Ways to improve your car’s fuel economy

With Gas prices at a 7-year high, here are some ways to help ease the pain at the pump:

1. CHECK YOUR TIRE PRESSURE. Under-inflation of the tire by 10% increases gas consumption by 2%

2. CHANGE YOUR AIR FILTER. A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%; nearly 25% of all cars could use a new air filter. Replacing a dirty air filter can save you 39 cents a gallon or take you 23 miles more on a typical tank of gas.

3. WASH YOUR RIDE. Your car is actually more fuel-efficient when it is clean. By reducing drag, clean cars get an extra two miles per gallon compared with dirty cars.

4. REDUCE WEIGHT. Still riding around with 3 sets of Golf clubs in your trunk? The industry rule of thumb is a 100lb weight decrease improves fuel economy about 1%.

5. SLOW DOWN. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by roughly 15% to 30% at highway speeds and 10% to 40% in stop-and-go traffic.

6. AVOID EXCESS IDLING. Do you get to your kid’s school 40 minutes before pick-up to be first in line? Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour. Turn off your engine when your vehicle is parked…it only takes about 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart your vehicle