zoo or other recreational area for a leisurely Sunday outing with our families. But by the statements of those who responded to our poll, it appears that these leisurely drives are being limited or in some cases, families are simply staying home more. In order to combat his high fuel expense, M. Cooper from Saint Louis Mo, a consultant that drives 20,000 mile plus per year recently traded in his Ford Taurus for a new Honda Civic that gets 41mpg. Another consumer stated the fuel prices have drastically changed their life style, they've quit going out to dinner, going to the movies and even cancelled their vacation plans. What once cost him 42.00 to fill up his truck, now cost $110.00. We have a lot less money than we did before this all started. We've drastically reduced the amount of driving, only when necessary and have attempted to combine trips, we do not do any extra driving unless it is for school or work, so we stay home much more and do not have extra money NOW! Matt Downer from Downers Grove, Illinois seems to have at lease somewhat of a positive spin on the situation. I've become a lot more in shape because I walk everywhere or bike, I think it's a blessing in disguise, America is the most obese country in the world and maybe this will slim it down a bit, also a lot fewer fuel emissions if people don't drive the earth won't die. What ever your thoughts and opinions are for the recent climb in prices, I think it's clear that until the prices come down, the majority of the everyday working class people will be forced to continue to deprive themselves of even the most basic luxuries. While we can't control the price per gallon, we can at least follow a few basic guidelines and reduce our cost, albeit a minimum amount, but at $3.00 per gallon, even a minimum amount will help our pocketbooks. Listed below are UsedCarWise.Com's Top 10 tips for increasing your fuel mileage. 1. Set the tire pressure to the recommend psi as per the tire placard or label of your vehicle. (Always adjust tire pressure with cold tires) 2. Avoid excessive idling times, such as warming your car up in the mornings (It serves no purpose anyway) 3. Instead of going thru the drive thru at fast food chains, go inside to order. This will of course avoid excess idling while in line. 4. Remove any excessive weight from the trunk or bed of your truck (This doesn't include over weight spouses either) 5. Remove luggage racks for aerodynamic reasons. 6. Make sure the steering and suspension system end is aligned properly, a mis-aligned steering system will cause excessive drag and reduce fuel mileage. 7. Use Cruise Control while driving at highway speeds. 8. Reduce your speed by 5mph, this may be the biggest saver of all, and if you think about it, 5mph will not get you to your destination much quicker. (Just be prepared for 1 finger hello's and horn honkers) 9. Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained, especially the air filter. If your check engine light is on, have it corrected as soon as possible, it could be a defective sensor or other mechanical fault that will severely impact fuel mileage. Always use the proper grade of engine oil as well, the wrong grade can impact fuel mileage by 1% or more. 10. Avoid jackrabbit starts and aggressive driving habits. While the above tips may not be new, they certainly bear not just repeating, but adhering to as well. And with the cost of fuel at record highs, we need all the help we can muster. |
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