Page 20 - AAA Central Penn – AAA Now! – May/June 2018

AAA
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AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
Ways to Be Environmentally Friendly with Your Car on Summer Driving Trips
We are all looking for ways to save fuel and money, and drive in a greener fashion. However, because of distances we travel or things we need to transport, riding a bicycle may not be the
best choice to be more earth friendly, so I have compiled some ideas that will help you save money, fuel, and be all around greener when driving your vehicle.
Make sure your car is in good mechanical condition
Make sure you follow your owner’s manual’s recommendations for maintenance on your
vehicle and have a qualified technician perform a maintenance inspection then give you a report on its condition. AAA can help with this. We have over 7,400 Approved Auto Repair facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada that have passed rigid quality inspections and have ASE-certified technicians to look at your vehicle. Also ask your shop if they are properly disposing of oil, oil filters, and anti freeze in an environmentally friendly manner.
Use the correct oil and check your tires
Use the correct viscosity oil in your engine. Oil that is too thick can cause the engine to work harder, and if it’s too thin it can cause friction, which will lower fuel economy and could damage the engine. Check your tire pressure on a regular basis; check your owner’s manual or door-post sticker for the correct pressure specifications. Check the tires before driving, when they are cold, and adjust the pressure as needed.
Plan your trips and lose weight
Plan your driving to combine as many errands as possible, over the most efficient routes. Keep extra weight out of your vehicle; only carry what is necessary. If you are going to the recycling facility, this should be one of the
first errands you are running in order to keep the car weight down.
Cut down on the air conditioning
Around town, try driving with the windows open and the air off, but out on the expressway turn
the air on and shut the windows, because open windows will create a lot of drag on your car at highway speeds and cut fuel economy.
Easy does it when driving
Drive smoothly and accelerate gently, no jackrabbit starts, and read the road ahead to avoid
unnecessary braking. Slow down before needing to brake and keep your car rolling as long as possible; avoid slamming on the brakes, as this is hard on the brakes and wears the tires unnecessarily.
Use cruise control and obey speed limits
If you have trouble maintaining a steady speed on highways, set your cruise control to help you avoid speed changes. Also obey the speed limits – it will make police happy and keep your wallet from getting lighter. Driving at 70 mph can use up to 9% more fuel than at 60 mph. Also, if you drive a lot on limited access roads where EZ-Pass can be used, get one; it will help save time and fuel when waiting to pay tolls.
Carpool and avoid rush hour
If possible, try to carpool with friends or co-workers; it will keep additional vehicles off the road and you can share costs, cutting your overall cost. Avoiding rush hour, if possible, is another way to avoid sitting in traffic and wasting gas and time. If you can’t avoid it, try to look for more efficient routes to use. Idling an engine can waste a large amount of fuel, so if you aren’t moving for a while, turn your engine off, unless you need it running to maintain control of your vehicle.
If you follow these tips, you will save fuel and money, and help maintain a greener environment.
Bruce Phillips - Approved Auto Repair manager
ASK THE TECH
QUESTION
What should I do with my car in the spring to get it ready for the summer driving season?
ANSWER
Ah, spring. It has certainly been a long cold winter for us, and your car as well. All that salt, slippery roads, near misses. Let’s take a look at what we can do to get you ready for the spring and summer season.
I would recommend that you take your car
to your local service center and have the oil changed, making sure they check your air
and cabin air filters. If your car is not due for inspection, I would recommend having a safety check, which would entail having someone looking over the tires, exhaust, brakes, belts, wipers, etc. for any issues that could creep
up. When the weather gets warm, if your air conditioning isn’t as cool as it used to be, you may want to have your AC system checked.
Not seeing as well as before? Headlights yellow? You may want to think about having your headlights cleaned and resealed or have newer, brighter bulbs installed.
Hopefully, these tips will keep you running trouble free for the summer driving and vacation season.
Jim Clay
Clay’s Service Center, Mechanicsburg
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MAY/JUNE 2018
Now!