Save Gas and Save Money

We all dread filling up at the pump and draining our bank account. But we have to get around some how! However, there are several ways to save on gas and keep some money in your pocket.

1. Go easy on your accelerator! If you anticipate the traffic you can avoid slamming on your breaks and accelerating too quickly. If possible, use cruise control, this cuts out the constant braking and accelerating.

2. Carpooling is fun! With just one person in your carpool, you could cut your fuel costs by 50 percent! Make friends and alternate driving with people in your area. The more people in your carpool, the more you save!

3. Let go of your excess baggage. Do you really need all those extra things in your trunk? The less you car weighs, the less work it does, and the less gas it is going to burn.

4. Don’t ignore those check-whatever lights. Regular maintenance will keep your car purring beautifully. The better you take care of your car, the better it will perform.  Make sure under the hood is running smoothly and your tires are properly inflated.

5. Get some fresh air! If it’s a nice day, put your windows down! Turning off your A/C will put less stress on your engine, and help it use less fuel. The more sparing you are with your A/C and heat, the more gas in your tank!

6. This brings me to my next point, aerodynamics! While keeping the windows down helps cut gas consumption, this is not necessarily true for when you’re driving on the highway. Simply put, if your windows are down when you are going high speeds, it causes your vehicle to use more gas because it is less aerodynamic. It is also not beneficial to have bike racks or large objects on your roof rack. Those bug deflectors, window and sunroof deflectors are also causing more harm than good.

7. Don’t just sit there, do something! If you are just going to sit there with your car running, turn it off. Turning your car off and on is more efficient than just letting it run.

Steering Away From Hydroplaning

Driving in the rain can bring a lot of anxiety to some drivers. With the lack of visibility and the fear of losing control, you’re not alone! Hydroplaning, also known as aquaplaning, occurs when a layer of water comes between the tires and road causing a loss of traction. This lack of traction can cause the driver to lose their ability to steer and brake properly. The vehicle may skid or slide and this could unfortunately cause an accident. But have no fear! There are several ways to avoid hydroplaning and build your confidence driving in the rain!

1. (First off, and most importantly) Do NOT slam on the breaks. The best option is to pump your breaks until you begin to regain control. If you have anti-lock brakes (check your owners manual if you are unsure), brake like normal but not too hard. The vehicle will do the brake pumping action for you.

2. This is not the time to have a lead foot! Slow down in the rain, you will have more traction and better control when you are coming to a stop.

3. Take care of your tires. Unfortunately this creates another “to-do” on your busy list. It is important to check and properly adjust your tire pressure. Check the traction on your tires often and rotate or replace them if need be, especially if they are beginning to bald.

4. Avoid standing water. Puddles can cause immediate loss of traction. It is smart to avoid the outer lanes where masses of water are likely to form.

5. Stay in control, don’t use cruise control! Hydroplaning while in cruise control has actually caused vehicles to accelerate. As you can imagine, this creates a problem when it comes to regaining control of your vehicle.

If you do begin to hydroplane, remain calm! Take your foot off the accelerator, grasp the wheel firmly, and attempt to steer the vehicle to where it is aimed straight ahead. Make sure you are not over steering, move the wheel a minimal amount, just enough to keep the vehicle moving forward. Hopefully these tips will help you gain confidence while driving in the rain, and help prevent accidents if hydroplaning does occur!

Changing Seasons and Changing Tire Pressure

Properly adjusting your tire pressure ensures safer driving, better fuel efficiency and a more comfortable ride. As the seasons change, so does your pressure due to the fluctuating temperature. A 10 degree drop can cause your tire pressure to decrease 1-2 PSI (pounds per square inch).  It is important to adjust your tire pressure, but first you must first find your manufacture’s recommend PSI.To find this information, check your owners manual or the sticker in your driver’s side door. Once you know your recommended PSI, you need to make sure you own a tire air pressure gauge. Your tire pressure should be no more or less than five PSI’s of the recommended pressure. When checking the pressure, your tires should be “cold”, meaning they have not been driven on for at least three hours. Now that you've checked your pressure, it’s time to head to an air pump. When filling the tires with the air hose, keep your gauge near so that you can check the pressure as you go, you do not want to over inflate! Over-inflation can cause you to lose traction or have a blow out. Under-inflation can hurt your vehicles fuel economy. It is recommended that you check your tire pressure weekly, especially with large temperature fluctuations.

2015 Models Roadside Assistance

The 2015 Honda Fit and Pilot will be the first to receive 24 hour, seven days a week roadside service. Owners of the 2015 models can call the service’s number for various reasons. The roadside assistance will perform tasks such as delivering fuel, changing a flat, and unlocking the vehicle in case of a lost key. The program also has features that will benefit the driver while traveling. It will assist in finding hotels, retrieving information from airlines, getting a taxi or any other needed transportation. In case of emergency, the service can contact people whose numbers you have provided.