10 Tips for Improving Fuel Efficiency
1] Slow Down On The highway Your car is optimized to drive at 40-60mph(80-100km/hr), when you drive 70-80+mph fuel efficiency drops by up to a whooping 33% . Yes 33% , that is not a typo. I had heard this before and thought it was an exaggeration, then I drove the new Chevrolet Cobalt which has a fuel efficiency gauge in it and I saw it first hand, what a surprise. Is it worth speeding to save 5 minutes off your commute to work so you can just get held up in city traffic? Between the lost fuel efficiency, the extra wear and tear on the car driving beyond optimized speeds and inherent safety concerns I will need a good reason to start speeding on the highway from now on. 2] Cruise In The City The same idea applies in city driving. Speeding up to make the next red light guzzles gas and is hard on your car. This can decrease fuel efficiency by 5%. Why hurry up just to make the next red light? Let’s face it, speeding in the city doesn’t get you anywhere’s faster. If you drive like a bat out of hell you might make an extra light or two and chop a mere 2-4 minutes off your commute assuming you make it there alive. I drive at sane speeds throughout the city while most others fly by me and hard brake at the next red light, I then pull up beside them or even pass them as I may not of needed to stop as the lights are usually synchronized for sane driving speeds not surprisingly (it also takes more gas to get back up to speed than to maintain it). So have some fun watching people fly by you and seeing them at the next red light knowing your car is much better off. 3] Tire Pressure Here’s one everyone can do easily. It only takes a couple minutes to check your tires pressure. Under inflated tires can result in 3% less fuel efficiency. 4] Link Your Trips/Errands Plan your trip to include as many destinations or errands as possible. Fewer trips means less cold starts, better fuel efficiency and less driving than multiple small trips. 5] Avoid Unnecessary Idling. You’re getting 0 mpg for this one. If you’re going to wait 5-10 minutes for a friend give your car and wallet a break. For those who live in colder climates this is a bigger issue. We all want our cars toasty warm in the winter time when we get inside. Today’s cars really only needs 30 second of idling to warm up even in cold weather, then 1-2 minutes of driving to get it fully warmed up. So bundle up and save yourself a bundle. 6] Maintain Your Car Inexpensive oil and air filter changes can boost your cars performance and increase your cars lifespan. A blocked air filter can decrease fuel efficiency by as much as 10% and a misfiring spark plug won’t help either. So try to follow your cars service manual.. It beats dealing with an unexpected major repair and major inconvenience.. 7] Monitor Your Fuel efficiency I like to measure how many miles / KM I get on half a tank after filling it up. It’s easier to measure this way as we don’t let our gas tanks completely run dry and its impossible to estimate how much was left when you fill it up again. You can see how your driving habits affect your fuel economy and if your habits haven’t changed and you fuel economy drops off, then maybe its time for some car maintenance. Purchasing a fuel consumption gauge (if you car doesn’t already have one) can give you real time feedback and more accurate reading. This provides great instant feedback on driving habits. 8] Remove Unnecessary Items From Your Car For each extra 100lbs you lose 1-2% fuel efficiency, so get the golf clubs out of the trunk until your next tee off time. Leaving items on your roof rack also creates extra drag which makes your car work harder, so lock your mountain bikes up till the next trip. 9] Jack Rabbit Starts Some people like to suddenly accelerate by putting their foot to the floor. This guzzles gas and gives marginal speed improvement to a gradual acceleration. 10] Back Off Tail gating results in unnecessary breaking and accelerating. Hang back a little more and you can avoid the added stress and save some gas. It’s also safer to drive this way, give yourself an extra second to avoid an accident ! Paul Fezziwig writes for and administers 'Green Cars Now', <a href="http://www.greencarsnow.com">http://www.greencarsnow.com</a> , a website devoted to promoting fuel efficient vehicles and driving habits.
Source: www.ArticlePros.com
How Cost Effective Are Hybrid Cars?
