In: Root » Legal and finance » Wealth building
If the car isn't moving, but the engine's running, you're getting 0 miles per gallon. Make all adjustments to mirrors, seat belts, hair, childrenwhateverbefore starting up. Turn off the engine whenever you'll be sitting for 60 seconds or more, and you'll save on gas. Properly inflated tires will save money on fuel costs. Buy a decent tire gauge and use it. Also, make sure your tires are properly balancedanother gas-saver. Don't use gasoline with a higher octane rating than is recommended in your car's owner's manual. "Higher octane = better performance" is nothing but a marketing ploy. Replace your own air filter. It's incredibly cheap and easy, and can improve your gas mileage. (If Gerri can do it, you can do it.) A tune-up, when needed, can cut your fuel costs as much as 20%. The trouble is, today's cars don't need the old fashioned kind of tune-up (points, plugs, condensers, idle adjustments) that we gladly paid for every 15,000 to 25,000 miles in the good old days. Read the recommendations in your owner's manual. You may be pleasantly surprised. Sun shades, the kind you put in the windshield of your car, can do more than help keep the car coolerthey can also keep the dashboard and upholstery in better shape, and save fuel during the "hot" season by reducing the load on your air conditioner. Get the radiator flushed and re-filled with antifreeze every couple of years. If it gets too clogged and dirty, you may end up replacing the radiator. Change your oil regularly and use good oil and filters. And change the transmission fluid every 20,000 miles or so. Choose the best oil by selecting those brands that have the letters "SJ" after the viscosity numbers (like 10/40). Have the timing belt replaced when the manufacturer recommends it, usually at 60,000 or so miles. When it breaks, the car stops and you'll have to pay for towing, and possibly for serious damage. Wash your car. Don't forget the underbody, where rust can develop. When something sounds wrong, have it checked out. Turning up the radio to drown out the noise may prove to be an expensive antidote.
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