Tire Pressure, Tune-Up And You Are On Your Way To Gas Savings

With gasoline prices spiking a bit, it's probably a good time to go over some money-saving tips that will help you save a bit of gas and, as a result, keep more money in your pocket. And, while these ideas will help you save at the pump, they will also help you keep you car in shape because they ensure good maintenance habits.

This information has come from a variety of sources including automakers, such as Chevy and Ford; oil companies, such as Shell and Exxon, and auto groups such as the AAA and it has been gleaned over a long career as an autowriter.

So, where do we begin? How about with this simple question: When did you last check the air pressure in your car's tires? Seriously, think about when did you do it? If you're like most people -- unless you are very meticulous about it -- you rarely give your car's tire pressure a second thought. You just get in, flip the key over, fire up Old Faithful, buckle up, slip it into gear and drive away.

Here's where you're missing the chance to contribute to your gas savings because regular tire pressure checks can add a mile or two per gallon for very little effort. To put this in perspective, let's say your car is supposed to average 32 mpg on the highway and 24 in the city. For this example, we'll just use an average of the two figures for your overall mileage, so your average gas daily mileage should be in the 28 mpg range. Now, let's assume you drive about 12,000 miles per year and that gas is $2.66 per gallon which means that you should lay out $1,140 per year in gasoline expense.

Now, for the sake of this argument, let's you notice that you are not getting that 28 mpg average, but it's more like 24 mpg, a 4 mpg loss, but an even bigger loss from your pocket of $190. Think about what you could do with an extra $190. It's a nice piece of change.

So, how can you improve on that figure? You can start by being very meticulous in checking the air pressure in your car's tires when the tires are cold, first thing in the morning. That is the best time because the air in the tire is settled and you get your truest reading. Even driving as little as a mile can throw things off -- but there's a way around this, too.

All you need for this check is a good tire gauge, available at any AutoZone, Pep Boys or NAPA outlet, for about $2 or $3, to check your tires and you're ready to walk up to the first tire, loosen the valve stem cap and check the pressure. You may find you're spot on the recommendations of the automaker that are usually on a door sticker or in the owner's manual or of the tire manufacturer that are on the sidewall.

Which set should you use, it's best to use the recommendations of the automaker because they are also intertwined with your car's warranty and if you miss this, you could have all sorts of trouble with warranty problems should a tire not meeting the automaker's recommendations cause other problems that should be covered by the warranty (so there's more to this tire pressure thing than you think).

After you check your tires, you find your car is down about four pounds, so you'll have to get to a gas station with an air pump to fill them up. Now here's an interesting contradiction. Everyone advises you to make sure you fill your tires only when they are cold, first thing in the morning. And, truth be told, this is the way to do it, however, in the real world, you usually don't have a compressor hanging around so you have to go somewhere with an air pump and that's usually a distance from home, unless you are fortunate enough to live next door to a gas station.

So, how do you handle this situation? The answer is easy. As you take the air pressure of each tire, be sure to note it down on a piece of paper and then drive to the service station. Then, simple refer to the pressure figure you have written down and the manufacturer's recommendations. Now, take the manufacturer's recommended air pressure and the difference between your tires actual air pressure and add them together. Then fill the tire to that figure.

To put this another way, let's say you have a tire that should be filled to 32 psi, according to the manufacturer, but your reading is 27 psi after your check. To make sure you his the correct figure, you take the difference between the pressures (5 psi) and add it to the manufacturer's recommended figure (32) so you should inflate your tire to 37 psi – you can check this with your tire gauge.

How does this actually work to give you the right air pressure? You'll find that when your tires have cooled down, after your drive, or the next morning, that the extra five pounds you added when you actually did the inflation has settled into the tire and your readying will be 32 psi.

This should be good for a couple of miles per gallon as your car no longer has to not only turn the wheels, but also do the extra work needed to push an underinflated tires as they will be at the right pressure.

So, you're still short 2 mpg, correct? How can you make this up? Well, regular maintenance should take care of it.

First a fresh fill of oil and new filter will give your engine nice clean lubricant without any of the harmful laqs or gums that might have built up and a fresh filter will keep the oil clean. If you use a detergent oil, then any deposits will also be cleaned out and picked up by the new oil filter so this should result in a freer-running engine.

A good mid-range multi-weight 5W-30 should be good for most of the country, unless you live in a very cold climate where an even lighter-weight oil is the recommendation. You can also try a synthetic for good friction control as synthetics tend to let your engine run more smoothly than standard oils which still contain things your engine can live without (waxes, gums, laqs). Valvoline makes a good oil as does Mobil's Mobil 1.

While your car's on the lift for the oil change – something you can do yourself, but you will have to find a place to recycle the used oil and that could be costly, so it's better to let a service station or dealer handle this – have your tires rotated for maximum wear and best mileage. This way the best tires will be on the driving wheels, whether your car is front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive. This does make a difference.

It's also a good idea, especially if it has been more than six or so months, to have the air filter replaced so your engine can breathe freely (some guides recommend a year and if you have any question follow the manufacturer's recommendations in the owner's manual).

Also, now is the time to make sure your car's state of tune is in good shape. If you've followed the manufacturer's recommendation in the owner's manual you should be all set, however, if you still want to ensure top mileage have the sparkplugs, plug wires and timing checked to make sure you're car is set up correctly.

Finally, unless your car's transmission is sealed, now is a good time to have the transmission fluid checked and changed if it's dirty, along with any filters. The same is true of the gasline filter.

Yes, it could take some investment to realize the $190 savings mentioned earlier. Indeed, you might just find you've spent a good deal of any savings to make sure your car is running in top shape, but, here's the good news. This is a cumulative thing. If you lay out the money today, you will start to recover it as soon as you start driving your car again and it's achieving the 28 mpg it was supposed to be getting. It's as close to a money-making machine as you can find and all it takes is a little time and a few checks.