How Regular Car Maintenance Can Help Your Gas Mileage

Every penny counts, including the money you spend on gas. Maybe you even keep a close watch on your miles per gallon. But did you know that simple, regular car maintenance can go a long way in ensuring that you're maximizing your vehicle's fuel efficiency?

Motor oil

First and foremost, always use the type of motor oil recommended for your vehicle. Beyond that, viscosity and exterior temperature matter. Using a thicker oil in the summer and a thinner oil in the winter can help improve your gas mileage by one or two percent. Motor oils that offer energy-conserving properties can also improve your car's gas mileage.

Tire inflation

Both overinflated and underinflated tires can negatively affect your gas mileage. More than likely, your monitoring system only tells you when you have an underinflated tire. It never alerts you to an overinflated tire. Tire pressure gauges are inexpensive and simple to use. Invest in one and use it to check your tires monthly for proper inflation. You should also check the pressure in your tires before long road trips to maximize your dollars at the pump.

Fuel injection service

Sediment buildup in your fuel system, fuel injector, and intake valves will cause your vehicle to become less fuel efficient. A fuel injection service cleans out the buildup. This service should be performed every 30,000 miles.

Fresh air filters

A fresh air filter improves both your vehicle's fuel economy and its acceleration. For your convenience, our auto repair shop replaces your air filters during every oil change.

Spark plugs

Your vehicle's spark plugs provide the spark necessary to ignite the fuel and air in your vehicle's combustion engine. Signs of faulty spark plugs include your engine misfires, your car feels rough while idling, or you have trouble starting your vehicle. Replace worn out or faulty spark plugs to allow your engine to run cleaner and more fuel efficiently.

If you need regular car maintenance performed, we invite you to bring your vehicle into our auto repair shop today.