Your mileage has certainly become a much more interesting topic in recent times. This is not because folks have just developed a new love for auto mechanics; it has to do with how much of our monthly spend goes to gas. The price of gas is still near all time highs and does not show any signs of dropping low enough to really make a difference. I will give you a few tips that will help you maximize your gas mileage.

You can get better gas mileage by changing your oil at regular intervals. If you’ve been putting off this important chore indefinitely you’ve built a drain on your finances without knowing. Time is money. But the time spent on changing your oil is saved at the gas station. Always remember what you’re losing otherwise. This will motivate you to do your oils as frequently as necessary.

The next thing that can help you improve your mileage is the attention you give to your tires. The condition of your tires affects your fuel use. Under inflated tires lower your gas mileage by 0.4 for every one pound of drop in pressure of all four tires. This means that if you’re under inflated by as much as 5 pounds you are losing as much as 2% in your fuel economy.

Still on tires, if your tires are not properly aligned they will drag and not roll freely. This also will increase fuel consumption. So, it’s a good idea to ensure your tires are properly aligned. Generally make sure your tires have all the care they require. You’ll get better mileage for that.

The more load you have on your car, the less your gas mileage. This means that you must get rid of stuff that are of no practical use to you on a drive. Check your trunk, you’ll be surprised how much has accumulated over time. Remove them and keep only the essentials. Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s start out with the owner’s manual and automotive maintenance. My owner’s manual threatens to void my warranty if I do not perform the recommended service on time.

Well let’s look at what is recommend automotive maintenance. In my manual (yours may be different) it states that for normal driving an oil change is due every 3,000 miles or 3 months.

Then you keep reading and it says for fleet vehicles oil changes are needed every 4,500 miles or 6 months. What are they talking about with fleet vehicles?

I called the 800 number and asked for the official explanation, which is high mileage use or long trips equaling more than 9,000 miles a year would be considered fleet type use.

Well to me this is what normal driving is.

So according to the manufacturer my automotive maintenance should be done under the fleet automotive maintenance schedule.

Everybody I know puts more then 9,000 miles a year on his or her vehicle.

The national average for miles put on a single vehicle has risen from 10,000 miles in the 80′s to 15,000 miles a year in the 90′s to present day.

So most of the nation should be on the fleet automotive maintenance schedule along with me.

I added up the price difference between the 2 schedules in my own personal service manual. Read the rest of this entry »