The Wall Street Journal and NBC News conducted a poll asking consumers what their major economic concern is. The result is not quite surprising as respondents of the poll pointed to the increasing price of gasoline.
In response to this, the Car Care Council's executive director, Rich White, had this to say: "The best way to fight higher costs at the gas pump is to keep your vehicle running properly. You can't control the price of gas, but you can control how much gas you burn by proper maintenance and how you drive. Performing simple and inexpensive maintenance can save as much as $1200 a year in gas cost."
To help motorists save on fuel, the Car Care Council had these tips posted in The Auto Channel:
- Check your vehicle gas cap. About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
- When tires aren't inflated properly, it's like driving with the parking brake on, and can cost a mile or two per gallon.
- A dirty spark plug causes misfiring, which wastes fuel. Spark plugs need to be replaced regularly.
- Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving about 15 cents on a gallon.
- Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by as much as 22 percent on the highway and five percent on city streets, which results in seven to 49 cents per gallon.
- Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon. Letting the vehicle warm up for one to two minutes is sufficient.
- Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each mph driven over 60 results in an additional 10 cents per gallon. To maintain a constant speed on the highway, cruise control is recommended.
These tips mean that you do not have to shelve your car and hide it under a car cover just to save on the pump.