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Fuel Economy Hints from GM Motor Club

FOR RELEASE: July 25, 2002

Stretch Your Gas Dollars With Tips From GM Motor Club

Southfield, MI - According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the months of July and August see the heaviest volume of highway travel, with 245.5 billion miles logged nationally in August 2001 alone. This surge in travel inevitably means more money spent at the gas pump. Avoid the price pinch by following these cost saving tips from GM Motor Club to help stretch your gas dollars a little farther this summer travel season.

  • Make a shop stop. Before taking off on that summer road trip, stop in for a tune up and have the oil and air filter checked on your vehicle. Clogged air filters can cause up to a 10 percent increase in fuel consumption and a poorly tuned engine can increase consumption by as much as 10 to 20 percent depending on the condition of the car.

  • Use the cruise. Relieve those cramped legs with the help of the cruise control. Maintaining a constant speed usually means better conservation of fuel and less strain on the engine.

  • The art of anticipation. A simple way to gain a 5 to 10 percent increase in fuel economy is to anticipate traffic conditions to avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration. Also, avoid tailgating others to reduce reaction braking.

  • Are we there yet? No matter how many times the question comes up, allow yourself extra time to arrive at your destination to avoid speeding, potential traffic violations and worse, an accident. Traveling at 65 mph, rather than 55 mph, increases fuel consumption by 20 percent.

  • Easy on that engine. Don't hit the highway so fast, start the road trip off slowly to allow the engine to warm up. A cold engine consumes twice as much gas as a warm engine and in city driving, close to 50 percent of the energy needed to power your car goes to acceleration.

Source for fuel economy information: Federal Trade Commission, Gas-Saving Products: Facts or Fuelishness?

GM Motor Club provides nationwide, emergency roadside service and travel benefits to owners of any make or model private passenger vehicle. For a single membership rate, GM Motor Club covers the member, spouse and dependent children under the age of 21 living in the residence. Coverage includes 24-hour 800-number access; 24-hour service for lockout, flat tire change, emergency fuel service or battery jump-start; and "no-mileage limit" towing to the nearest repair facility. Additional services include trip routing, map services, travel discounts and ATM/rental car locator. GM Motor Club is protection anytime, anywhere, for anyone. For more information, visit gmmotorclub.com or call 877 GM MOTOR (877-466-6867).