Fuel Economy Tip - Maintain Your Vehicle

Today's tip will not only help you save money on gas, but it will save you even more money by helping you stave off costly engine repairs and by extending the life of your car.

Properly maintain your vehicle.

What I have put together certainly isn't an exhaustive list of things you can do to make sure your vehicle is properly maintained, but it's a good place to start:

• Replace dirty air filters
• Replace worn spark plugs
• Maintain proper fluid levels
• Regularly change your vehicle's oil
• Use the proper grade of oil

By doing the above suggestions, you will help your car's engine run much more efficiently, which means two important things:

1. You will use less gas, potentially saving you a couple hundred bucks per year
2. There will be less excessive wear on the engine, potentially saving you thousands of dollars

While doing the above items may seem like a burden at the time, they will definitely help you save a lot of money in the long run.

For example, driving with a dirty air filter can decrease your vehicle's gas mileage by up to 10%, which is essentially the same as adding $.29 to each gallon of gas you buy. Over a year, this extra cost can total over $200!

Now, just imagine you would have gone out and paid $20 for a new air filter. You'd technically be ahead at least $180 (if not more) instead of out $200.

Take care of your car and it'll take care of your wallet.