About Cars: 10 Tips for Saving Money on Gasoline and Your Car Expenses

As a newly single driver, one of your added responsibilities may be to properly maintain your own car, while also having to pay for your own gas. This isn’t something your former spouse is likely to continue to handle on your behalf. Luckily, it’s not necessary to become a car buff or obtain training as a mechanic to keep your car running efficiently.

Just follow the routine maintenance suggestions offered in the owner’s manual for your vehicle, use common sense, and if something does go wrong with your car, deal with it immediately, before the problem gets worse (and more costly to fix). Unfortunately, gasoline prices are currently high and seem to be rising with no end in sight. Aside from dramatically reducing your driving habits or purchasing a more fuel efficient vehicle, the following 10 things will help you reduce the impact high gas prices are having on your wallet:

1. Check your vehicle’s tire pressure.

Keeping your vehicle’s tire pressure at the levels recommended by the tire manufacturer or the manufacturer of your vehicle. This will save you money on gas, prolong the life of your tires, plus provide greater safety in bad weather conditions. Under normal use, a tire will lose one psi (pound per square inch) of pressure every month. Also, for every 10-degree temperature drop, an additional one psi will be lost. Another situation that can cause a drop in your tires’ psi involves transporting heavy cargo.

For under $10., you can purchase a basic tire pressure gauge. At least once or twice per month, check the pressure in each of your tires, when you stop to get gas, for example. Brookstone (866-576-7337 /www.Brookstone.com) offers two inexpensive products that can help you keep tabs on your tires’ air pressure. The Tire Minder ($19.95 per set of four) is a set of small gauges that screw onto the air valve of your tires and replace each tire’s existing valve cap.

When a gauge shows a blue color, you know that tire is properly inflated. If the color changes to red, it indicates the tire’s PSI is too high (it’s over-inflated). If the color changes to green, it means the tire is under-inflated. Tire Minders are available for cars, minivans, motorcycles, SUVs and light trucks. It’s essential to install the right model of Tire Minders that are appropriate for your vehicle.

Brookstone also offers the Smart Pressure Tire Gauge ($35), a digital, handheld tire pressure gauge that offers a multi-color display that is easy to use and read. When using any tire gauge, to obtain an accurate psi level, make sure the vehicle has been off for several hours and that the tires themselves are cool and have not recently been exposed to direct sunlight. After every 5,000 to 7,000 miles, most car manufacturers also recommend rotating and balancing your tires. Doing this on a regular basis will add up to 10,000 extra miles to the life of your tires, plus improve their safety.

2. Perform routine maintenance.

A well-maintained vehicle is always more fuel efficient. Obtain regular oil changes for your vehicle, based on vehicle’s manufacturer’s guidelines. For older vehicles, this usually means every 3,000 miles or every three months. Newer vehicles can typically go longer in between oil changes. At the same time you have your oil changed, have the mechanic check your vehicle’s air filter. If the filter is dirty or clogged, this can increase your vehicle’s fuel consumption by ten percent or more. Replacing the dirty air filter, as necessary, is an inexpensive way to improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Handling the routine maintenance requirements for your vehicle (as recommended by the manufacturer) will help you obtain the best fuel efficiency possible, reduce costly repair bills over the long-term, plus keep your vehicle running longer.

3.Shop for the lowest gas prices.

Several free Web sites offer a listing of gas stations in your geographic area (searchable by zip code or address), and maintain an up-to-date database of gas prices (for the various grades of unleaded gasoline). The following sites make it easy to find the lowest gas prices, without wasting gas driving around your neighborhood looking for a good deal:

www.gasbuddy.com

http://gasprices.mapquest.com

http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations/

www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/gasprices/states/index.shtml

4. Use a card that offers a rebate.

Many gas station chains offer their own credit card (or an affinity Visa or MasterCard) that provides a cash rebate of one to six percent for every gallon of gas purchased with that card. Several Visa and MasterCard issuers, including Citi, CapitalOne and Chase, also offer cash rebates on gas purchases in conjunction with some of their credit card offerings. With gas prices around $3 per gallon, a six percent rebate equates to a saving of around 18 cents per gallon. Over time, this savings will add up. To compare has station credit card offers, visit any of these websites:

www.creditcards.com/gas-rewards.php

www.pumpandsave.com

www.the-best-credit-card.com/gas-rebate-credit-cards

www.indexcreditcards.com/gascreditcards.html

When using a credit card to purchase gas (and earn your rebate), be sure to pay your balance in full at the end of every billing cycle. Otherwise, you’ll wind up paying interest charges that are higher than the money you’d potentially save as a result of the rebate. Also, make sure the credit card has no annual fee, plus a low APR associated with it.

