Cooper tires > Get Better Gas Mileage This Winter - Simple Tips You Can Use

Get Better Gas Mileage This Winter - Simple Tips You Can Use

by: Scott Babb

Getting the best gas mileage is harder during the winter. Here are a few simple things you can do to improve your winter gas mileage.

Maintain your car. Check your tires to make sure they have plenty of tread. Slipping tires are dangerous and they waste gas. Ask your car dealer or mechanic if you can use a lighter weight oil during the winter to reduce friction and save gas. Consider using a low-friction or synthetic oil to save gas. If it's been awhile since you changed your air filter, check your owners manual to find the recommended changing interval. A new air filter can greatly improve your gas mileage. Consider an after-market low restriction air filter system. Not only can these improve your gas mileage, but they often come with permanent filter media that can be washed or cleaned and reused. The higher cost of the after-market filter can be offset by not having to buy new air filters.

Check your tire pressure. As the temperature drops, so does your tire pressure. Low tire pressure is one of the most common causes of poor gas mileage and it can also wear your tires quicker and make your car handle badly. Check your tires regularly with a tire pressure gauge and make sure they're at the manufacturer's recommended settings. To find the recommended settings look in your owners manual or open your driver's door and look for a sticker on the rear of the door near the latch mechanism. Some cars have different recommended pressures for the front and rear tires. Don't overinflate your tires because that can make them wear out quicker and make your car handle poorly.

Don't run your car's engine to warm it up. This is a common way people waste gas in the winter. See your owners manual for recommended warm-up time for your car. It's usually less than a minute and often less than 15 seconds. Running your car's engine longer wastes gas. If you live in a very cold climate, install an electric block heater to pre-heat your car's engine. Consider bundling up in warmer clothes if comfort is an issue. If you're out shopping, park in a sunny spot and let nature help keep your car warm for your return.

Clear all ice and snow off your car before you start driving. In addition to being a lot of extra weight to haul around, ice and snow can increase wind resistance which also hurts gas mileage. Also make sure you're not dragging around any more weight than absolutely necessary by removing unneeded items from your trunk.

Remove your roof rack. If you use a roof rack for skis, snowboards, or other items, remove the rack when you're not using it to reduce wind resistance. If you must leave the rack on, at least remove the equipment from the rack to minimize the mileage drop. Consider using an aerodynamic box-style container on your roof rack for your winter sports equipment. If you transport sports gear or other items in your trunk or inside your vehicle, remove them as soon as you're done using them to save weight.

Avoid the drive-through. It's convenient to use drive-through lanes for coffee, food, or banking, but all that sitting in line wastes gas. Park your car and brave the cold to walk inside the eatery or bank and you'll save gas.

Bonus: Holiday gift suggestions to help save gas.

* For those on a budget, an accurate dial-type tire pressure gauge should cost you less than $15. Even the entry-level digital gauges are less than $20. Of course if you want a professional-quality gauge with superior accuracy or a digital gauge that tells you your tire pressure audibly, you can spend considerably more.

* If you're shopping on a higher budget, consider a GPS navigator. These electronic marvels listen to radio signals from orbiting Global Positioning System satellites and calculate your location with amazing accuracy. They can display maps, give you step-by-step directions to your destination, and even tell you where to find the nearest restaurant, gas station, or hotel when you're on the road. You'll never have to worry about being lost and you'll save gas by having a computerized navigator to direct you to your destination. The cost? An entry-level GPS navigator is under $90 and they range from there to over $1000 for a top-of-the-line model.

About The Author

Scott Babb is the webmaster of http://www.gas-mileage-tips.com where you'll find many more tips, tools, and resources to help you get better gas mileage, save money, and be kinder to the environment.

Understanding the Drive Layouts

Understanding the Drive Layouts

by: Alvin Agomaa

The drive layout is the arrangement of the engine, transmission, and driven axles. The types of drive layouts are Front engine Front wheel drive (FF/ FWD), Front engine Rear wheel drive (FR/RWD), Mid engine Rear wheel drive(MR), Rear engine Rear wheel drive(RR), Four wheel drive (4WD or 4x4) and the All Wheel Drive(AWD). Each of these layouts has their own performance, advantages and disadvantages.

