Simple Fuel Efficiency

As gas prices have skyrocketed more and more of us are looking for ways to minimize our fuel usage. Almost everyone I know has cut down on their driving to one extent or another, but still we cringe when we have to fill it up a couple to times to make it to that wedding or graduation that we can not miss. Since most of you are not in a position to scurry down to your local car dealership and buy the latest super hybrid fuel miser I thought you might appreciate some less expensive options to increasing how much value you are getting for your fuel dollar.
Superior maintenance maximizes fuel efficiency
It is amazing to hear someone complaining about gas prices and then balks at spending the money to give their car a tune-up. When ignition components become worn mileage drops significantly. A clogged air filter or PCV valve can destroy good fuel efficiency.
Most of these items are fairly easy to service yourself. Replace your air filter and PCV valve frequently. Make sure the spark plugs and wires are in good condition. If your engine has a distributor make sure that the rotor and cap are in free of corrosion or wear.
A vehicle in good tune may get 25-40% better mileage than one that is in need of maintenance.

Help your engine to breath better
Just like you your engine works much more efficiently when it can breathe more easily. Try a high flow air filter like the ones made by K & N. Consider replacing your muffler with a more efficient type like the Aero Turbine. These two simple modifications may increase your gas mileage by up to 15%. Your investment of about $225 for both of these items will have paid for itself by the end-of-the-year.
Get more value at the pump
Have you noticed that when an article appears in the media about oil prices going up that within hours your local service station has raised it prices as well? Since there is about a six months delay between when an oil company purchases oil and when the refined gasoline or diesel is sold at the pump this increase has nothing to do with the actual cost of fuel, but rather what the retailer thinks they can get away with charging. The appropriate term for this practice is price gouging. This only succeeds if the consumer refuses to change their purchasing habits and continues to buy the same amount from the same people regardless of price.
Unfortunately, most consumers think they are powerless to do anything about these price increases. However, if you look around you can usually find one or two stations that don’t raise their prices quite as much as the others. If everyone truly shopped around and consistently bought from the lowest priced retailer then other retailers would be forced to compete to stay in business. Attempt to reduce your fuel usage when prices spike. Buy more fuel at a time when prices are lower. The “free market” only works if you force it too by insisting on the lowest price for commodities like gasoline and diesel. This is the only way to stimulate the competition required to reduce or eliminate price gouging.
Buy fuel not fumes
Gasoline and diesel are highly evaporative and when a portion of your fuel is transformed into vapor it is usually lost into the atmosphere before your engine can use it. At the very least vapor displaces fuel so that the same volume actually contains less fuel. There are a number of strategies that can reduce vapor loss and maximize how much of the fuel you purchase is available to your engine. This in turn translates into more mileage for your fuel dollar.
1. Buy your fuel as early in the day as possible. As temperatures rise more fuel turns into vapor. The more activity at a station the more the fuel is agitated, which in turn causes more vapors. When the stations first open in the morning is when there is the least percentage of vapors in the fuel that is being pumped into your tank.
2. Never buy fuel when the station is refueling. Refueling causes a great deal of agitation, which turns more of the fuel into vapor.
3. Have your gas pumped as slowly as possible. The faster fuel is pumped the more it is agitated, and agitation turns fuel into vapor. The pumping equipment does not differentiate very well between a gallon of fuel and a gallon of vapor. The faster your fuel is pumped the larger the percentage of vapor in each gallon.
4. Keep your tank as full as possible. As tanks empty evaporation increases. A full tank has very little surface exposed to air, which greatly reduces evaporation.
I hope these tips save you some money and gas!
If you have not yet read the essay The Great Biofuel Hoax of 2008 this might be a good time to check it out. In addition to becoming an environmental and humanitarian disaster, biofuels will decrease your fuel economy.

Become a “hypermiler” and Get Great Gas Mileage Improvements for Your Car

With the price of gas constantly hitting new highs and with very little chance of it coming down, a new type of driver is evolving, (the “Hypermiler”). This new style driver or “Hypermiler” will try any trick or tip to get the best gas mileage improvements from their car or SUV, and then use these gas mileage secrets to save on their weekly gas bill. Some of these tips are simple ones like making sure that tires are inflated correctly, while others are more complex and involve the use of gadgets and gizmos.

So where did the name “Hypermiler” come from? Well it seems to have originated from the Hybrid-Vehicle driving clubs, where members compete with each other to find the best MPG for their particular vehicle and beat the EPA gas mileage fuel efficiency estimates. With the use of real-time mileage displays they can identify the best techniques to get the gas mileage improvements that they and everyone else are after. Some have even reported to have made as much as a 40% saving when compared to the EPA gas mileage estimates

The “Hypermiler” trend started out as a bit of competitive fun, where people would take part in races and “Hypermileage” marathons. In this way the different techniques, tricks, and gas mileage secrets were put to the test and the winner was the person who achieved the best gas mileage improvements. However with the constant rise in the price of gas the “Hypermiler” has come to the attention of the media, and these gas mileage secrets have become widely sought after by the everyday motorist.