There seems to be no stopping the oil companies, as the price at the pumps continues to rise to astronomical heights for a myriad of reasons, valid or not. Civil wars in Nigeria, international conflicts in Iraq, hurricanes and other storms at home and abroad are all reasons gas companies posit to defend their outrageous gouging. In the face of rising gas costs, many consumers are beginning to consider the option of a hybrid vehicle- one which operates on both gas and electricity. All of the models of hybrid car will save money in terms of gas expenditures, but are they really effective when all of the costs of maintenance and other considerations are factored in? Right off the bat, consider the cost of buying a hybrid vehicle. Depending on the model, hybrid vehicles can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 more than the equivalent non-hybrid model. These prices need to be stacked up against the savings that a hybrid car owner would gain in gas, factoring in the mileage needed. One report by Edmunds, for example, shows that huge price increases in the cost of gas would need to take place, or the vehicle owner would need to put on some serious mileage, in order for the hybrid models to gain a sufficient price saving advantage when stacked up against initial purchases. The one exception in the study was the Toyota Prius, which compared very effectively in terms of initial cost with the Camry model. The consumer watchdog points out, however, that as the hybrid cars become increasingly more available as a reflection of demand the prices can be expected to drop, making them more cost effective when it comes to an initial investment. Also important to keep in mind is the fact that the hybrid cars have a much more specialized system than the standard vehicle, and will therefore require a more specialized mechanic when it comes time for any repairs. Most consumer report features consider hybrid cars to require an investment of at least five years in order to break even as far as initial costs go, and do not take into account the possibilities of damage that requires fixing to the power train of the vehicles. It seems as though, at least for the time being, the purchase of a hybrid vehicle for the average consumer may not be the best option when it comes to saving money. It is important to keep several things in mind, however, when considering purchasing a hybrid model. Many consumers are choosing to purchase these cars because they represent a significant development in terms of environmental concerns over standard models. They also mean that as a whole, Western nations will become less dependent on oil as the sole means of power. Finally, it is imperative to keep in mind that the hybrid car is a very new technology. Developed only within the last few years, the technology is still in the infant stages, where costs will continue to be high. Hybrid cars also have only a small percentage of the market right now as well. As time passes, the development of the hybrid technology will begin to push prices down to the point where hybrids are more than competitive with the traditionally fueled models of the past. Frank Little is a hybrid car enthusiast and maintains a website with <a href="http://yourhybridcars.com">hybrid car forums</a>.
Source: www.ArticlePros.com
Dodge Grilles
Many people like the look of Dodge grilles on their vehicles. But many people find that billet grilles add an extra touch that makes their Dodge vehicles look even better. It is quite easy to get a hold of these Dodge billet grilles. Thanks to Auto Parts Online it is even easier; they are a new source that has everything you can think of buying for you?re Dodge vehicle, including billet grilles. They are one of the top online parts suppliers. The company can cater to most of your needs. They sell electrical parts, engine parts, fenders, wheels, mirrors and much more to offer Dodge vehicle owners and other vehicle owners. They are a good place to check out for replacing any kind of part on your vehicles at low prices. Billets grilles are custom grille inserts that you can put over or replace the grille on your vehicle. The most commonly material used for the grilles is billet aluminum, though some manufactures use stainless steel or ABS plastic. But it doesn?t really matter because the grilles are still stronger then other custom add on grilles. It doesn?t matter what material they are made of. As the grilles can be made from different materials, the grilles can also be formed in different styles as well. So whatever your desire you can get the grille that you are looking for. Including, billet grilles featuring punched holes, meshed metal and interwoven bars. Check out Auto Parts Online they can help you find many kinds of Dodge billet grilles with various material and styles. They have a wide rang of grilles that can fit each and every Dodge vehicle. Doesn?t matter how big or small your vehicle is, they have one that will fit your needs. So go check them out, they can change the look of your car with one small change. Jason Cox is a successful freelance author that writes regularly for <a href="http://www.garage-plans-n-kits.com/" title="http://www.garage-plans-n-kits.com/" target="_blank">http://www.garage-plans-n-kits.com/</a> . His articles have also been featured on related sites such as <a href="http://www.myautopartresource.info/" title="http://www.myautopartresource.info/" target="_blank">http://www.myautopartresource.info/</a> and <a href="http://www.myautopartresources.info/" title="http://www.myautopartresources.info/" target="_blank">http://www.myautopartresources.info/</a>
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