Front engine Front wheel drive (FF/FWD) ? The Engine and the two driven axles are placed in front, where the power from the engine is transferred straight to the front wheels. This layout increases the interior space especially in small cars because there is no central tunnel needed for the driveshaft. FF layout has advantage when it comes on low grip surfaces, and its tendency to understeer reduces the risk of losing control. The disadvantage is the load placed on the front tires. The front tires must...

Understanding the Drive Layouts

Cooper tires > Understanding the Drive Layouts

How To Dispose Of Your Old ATV Tires

How To Dispose Of Your Old ATV Tires

by: Bill B. Carmel

When it comes time to replace your old and worn ATV tires, many riders are eager to purchase new tires, but many are unaware what to do with the old ones. Regardless where you live, throwing old tires in a body or water or natural environment is improper?and in many cases illegal?since the tires can corrupt nature. When disposing of your old ATV tires, be sure to do so in a proper and legal manner that will not negatively impact the environment for future generations.

More and more often, tires are being recycled and formed into all sorts of new products. From park benches to carpets, recycled rubber is a durable and economical product. When you are faced with the decision what to do with your old ATV tires, look to your local recycling company to see if rubber is accepted. Although you may not be able to place your tires to the curb if you community is involved with curbside recycling...

How To Dispose Of Your Old ATV Tires

Cooper tires > How To Dispose Of Your Old ATV Tires

Maintaining Your Car Will Make It Last Longer

Maintaining Your Car Will Make It Last Longer

by: Matthew C. Keegan

Regular maintenance of your vehicle will extend its life perhaps well beyond what you or others may think is its normal lifespan. Today?s cars can easily top the 100,000 mile mark with many cars on the road exceeding 150,000, 200,000, even 250,000 miles. Ask owners of high mileage cars how they got to that point and most will point to their own rigorous and disciplined maintenance schedules as being the chief factor. By carefully and diligently following a maintenance schedule, you can extend your vehicle?s life too. Let?s take a look at several important maintenance steps you must take in order to avoid costly repairs and to help you hold onto your vehicle longer.

Regular oil changes ? The 30 minute oil change specialists recommend that you change your oil every 3,000 miles or three months, while some manufacturers state you only need to change your oil once every 7,500 miles...

Maintaining Your Car Will Make It Last Longer

Cooper tires > Maintaining Your Car Will Make It Last Longer

Cooper tires sample resume Get Better Gas Mileage This Winter - Simple Tips You Can Use

SUV Owners Pay More for Insurance

by: Rob Sliver

Hortencia Privett is like thousands of other owners of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs). Privett admits that she loves what she drives, a silver 2002 Jeep Liberty, but insurance experts caution that she and other SUV owners have to pay considerably more for insurance than those tooling around town in smaller cars.

The cost to insure an SUV is generally 10 to 20 percent more than a car, depending of course on...

Cooper tires Get Better Gas Mileage This Winter - Simple Tips You Can Use suv SUV Owners Pay More for Insurance

Cooper tires > SUV Owners Pay More for Insurance

Advantages of Attending a Liberty League International Training Event

by: Brent Payne

Liberty League International the leading developer of personal development systems hosts some of the best training events. These events are designed to teach the Liberty League independent distributors how to build a very successful business. The events include presenters who have created unparalleled results in their own lives and have impacted the world with their achievements....

Cooper tires potty training Advantages of Attending a Liberty League International Training Event Get Better Gas Mileage This Winter - Simple Tips You Can Use

Cooper tires > Advantages of Attending a Liberty League International Training Event

Wedding Bouquets for Life

by: David Chandler

One of the most beautiful of the bride's adornments at a wedding is the bouquet. Normally constructed of fresh flowers, the wedding bouquet would last for a week or two, and then have to be dried or tossed. Today that is not the case; today's modern bride has options that are more permanent.

There are various bridal books, magazines and shops to help you choose the perfect style and color. The arrangement...

Cooper tires Get Better Gas Mileage This Winter - Simple Tips You Can Use

Cooper tires > Wedding Bouquets for Life

Cooper tires Get Better Gas Mileage This Winter - Simple Tips You Can Use