After a long winter here in Bemidji, MN, we here at Bemidji Chrysler Center couldn’t be happier to get outside and enjoy summer finally. Summer is a great time to upgrade your existing vehicle to a brand new 2018 model, but whether you’re driving a new car or not, everyone deals with getting good gas mileage.
With summer road trips, trips to the cabin, and sporting events, many do a lot of driving during the summer, and we’re always looking for ways to save fuel. So we thought we’d share some of our favorite methods for fuel conservation.
Many of us are guilty of leaving items in our cars, even when we don’t need them. The biggest culprits for us are sporting equipment, camping or cabin gear, and sport racks. All of these items add extra weight to your vehicle which causes the engine to work a little bit harder, resulting in faster fuel consumption. So take out any unnecessary items to lighten the load.
Minnesota summers are as hot and humid as our winters are cold. With all the heat you may want to blast the air conditioner or keep the windows down, but one can be worse than the other. When driving at highway speeds you can actually save more fuel by keeping the windows rolled up. Open windows create drag and force your engine to burn more gas quickly to maintain speed. While the A/C may use less gas on the highway, it does still drain gas at a faster rate so use it sparingly.
When on long road trips, use cruise control to maintain a constant speed. Traveling at a constant speed without a lot of acceleration and deceleration is a great way to conserve fuel. Speed limits are also great ways to get the best fuel economy as traveling at around 55 mph is ideal.
You’ll also want to maintain proper tire pressure so that your tires are correctly interacting with the ground. Improperly inflated tires cause your car to work harder, burning up more gas.
Finally, be sure to visit us today for all your car service needs from oil changes to new tires. We want you to enjoy every adventure, no matter where the road takes you!
