Make the Most of Your Fuel Economy

Gone are the days of finding pocket change stuck between your car seats to buy gas. The price of gas has gone through the roof since the mid 2000s. Auto makers have tried to remedy this by building more fuel efficient vehicles for us to transition a little easier to these fuel costs, but some of us are still hurting. Those of you who can't upgrade to the latest and greatest hybrid, there are some tips and tricks on how to improve the fuel economy of your vehicle. Please keep in mind that some of these tips might not work for you, but it's worth a shot to try and save some green! (And make the world a little greener!)

Mythbusters proved that if you turned your car into a gigantic golf ball, you could improve your fuel economy, but I think you would rather spend the extra money and not look so crazy.

Below are just some of the ways you can improve your fuel economy!

Tire Inflation:
Make sure you have your tires inflated properly to ensure you get the best mileage for your vehicle. Please note that in colder temperatures, your tires will deflate quicker than in the summer. Make sure you check your pressure more often in winter, and check your owner's manual for optimal tire pressure for YOUR vehicle!






Air Filter:
Just as you put air filters in your home to keep your air clean - same reasoning goes for an air filter in your vehicle. We want to keep these clean to prevent things to get into your motor, and to keep even air flow. Keeping a clean air filter can help you with your fuel economy. When the air flow is not even through an air filter, we are making the vehicle work harder, and in turn use more gas. Just an easy step to take to save some pocket change!

DIRTY Air Filter

Brand new CLEAN filter

Clear Fuel Injection System:
A clean fuel injection system can definitely help your fuel economy. This system is similar to a Brita Filter: as you filter water through, debris gets trapped. You need to clean this every once in a while to ensure best results. Cleaning a fuel injection system is no easy feat. Contact the Service Staff at Victory Ford in Dyersville, to see if it's time to get your fuel injection system cleared!

Drive the Speed Limit:
Every vehicle is made differently, which means each vehicle has different fuel economies. Accelerating and stopping erratically during a short period of time really influences your fuel economy. As the story of the tortoise and the hare goes, "slow and steady wins the race." And in this case, it's $$$!
According to FuelEconomy.Gov, for every 5 MPH you drive over 50 MPH, you are paying an additional $0.24 per gallon of gas!

Along with all the tips I gave, Ford also came out with a great article on the smaller things that will save you some money! Click here to check it out.

If you have any additional tips I didn't mention, feel free to add them in the comments!
Kelly

The 411 on Tires

Image from Tour de Fat : Shoes as Bike Tires! 

2014 is finally here! For many people, a New Year's Resolution is in order. For some it could be cutting out sweets, or saving more money for retirement. Others, it's pushing themselves and getting to the gym to prepare for a marathon or two during the warmer weather (which we so dearly miss!) The most important thing you will need to make your workouts more tolerable are a good pair of shoes. Your feet and shoes are the most important factor in your mobility, and same goes for the tires on your vehicle!

Throughout this article, we will look into how to get the most out of your current tires.



There are many factors that determine how long your tires will last: 
How You Drive :
Now, being from the Chicago suburbs, I have a tendency to have a lead foot. I love pretending to be able to drive like Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear.
Just kidding! Although it would be tons of fun to have his job!

Accelerating and stopping quickly is going to wear my tires out a little faster than those of you who accelerate accordingly. Along with that, braking from a farther distance will extend the life of your tires. If you're like me and are experiencing a lead foot, practice makes perfect! Just keep reminding yourself you'll get there when you get there. Not to mention you will be saving some $$$ in the meantime!

Where You Drive :
Depending on where you mainly drive, the road conditions can really dictate the life of your tires. If you're mainly driving on gravel roads, expect more wear in the same amount of time compared to driving on the highway daily. If you're doing a lot of city driving, the extra braking at lights will impact your tread. There are measures you can take no matter where you're driving. See the Rotations and Alignment section below.

Tire Pressure Sensor on Dashboard

Tire Pressure : 
When driving your vehicle, you should be aware of your tire pressures. Since 2008, tire pressure sensors have been built into vehicles, BUT please be aware that these are just machines gauging your tires, and you or a Technician should inspect your pressure regularly. Please keep in mind that for every 10 degree temperature drop, your PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) goes down by 1.

Sticker on Driver's Side Door of a Ford Fusion

Tire pressure changes from vehicle to vehicle. You can find out how much air to put in your tires by consulting the inside of the driver's door, or your owner's manual.
               
Rotations :
Rotations are very influential for the longevity of your tires. Tire rotations increase the lifespan of your tires. The majority of vehicles on the road are FWD, which means the front tires are giving you the power to move your vehicle. This means that the tread on the front tires will wear quicker than the rear. When rotations are performed, you are giving your tires the chance to even out the rear and front treads. For example, I had my tires rotated when I had my last oil change. The front tread was 7/32nds, and my front were 9/32nds. Yes, you could do this task yourself with a simple car jack, but it would take you a decent amount of time to tackle this feat. At Victory Ford in Dyersville, Iowa, we offer this service for $12! Definitely worth your time! Click here to schedule your tire rotation, or call 563.875.2409 today!

Alignment :
If your vehicle tends to be pulling harder on one side over another, you might be having some alignment issues. A vehicle that has poor alignment will cause the tires to wear unevenly or your steering wheel could develop a shake. Our Service Manager, Kevin Krogman, suggests you get a 4 Wheel Alignment about once a year.

We tend to think that 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' is the best practice for our vehicles. Considering that the majority of the population relies heavily on their vehicle, it has almost become an extremity like an arm or leg. We go to the doctor for prevention of illnesses, and we should be doing the same for our vehicles!

Victory Ford wants to help make this process easier for you. If you buy 4 (four) tires of any brand from Victory Ford in Dyersville, we will give you FREE Tire Rotations throughout the lifetime of those tires. Just mention this blog to our Service Department, and we would be more than happy to assist you!

If you are experiencing any issues with your tires, please contact Victory Ford's Service Department at 563.875.2409 to schedule an appointment! We would be more than happy to have one of our highly experienced Technicians inspect your vehicle and remedy any problems you're experiencing.