Helping the Environment – Tuning Your Car
Auto fitness and proper car care is definitely a win-win situation. Besides helping the environment, a properly maintained and operated vehicle will run more efficiently, will be safer and will last longer - up to 50% longer, according to a survey of ASE - certified Master Auto Technicians. The following tips should put you on the road to better auto fitness and environmentally conscious car care.
Keeping Your Engine Tuned
A misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30%. Follow the service schedules listed in your owner's manual or ask a Superior Tire & Auto Specialist for advice. One of the most important factors for long engine life is timely oil changes with the right oil for your driving habits. Replace filters and fluids as recommended.
Check Your Tires For Proper Inflation
Underinflation wastes fuel - your engine has to work harder to push the vehicle. Wheels that are out-of-line (as evidenced by uneven tread wear or vehicle pulling) make the engine work harder too. Properly maintained tires will last longer, and this means that fewer scrap tires will have to be disposed of in the year.
Keep Your Air Conditioner in Top Performance
Have it serviced only by a technician certified competent to handle/recycle refrigerants. Air conditioners contain CFCs - gases that have been implicated in the depletion of the ozone layer. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, almost one third of the CFCs released into the atmosphere come from mobile air conditioners; some simply leaks out, but the majority escapes during service and repair - so its important that you choose a qualified and legal technician.
Observe Speed Limits
Mileage decreases sharply above 100 kms/hr. This consumes greater amounts of fuel and increases the 'litres per hundred kilometres' ratio.
Drive Gently
Avoid sudden accelerations and jerky stop-and-go's. Use cruise-control on the open highways to keep your speed as steady as possible.
Do-It-Yourselfers
D.I.Y.'s should always dispose of used motor oil, antifreeze/coolant, tires and old batteries properly. Many repair facilities - such as a Superior Tire & Auto Centre - accept these items for proper disposal. Or call your local municipal government for their recycling sites. Never dump used oil or antifreeze on the ground or on parking lots.
Avoid Excessive Idling
Shut off the engine while waiting for friends or running into a store. Today's vehicles are designed to "warm up" fast, so forget about those five minute warm ups on cold winter mornings.
Remove Excess Items From the Vehicle
Less weight means better mileage. Store luggage/cargo in the trunk, if possible, rather than on the roof to avoid air drag.
Plan Trips
Consolidate your daily errands to eliminate unnecessary driving. Try to travel when traffic is light to avoid stop-and-go situations. Join a car pool if possible.
Remember, how your car runs, how you drive it, and how and where its fluids, old parts and tires are disposed, all have serious consequences for the environment.
And how fit your car is very much up to you, the owner. Perhaps years ago, a shade-tree mechanic whose only credentials were a tool box and busted knuckles was enough. But not today ! Today's high tech vehicles need more .... and today's quality-conscious consumer demands more.
Superior Service
At Superior Tire & Auto Centres, we take car care very seriously - with highly skilled certified technicians in both our tire and mechanical departments and with a sales staff second to none in the industry with their automotive knowledge and problem solving skills - all of them - working for you. With continual training and upgrading, our sales and service associates can offer the car owner the very best in car care and auto fitness .... and we've guaranteed this, in writing, for over 60 years of dedicated automotive service.
Cars & the Environment
Every ten days, motorists who drive with under-inflated tires and poorly maintained engines waste 70 million gallons of gasoline.
-- Car Care Council
Each year twenty times the amount of oil spilled by the tanker Exxon Valdez in Alaska is improperly dumped into North America's environment by do-it-yourselfers.
-- Automotive Information Council
