Do Your Part, How to Be and Live Green in Charlotte, NC

Maximize Your Fuel Efficiency

Here's another way to Do Your Part,  maximize your fuel efficiency and save money too.

Keep your car in running at peak performance. Let's start with the tires.  Improperly inflated tires can reduce your gas mileage by 3%.  A clogged air filter can reduce your gas mileage by 10% and even using the wrong motor oil can add another 2% to your fuel mileage.

That 15% improvement might not sound like much but at  $4.00 a gallon that's sixty cents of every gallon of gas you buy. 

Pack Smart when you hit the road.  Every extra 100 pounds of stuff adds another 2% to your fuel cost. 

Highway speeding will reduce your gas mileage by at least 7% for every 5mph you drive over 60 mph.  And keep your cool!  According to the U.S. Department of Energy 'Road Rage' with all that speeding up and slamming on the brakes can reduce highway fuel mileage by up to 33%.

What about the age old question of premium versus regular.  Automakers say that most cars can take regular but that high performance and super charged cars should stick to premium.  Experts also say that you won’t damage your car when you put regular in a car that recommends premium but you will likely have a slight decrease in engine power.  The question for you is if the additional 10 – 20 cents per gallon is worth it.

When you improve your gas mileage you’re doing more than saving money.  You’re burning less gas which means you are creating less air pollution and fewer green house gases. 

Do Your Part and make sure that your vehicle is running at peak performance.  You’re wallet will thank you and so will Mother Earth!