These days the “Hypermiler” is more likely to be the average working man or woman who is just trying to get the best fuel economy possible for their car. By using the gas mileage secrets that were discovered by the Hybrid-Vehicle driving clubs they are able to make their own savings at the gas pumps. Even the drivers of the larger cars and SUVs who can better afford the rising prices are trying to find ways to increase their fuel economy simply as a matter of principle as well as a way to save a few cents.

Although the term “Hypermiling” sounds like a very American idea the whole concept of fuel efficiency and saving gas has worldwide appeal. In Europe especially, where the gas prices are double what we pay (and have been for many years) the term “Eco-driving” has been around for some time. The Eco-driver uses the same tips and tricks as the “Hypermiler” to try to increase their fuel efficiency.

So it seems that no matter where we live in the world, the days of cheap gas and the big gas guzzling cars that we used to drive are soon to be a thing of the past. With the dwindling gas supplies causing ever increasing price rises, together with the pollution caused by the use of poor fuel efficient cars, we will soon find we will all have to discover ways to make gas mileage improvements to our own vehicles and perhaps become a “Hypermiler ourselves.

Tire Ratings

Tire Numbers:
On all currently manufactured tires one can see an alphanumeric rating that is molded onto the sidewall of the tire. The rating defines the ratings, load bearing, max speed, and size of the tire. Through the years the ratings on tires have become oddly complex. Current tires will typically include ratings for traction, temperature resistance, and treadwear. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading System gives their data to make these codes. Almost all tire sizes are provided in metric which could look somewhat strange to some. To get the size in inches all you must do is divide by 25.4
Regulatory Bodies, Standards, and certifcations:
There are quite a few regulatory bodies across the world for tires. We have listed the most well known ones in the following.
The United States Department of Transporation (DOT) is the US’s tire governing body tasked by Congress to regulate general transportation safety in the United States.
(NHTSA) The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration is another United States governing body within the DOT that is tasked to govern American auto safety.
UTQGS or Uniform Tire Quality Grading System is a US testing program that uses a standard tire to contrast all other tires against. The standard tire is provided a score of 100 for tread wear, so if another tire scores 200 you can expect it to wear half as quickly and so on. They also test for traction and temperature resistance.
The Tire and Rim Association is a regulatory body created to call attention to interchangeable rims, tires, and allied parts. They issue key tire size standards, rim contour dimensions, tire valve size standards, load bearing standards, and inflation levels.
(ETRTO) The European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization is the European governing organization for load and pressure and sizing values.
The Japanese Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association or JATMA is the Japanese organization responsible for standards for tires, rims, and valves. It is the Japanese equal of the ETRTO and TR&A.
The Tread Act sets standards in testing and reporting of all items involved with transportation.
Radio Frequency IDentification or RFIDs are radio signaling devices that can be put (well on anything, however in this example) in tires to help id them. They can be encoded with manufacturer information that includes the company name, place it was made, the type of tire, the date it was produced, and even testing info. This can also be helpful with maintenance.
The China Compulsory Certification or CCC is a certification program designed to guarantee that tires coming from China are up to the standards of other WTO countries.
Wish to learn more?:
As anyone can read, a ton of effort and time goes into grading and rating tires to guarantee they are up to safety standards. To find out how many tires fit on your car we recommend visiting Car Specs or if you would like to view reviews and descriptions of wheels and tires then we recommend reading Wheels Reviews

Pontiac Extended Warranty – Pontiac Grand Am Extended Warranty

The Pontiac Grand Am is an terrific vehicle, but just one repair can cost you thousands of dollars. The best way to protect yourself from expensive Pontiac Grand Am repairs to get a Pontiac Extended Warranty for your vehicle. A Pontiac Grand Am Extended Warranty will save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars the next time your automobile needs repairs. Learn more about Pontiac Extended Warranty – Pontiac Grand Am Extended Warranty

Click Here To Get A Free Extended Warranty Quote for Your Pontiac Grand Am

Even the highest quality Pontiac vehicles will eventually run into mechanical or electrical problems. Unfortunately, this usually happens once Pontiac’s warranty is no longer there to protect you from the high cost of automotive repairs. If you aren’t protected, just one major problem with your Pontiac Grand Am can cost you thousands of dollars. An extended warranty will protect you from the significant cost of repairing these problems and gives you peace of mind knowing that your Pontiac Grand Am will be taken care of in the event that expensive repairs are required.

*** Protect Yourself From Expensive Car Repairs – Get A FREE Online Quote for an Extended Warranty for Your Vehicle in Seconds! ***

With so many automobile recalls and problems currently in the news, it is more important than ever to protect yourself and your Pontiac Grand Am by considering getting an extended warranty. It takes just a few seconds to receive a free, no obligation quote for a Pontiac Extended Warranty, which can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in the near future. Get a FREE quote on Pontiac Grand Am Extended Warranty today!