Gas Prices Increase, So Should Your Fuel Economy

As you may have heard, the price of crude oil has risen above $100 per barrel for the first time since 2008. This means prices at the pump will increase significantly, and motorists will be seeking to get the best bang for their buck regarding fuel economy. There are a quite a few ways in which one can easily enhance their gas mileage that you may be unaware of. Here are 5 easy tips to ensure you’re getting the most out of your petroleum purchases:

1.       Keep the speed limit in mind. They are posted for a number of reasons, one of them being to maintain proper fuel economy. Even though each vehicle’s best gas mileage varies, speeds above 60 miles per hour generally lessen the amount of miles you get can out of each gallon.

2.       Check your tire pressure. If your tires are not properly filled to their required level, you might see a considerable decrease in your vehicle’s fuel economy.  According to the Rubber Manufacturer’s Association 2010 National Tire Pressure Survey “Properly inflated tires can improve fuel efficiency by 3.3% and save $.09 a gallon at the pump.”

3.       Remove unnecessary weight. It is said that every additional 100lbs. reduces your fuel efficiency by up to 2%.

4.        Use overdrive and cruise control. Overdrive allows your engine speed to decrease, typically increasing gas mileage. Cruise control helps your car maintain a constant speed, and will usually save you some money on gas.

If you follow these easy precautions, you should be well on your way to saving a few bucks on gas. If you already stick to these guidelines, and are not seeing a reasonable improvement in fuel economy, it might be time to have your car serviced. Have a technician take a look, as there might be a problem that’s not as easily addressed as those steps listed above. Otherwise, there’s always the option to get rid of the old gas guzzler and get into a new, fuel efficient automobile.

The staff at World Jeep Subaru strives for their customers to get the most out of their vehicle and we hope these general rules of thumb will help provide you the knowledge to make practical driving decisions, and utilize your car to its full potential. Happy motoring!

Local Roads are getting worse!

When the snow and ice finally melts away, in its place will be - potholes.  Freeze and refreeze, expand and contract. It breaks up the pavement and the resulting craters can wreak havoc on your vehicle. Hitting a pothole can knock your wheels out of alignment.  If your car pulls to the left or the right that means your alignment at some point got knocked out of whack and you should take it to get adjusted.

So what do you do? Avoid them, but if you have to hit them reduce your speed. If you car handles differently just take a drive to World Jeep Subaru.
The AAA New Jersey Automobile Club offers the following advice to protect your vehicles from pothole damage:

1. Inspect tires. The tire is the most important cushion between a car and a pothole. Make sure tires have enough tread and are properly inflated. To check the tread depth, insert a quarter into the tread groove with washington's head upside down. The tread should cover part of washington's head. If it doesn't, then it's time to start shopping for new tires. When checking tire pressure, make sure that they are inflated to the manufacturers' recommended levels, which can be found on the inside of the driver's side door or in the owner's manual. Don't use the levels stamped on the tire sidewall.
2. Inspect suspension. Make certain that struts and shock absorbers are in good condition. Changes in vehicle handling, excessive vibration or uneven tire wear are all indicators of bad shocks or struts. Have the suspension checked by a certified technician if you suspect problems.
3. Look ahead. Make a point of scanning the road ahead for potholes. If you see a pothole in advance, you might have time to avoid it, so it's important to stay focused on the road and not on any distractions inside or outside of the vehicle. Before swerving to miss a pothole, check surrounding traffic to make sure you will not cause a collision or endanger nearby pedestrians or cyclists.
4. Slow down. If you can't avoid a pothole, reduce speed safely and be sure to check the rearview mirror before any abrupt braking. Hitting a pothole at higher speeds greatly increases the chance of damage to tires, wheels and suspension components.
5. Beware of puddles. A puddle of water can disguise a deep pothole. Use care when driving through puddles and treat them as though they may be hiding potholes.
6. Check alignment. Hitting a pothole can knock a car's wheels out of alignment and affect the steering. If your vehicle pulls to the left or right, have the wheel alignment checked by a qualified technician.
7. Recognize noises/vibrations. A hard pothole impact can dislodge wheel weights, damage your tire or wheel, and bend or even break suspension components. If you notice any new or unusual noises or vibrations that appear after hitting a pothole, have your vehicle inspected immediately by one of our Jeep and Subaru certified technicians.

Report it. Save yourself and others from hitting the same pothole again and again by reporting it to the New Jersey Department of Transportation at (800) Pot-hole) or online at: www.state.nj.us/transportation.

2011 Subaru Sexy Sumo