5. Avoid excessive idling.

Allowing your car to idol for long periods, while you sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic, for example, wastes gas. Try to plan your trips during non-rush hour periods, so you’re less likely to encounter traffic. If you’re sitting in your car waiting to pick someone up, park legally and turn off your vehicle while you wait.

6. A/C when traveling at slow speeds.

When traveling at slow speeds (under 40 mph), turn your vehicle’s air conditioning off and open the windows. Running the A/C in this situation decreases fuel efficiency. On the flip side, when you’re traveling over 40 mph, close your vehicle’s windows and use the A/C, if necessary. Open windows cause drag, which reduces fuel efficiency when traveling at high speeds.

7. Don’t overfill your tank.

All newer vehicles have specially designed gas tanks that enhance fuel efficiency by creating a vacuum within the gas tank and the fuel lines leading to the engine. If you over-fill (or top-off) your gas tank, or fail to properly tighten your gas cap, this will cause a reduction in fuel efficiency.

8. Remove heavy items.

Avoid storing too much stuff in your vehicle that isn’t necessary. Transporting heavy boxes, luggage, or a carload of people, for example, forces your vehicle’s engine to work harder, which means it uses more gas.

9. Your vehicle’s cruise control.

When you’re traveling at 55 mph in most vehicles, your fuel efficiency will be 20 percent higher than if you travel at 70 mph.

10. Select the right grade of fuel.

Unless you’re driving a sports car, most newer cars don’t require anything more than regular unleaded gas to operate at peak efficiency. Be sure to use the grade of fuel that’s recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. You’ll probably discover that if your vehicle is less than five years old, it will not benefit from higher-octane (more expensive) gasoline. Keep in mind, it does not matter what brand of gas you purchase.

WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG

If your car fails to stop working properly, begins making strange noises, gives off unusual odors, or warning lights on the dashboard illuminate, it’s important to take action quickly and have the problem diagnosed and repaired by a qualified mechanic. Failure to fix small problems will typically cause more significant and more costly problems relatively quickly, especially if you ignore the warning signs and keep driving.

When necessary, find a mechanic who is reputable, experienced and well-trained fixing your vehicle make and model. If you’re using a local mechanic, as opposed to having the car repaired at an authorized dealership, check with the local Better Business Bureau www.bbb.org) to determine if any complaints have been filed against the mechanic. You can also obtain a referral or check a mechanic’s credentials by visiting the National Institute For Automotive Service Excellent (ASE)’s website (www.asecert.org).

Once you choose a mechanic, have him diagnose the problem and provide you with a written cost estimate for the repair. This estimate should list separately the cost for labor, what the per hour labor charge is, and the cost for all needed parts. It should also describe the guarantee offered with the repair, and list how long the repair should take to complete. Make sure the estimate is signed and dated by the mechanic and that you obtain a copy before authorizing any repair work to be done.

Also, before approving repair work, determine if the mechanic will honor your vehicle’s existing manufacturer’s warrantee (and if the repair work is covered), and that nothing they’ll be doing will violate your warrantee. Only after you’ve approved the written estimate should the mechanic begin the required repair work. Before giving this approval, you could opt to bring the car to another mechanic to obtain a second opinion.

When the repair work is completed, review the work done with the mechanic and take the vehicle for a test drive to insure everything is working properly. At the same time you pay for the repair, obtain a written guarantee for that repair work. If possible, pay for the repair work with a credit card, and keep copies of all service documents and receipts.

As a general rule, it’s always better to find a mechanic before major repair work is needed on your vehicle. You can begin working with a local mechanic at anytime, by having him do routine maintenance or oil changes on your vehicle. Then, when something major happens, you’ll know you have a trustworthy mechanic on-hand who is already familiar with your vehicle and whom you’ve already developed a professional relationship with.

If you’re driving a vehicle that isn’t 100 percent reliable, seriously consider investing in a AAA Plus membership. The Plus memberships ($75 per year) costs more than a basic membership ($44 per year), however, the added benefits (such as free towing for up to 100 miles, as opposed to just three miles per incident) are well worth it, even if you only need to call AAA for roadside assistance once every one or two years. For membership details, visit  www.aaa.com or call (800) JOIN-AAA.