Sands Ford Suzuki of Pottsville

8 ways to save fuel, Part 2

Part 2

 

Drivers on the country roads of Pine Grove are definitely enjoying better fuel economy than those stuck in rush hour traffic by the Cressona Mall– even those Pottsville drivers who just had a fuel economy checkup done at Sands Ford of Pottsville.  You’ve changed your oil with a high quality oil and filter.  Your air and fuel filters are new.  And you even had the technicians at Sands Ford of Pottsville go ahead and have all four tires filled to the precise tire pressure set by Ford.  You might have even slowed down a little bit!  Now you have to pick up you son or daughter from soccer, figure out something for dinner, and what is that thing clunking around in the trunk?  Here are the next four simple (and FREE) steps will help you make better use of every dollar going into your gas tank.

 

 

1.       Road rage doesn’t help anything, not even fuel economy.  Alright, this one gets a little personal.  Yes, even more personal than that jerk who cut you off on Route 61.  Specific driving habits do have an effect on your fuel economy.  If you feel like you always need to be pressing at least one pedal at all times, this message is for you.  You might not want to hear it, you might not want to believe it, but your lower fuel economy is because of YOU!  Avoid those quick starts, aggressive driving and heavy on the brake stops.  Racing from Sands Suzuki at Norwegian Street only to stop again at the red light at Arch Street is costing you double.  Not only are you burning more fuel than you can believe, it is doing damage to your brake pads and rotors, too! If you can feel the steering wheel shake when you brake, this message is for you–Excessive wear on brake pads and rotors that heat up too much begin to warp.  That’s the wobbly feeling you feel.  You don’t have to be either on the gas or the brake at all times, coasting is fine, too!

2.       Clean out the car.  Those golf clubs, stroller, and the things you were going to return at the store, but instead have been chauffeuring around for two weeks…Yeah, they all add up to the weight of two fully grown men in the back seat.  It’s physics, people!  The heavier the car the more power (gasoline) is required to move from point A to point B.  It’s that simple, clean all that unnecessary clutter from your car and you’re saving money.  You probably don’t even need that big SUV anymore.  A new 2012 Ford Escape from Sands Ford of Pottsville will save you gas in more ways than one and still fit your family’s needs.

3.       Avoid the rush hour and combine trips.  Those twenty air conditioned minutes it took to move from Penn State Schuylkill campus in Schuylkill Haven to the Cressona Mall isn’t saving you money.  Neither are all those separate trips to pick up your kid at practice and then back out to the grocery store.  Make all those stops on one trip and cut down on the miles.

4.       Set the cruise and go!  Use those overdrive gears and slow down engine speeds.  This not only saves on fuel, but also on wear and tear.  Cruise control (only when safe and appropriate roads allow) helps your engine run at a low and more consistent RPM, which reduces fuel consumption and reduces wear and tear on your engine.  See last weeks blog for step 4 for slowing down for even more savings.

 

So that’s it.  You’re taking better care of your car AND saving money.

 

8 things you can do today for more miles per gallon

Drivers in the Pottsville area find it hard to get the most miles per gallon for their car.  From the Frackville grade to the stop and go of downtown Pottsville, car engines all over Schuylkill County work harder.  Today’s new cars from Sands Ford of Pottsville come with exciting new technology to help you get more MPG’s.  For example, Ford is working to reduce weight, make their engines and transmissions more efficient and add technology like direct injection.  A 5% increase here, another 7% there can add up to a significantly higher fuel economy.  Ford’s Ecoboost engines offer increases of 20-30% alone with no sacrifice in performance!  Some argue (and I agree) the 2012 Ford F150 with 3.5l Ecoboost performs better than bigger V8 options.

In the car lines, it seems like the new bar is 40 mpg’s as Ford has four cars at or above 40 miles per gallon.  Both the 2012 Ford Focus and the 2012 Ford Fiesta get 40 miles per gallon.  The even bigger mid-size sedan 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid (and the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid) beats them both with 41mpg.  And the next generation 2013 Ford Fusion Electric is estimated at 100 mpg’s.

Okay so you’re not coming into Sands Ford of Pottsville today for a new Ford.  So what other things can you do to get the most miles from each gallon of gas.  Here are the first four of eight things you can do today to start saving:

1.        Maintain your car!  Every car has lubricant and filters that need to be changed regularly.  Air filters, for example, clean the air used to mix with gasoline to power your car.  If the filter is restricted with dirt and dust, your engine needs to work that much harder to move you down the road.  Engine oil, spark plugs and even the oxygen sensor that made that yellow light on your dash come on can lead to lower fuel economy.

2.       Cheaper isn’t always better.  Unfortunately, you usually get what you pay for.  And that $14.95 discount oil and filter change might be saving you upfront, but is costing you unknown miles per gallon.  When you have your oil changed at Sands Ford of Pottsville, we use the higher quality and factory recommended synthetic blend oil specifically engineered for your car.  This not only saves you gas, but keeps your engine running smoother and extends the life of your engine.  Also, use the factory recommended fuel for the best engine performance.

3.       Put air in your tires, TODAY!   We are supposed to check your tire pressure once a month.  But let’s face it, who has the time for that?  Plus, those little pen shaped tire pressure gauges are +/- 3lbs.  So even if you are checking, you could be 6lbs off from the next tire.  Every tire filled with regular air is losing about 1lb per month. When is the last time you checked your tire pressure?  Probably the last time it was serviced.   And since the new scheduled oil changes intervals are 5,000, 7,500, 10,000 miles, that was probably five months ago.  Ask your service advisor if you can have your tires fill with pure nitrogen (not the kind that goes boom!) and your tires will stay filled for much longer.  Get nitrogen in your tires here or learn more.

4.       SLOW DOWN!  According to a guide released by National Automobile Dealers Association, your fuel economy decreases about 1% for each mph over 55.  So driving 65 mph vs. 75 mph could increase fuel economy about 10%.

Check back next week for more tips.  HINT: Clean out your car and set the cruise control.

Your car is talking to you!

Welcome to Sands Ford Suzuki of Pottsville blog.  Part of the Sands Auto Group, we are a family owned and operated dealership group.  This blog site will inform you how to maintain your car, get more miles per gallon, stay in touch with the great new Ford products and more. In many new ways (and a lot of old ways) your car is talking to you.  Are you listening?

Here are some related websites to take car of your automotive needs.

1. Find your next new Ford car, truck, SUV or CUV right here.
2. What maintenance does your Ford need.
3. Schedule your service appointment today.