Memorial Day Fuel Saving Tips

Record Gas Prices Make it Perfect Time to 'Be Car Care Aware'

BETHESDA, Md., May 25 -- With the Memorial Day Holiday weekend upon us and the summer vacation season fast approaching; there is no better time to "Be Car Care Aware" about your vehicle. Record gas prices are expected to rise even more during the summer months, so the Car Care Council offers gas saving tips.

"Proper car care is critical during the holiday summer travel season," says Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. "With gas prices exceeding an average two dollars per gallon for the first time in history, performing a few basic and inexpensive maintenance checks will the Memorial Day road trip both safe and fuel efficient."

In light of the higher gasoline prices this year, the Car Care Council is offering gas-saving maintenance and driving tips that really work.

  The Car Care Council offers these fuel-saving tips:

  * Vehicle gas caps -- About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads
    have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing
    altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every
    year.

  * Under inflated tires -- When tires aren't inflated properly it's like
    driving with the parking brake on and can cost a mile or two per
    gallon.

  * Worn spark plugs -- A vehicle can have either four, six or eight
    spark plugs, which fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles,
    resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion.  A
    dirty spark plug causes misfiring, which wastes fuel.  Spark plugs
    need to be replaced regularly.

  * Dirty air filters -- An air filter that is clogged with dirt, dust
    and bugs chokes off the air and creates a "rich" mixture -- too much
    gas being burned for the amount of air, which wastes gas and causes
    the engine to lose power.  Replacing a clogged air filter can improve
    gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving about 15 cents a gallon.

  Fuel-saving driving tips include:

  * Don't be an aggressive driver -- Aggressive driving can lower gas
    mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent on city
    streets, which results in 7 to 49 cents per gallon.

  * Avoid excessive idling -- Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon.
    Letting the vehicle warm up for one to two minutes is sufficient.

  * Observe the speed limit -- Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds
    above 60 mph.  Each mph driven over 60 will result in an additional
    10 cents per gallon.  To maintain a constant speed on the highway,
    cruise control is recommended.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the "Be Car Care Aware" campaign, educating consumers about the benefits of regular vehicle maintenance and repair. For more information and to download your free copy of the Service Interval Schedule, visit http://www.carcare.org/.