Owners of 'Clunkers' Can Still Save on Driving Costs, Says CarBuddy

Michigan-based online carpooling service offers tips for saving money behind the wheel

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 26 -- While hundreds of thousands of American car owners have reduced their driving costs by taking advantage of the "Cash for Clunkers" program, those who are still stuck with their clunkers can cut their costs, too, according to CarBuddy, an online service that matches carpooling commuters in southeast Michigan.

CarBuddy today offered five tips for any driver -- and especially those who must deal with low-mileage vehicles -- to keep cash in their pockets. Adopt these recommendations and you may stop slamming the door when you exit your gas guzzler:

  1. Slow down and use your cruise control.  Driving at a constant speed,
     within the speed limit, will burn less gas during your trip and get you
     there only a few minutes later than speeding would (you also may save a
     hundred bucks and a court appearance by avoiding flashing blue lights
     in your mirror).
  2. Carpool.  Sharing a car to and from work with one or more colleagues
     you can split the fuel costs and bridge or toll-road fees.  Since you
     will take turns driving, each vehicle sustains less wear and tear --
     and you'll save on antacids if you're only driving every other day.
  3. Don't fill your tank past the 3/4 mark.  The more gas you carry, the
     heavier your vehicle becomes (until you burn off a few gallons) and the
     more fuel your car consumes to move the full load.
  4. Turn off air conditioning. In city driving, turn off your air
     conditioning when possible; it may improve fuel consumption by as much
     as 10 percent.

  5. Keep your tires properly inflated.  The U.S. Department of Energy
     estimates that, "You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent
     by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated
     tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in
     pressure of all four tires."

Citing National Household Travel Survey findings from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, CarBuddy Co-Founder Albert Rodriguez noted that, across the nation, some 3.3 million Americans travel 50 miles or more each way to work. "Adopting fuel-saving driving and maintenance practices can produce a significant collective impact on the nation's environment," Rodriguez said. "The great thing about these environmental measures, especially carpooling, is that they save drivers money while we help save the planet."

About CarBuddy

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., CarBuddy is an online service that enables individuals to find and commute with compatible carpooling buddies in southeast Michigan. CarBuddy manages the entire carpooling process, from matching drivers and passengers through a Web-based compatibility questionnaire to calculating commuting costs and collecting and distributing payments. The service also handles participant background checks, which include validating drivers' licenses and confirming that current insurance is on file. Using CarBuddy is free to all commuters. The company retains an 8 percent service fee from reimbursements to drivers paid by passengers. For more information, please visit www.carbuddy.com.