V&W MOTORS – CAR CARE TIPS
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CHECK AND REPLACE AIR FILTERS REGULARLY
Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car’s gas mileage by as much as 10%! Your car’s air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine.  Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.
        Fuel Economy Benefit – up to 10%
        Equivalent Gasoline Savings – up to $0.29/gallon

Keep Tires Properly Inflated
You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to proper pressure.  Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by .04 percent for every 1psi drop in pressure of all four tires.  Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer!
        Fuel Economy Benefit – up to 3%
        Equivalent Gasoline Savings – up to $0.09/gallon

Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil
You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 % by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil.  For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5w-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2%.  Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 %.  Also, look for motor oil that says “Energy Conserving” on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives!
        Fuel Economy Benefit – 1 – 2 %
        Equivalent Gasoline Savings - $0.03 - $0.06/gallon

Driving Tips
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas.  It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.  Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money!
        Fuel Economy Benefit – 5-33 %
        Equivalent Gasoline Savings - $0.15 - $0.96/gallon

Observe the Speed Limit
While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.  As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.50 per gallon for gas!  Observing the speed limit is also safer!
        Fuel Economy Benefit – 7 – 23 %
        Equivalent Gasoline Savings - $0.20 - $0.67/gallon

Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones.  An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%.  The reductions is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle’s weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones!

Checking for Wear
The simplest way to check for wear is to do the penny test.  Place a penny inside the tire tread with the top of Lincoln’s head facing towards the tire.  If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tread is worn and needs replacing. 

Checking Alignment
It’s always a good idea to regularly check your tires for proper alignment.  This way, you’ll ensure your tires will last the full life for which they were intended!

Checking Tire Pressure

Check your tire pressure monthly when tires are cold.  Air pressure changes 1-2 pounds for every 10 degrees of temperature change.  Always keep the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended air pressure in all your tires!
        Fuel Economy Benefits – 1-2 percent/100 lbs.
        Equivalent Gasoline Savings - $0.03 - $0.06/gallon 

Avoid Excessive Idling
Idling gets 0 miles per gallon.  Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines!

Use Cruise Control
Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, wills save gas!

Use Overdrive Gears
When you use overdrive gearing, your car’s engine speed goes down.  This saves gas and reduces ending wear!

Plan Your Trips
Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money.  Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.  Trip planning ensures that traveling is done when the engine is warmed-up and efficient!  With a little planning, you can avoid your route and reduce the distance you travel as well!  You’ll not only save fuel, but also reduce wear and tear on your car!

Commuting
If you can stagger your work hours to avoid peak rush hours, you’ll spend less time sitting in traffic and consume less fuel!  Also, take advantage of carpools and ride-share programs.  You can cut your weekly fuel costs in half and save wear on your car if you take turns driving with other commuters. 

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Please let us know if you have any Car Care Tips you would like to add to the list!