(by Trisha Hessinger For NewsUSA)
Two favorite summer pastimes: vacation road trips and summer blockbuster movie releases.
Several of this summer's movies take you behind the wheel for exciting car chases with unbelievable maneuvers and speed-defying moments.While the actors in these movies may not be thinking about fuel efficiency, with today's high gas prices, you certainly are. Firestone Complete Auto Care offers the following maintenance tips to help you save on fuel as you take to the roads this summer.
- Check up. Look over your owner's
manual to keep current on your scheduled maintenance. Inspect your vehicles'
fluids to make sure they are all at the recommended levels. If unsure,
have your vehicles inspected by a certified technician to ensure they
are running as efficiently as possible.
- Air up. Properly inflate all four
tires and the spare to the vehicle manufacturer's recommended levels.
Check the sticker on the inside door jamb or the owner's manual. Under
normal operation, tires can lose approximately 1 pound per square inch
(PSI) of pressure every month. For every 10-degree change in ambient
temperature, tire pressure can change by approximately one PSI. Check
tire pressure once a month and always when the car is cool - meaning
the car has been driven less than one mile or has not moved in at least
three hours.
- Line up. Have your vehicles' alignment
checked and the tires balanced and rotated according to the vehicle
owner's manual. Anything you can do to help your tires roll smoothly
will result in improved fuel mileage.
- Lighten up. If you have a trunk full
of junk, empty it out and lighten the load for better fuel economy.
If you drive a pickup truck and the bed is empty, leaving the tailgate
down reduces drag and improves gas mileage.
Don't be reckless with your money at the pump. Be sensible with your vehicle and driving habits and leave the recklessness to the movies.
Trisha Hessinger, an automotive education specialist and former race car driver, is a national spokeswoman for Firestone Complete Auto Care's award-winning Car Care Academy program. For details on the program, visit www.FirestoneCompleteAutoCare.com.
