1. Changing a tire. This is one of the most important tips; I myself have had too many flat tires and if it wasn’t for my dad teaching me in the driveway I would’ve been stranded on the side of the road. Changing a flat tire is fairly simple and should only require a few practice times at home before the driver can do it themselves.
2. Maintaining your tires. Ensuring the car’s tires are properly inflated can save a lot of headaches in the future. Proper tire inflation decreases the risk of flats and blow outs. It’s a good idea to keep a tire pressure gauge in the glove box and show your child how to use the air pump at a gas station. Checking the tread on tires is also important. To check the tread simply insert a dime upside down into the tire groove. If you can see the top of FDR’s head then you need new tires.
3. Know when maintenance is required. Most young drivers aren’t aware of all the regularly scheduled maintenance needed for cars. Your young driver should know when to get an oil change or have the other fluids checked. The information about timing and mileage for regular maintenance can be found in the owner’s manual.
4. Lastly, make sure your driver is prepared for an emergency on the road. It is a good idea to keep a flashlight, jumper cables, first aid kit, bottles of water, paper towels and a blanket in the trunk. Also make there is a spare tire in the trunk that is in good condition.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
5 Helpful Tips to Improve Your Fuel Economy
With the rising increase in fuel over the last few years our gas bills keep going up. There are options available to help with this problem, you could buy a new more fuel efficient car or you could stop driving all together and rely more on public transit or ride your bike or walk. However, the most time and cost effective option is simply to drive your current car in a way that will increase your fuel economy. Below are a few tips that can help you reduce your trips to the pump.
1. Avoid aggressive driving. Starting quickly and braking suddenly greatly reduces your fuel efficiency. You will increase your fuel consumption up to 40% with “jack-rabbit” starts and braking hard. Studies have shown that you will only increase your travel time by 4 minutes and increase your toxic emissions by more than 5 times.
2. Avoid idling. If you are going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds, except in traffic, turn your engine off. While idling you are producing unnecessary greenhouse gases and wasting a lot of gas.
3. Keep your car in good shape. This includes maintaining the engine and keeping your tires inflated properly. When your tires are not properly inflated you will increase your fuel consumption by more than 6%. Check your tires at least once a month to make sure they are at the proper inflation.
4. Use your air conditioning less often. When using your air conditioning you are increasing your fuel consumption by as much as 10%. If it is a nice enough day use your flow-through ventilation instead of the A/C. At low speeds you can also roll the windows down to avoid using the air conditioning. However, at higher speeds using your air conditioning may be more efficient then having the windows down due to the wind resistance you will get from the open windows.
5. Whenever possible park your car in the shade and make sure your gas cap is screwed on until it clicks. Sitting in the sun can cause the gas to evaporate, especially if the cap is not screwed on completely. Also, if you park in the shade you may not need to turn on the air conditioning to cool it down.
Follow these tips and you could eventually buy a new car with all the money you'll be saivng on gas.
1. Avoid aggressive driving. Starting quickly and braking suddenly greatly reduces your fuel efficiency. You will increase your fuel consumption up to 40% with “jack-rabbit” starts and braking hard. Studies have shown that you will only increase your travel time by 4 minutes and increase your toxic emissions by more than 5 times.
2. Avoid idling. If you are going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds, except in traffic, turn your engine off. While idling you are producing unnecessary greenhouse gases and wasting a lot of gas.
3. Keep your car in good shape. This includes maintaining the engine and keeping your tires inflated properly. When your tires are not properly inflated you will increase your fuel consumption by more than 6%. Check your tires at least once a month to make sure they are at the proper inflation.
4. Use your air conditioning less often. When using your air conditioning you are increasing your fuel consumption by as much as 10%. If it is a nice enough day use your flow-through ventilation instead of the A/C. At low speeds you can also roll the windows down to avoid using the air conditioning. However, at higher speeds using your air conditioning may be more efficient then having the windows down due to the wind resistance you will get from the open windows.
5. Whenever possible park your car in the shade and make sure your gas cap is screwed on until it clicks. Sitting in the sun can cause the gas to evaporate, especially if the cap is not screwed on completely. Also, if you park in the shade you may not need to turn on the air conditioning to cool it down.
Follow these tips and you could eventually buy a new car with all the money you'll be saivng on gas.
Monday, August 2, 2010
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