ERIE, Pa., Nov. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- If you're
looking for ways to tighten your monthly budget, there's an
unexpected place you can look: Your garage. It's time to take a
look at the way you drive and take care of your vehicle. Both can
make a big impact on your wallet ‒ even if you're not getting
behind the wheel as often as you were before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Improving your gas mileage (also known as miles per gallon or MPG)
is one way to start. Your gas mileage is measured by calculating
the number of miles that a vehicle can travel using a single gallon
of fuel.
Erie Insurance helps you identify what may be causing poor
gas mileage in your vehicle, and four ways to fix it, as
recommended by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy
Efficiency & Renewable Energy and Consumer Reports.
Regardless of what kind of vehicle you drive, all of these
factors can negatively impact gas mileage:
- Speed: The faster you drive, the more fuel
your vehicle burns up. This includes how fast you accelerate,
too.
- Idling: Keeping your car on for it to warm
up or cool down, waiting in line at a drive-thru or waiting to pick
your kid up from soccer practice can all decrease your vehicle's
fuel economy.
- Aerodynamic drag and excess weight: Driving
too fast or traveling with a rooftop cargo carrier? These can
increase wind resistance, which causes your vehicle to use more
gas. And towing any kind of trailer or hauling too much in your
trunk, bed or back seat also requires more fuel.
- Poor maintenance: From underinflated tires
to an unattended engine issue, failure to consistently "tune up"
your vehicle can cost you a lot more at the pump. It also can
create potential safety risks.
- Quick trips: A quick run to the supermarket
on Monday. Stopping by the bank on Wednesday. While it may be
convenient to run these errands one at a time, it can wreak havoc
on your fuel economy. Quick, short trips like this from a "cold
start" eat up fuel because your engine needs to warm up before it
can run efficiently.
How can you improve your MPG?
- Drive more efficiently: Follow the speed limit, and
drive sensibly ‒ not aggressively (e.g. quick accelerations, hard
stops, etc.). On the highway, don't speed up and slow down (unless
you need to for safety). Once you get up to speed, stay there. Use
cruise control when possible.
- Keep your car in shape: Make sure your engine is tuned,
keep tires properly inflated and use the right grade of motor oil.
Check out 9 Things You Should Never Do to Your Car for
basic car-care tips.
- Plan and combine trips: Spend less time sitting in
traffic by avoiding rush hour on daily commutes. Run all your
errands on one day rather than taking multiple short trips during
the week. If you have an especially long commute, ask your employer
if you can work from home a day or two per week.
- Opt for a more fuel-efficient vehicle: If your budget
allows it, consider purchasing a vehicle that touts better MPG than
your current one. Upgrading to a car that gets 30 MPG, compared to
one that gets 20 MPG, can save you $545 in fuel costs a year (assuming 15,000 miles
of driving annually and a fuel cost of $2.18). Do your research to find one that's a
fit. If you're considering buying a vehicle online (especially
given the COVID-19 pandemic), read Buying a Car Online? Here's
What You Need To Know before you get started.
You can also save your wallet by saving on your monthly premium.
With ERIE, cheap auto insurance
doesn't have to mean poor protection and service. ERIE
provides affordable car insurance with plenty of
opportunities to reduce and avoid increases to your car insurance
costs while maintaining quality coverage. Find a local ERIE agent to talk you through your coverage
options and learn how you can start saving.
Erie Insurance Group
According to A.M. Best
Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie,
Pennsylvania, is the
11th largest homeowners insurer and 12th
largest automobile insurer in the United States based on
direct premiums written and the 16th largest
property/casualty insurer in the United States based on
total lines net premium written. The Group, rated A+
(Superior) by A.M. Best Company, has more than 6 million
policies in force and operates in 12 states and the District
of Columbia. Erie Family Life
Insurance Company is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. Life
insurance policies not written in New
York state. Erie Insurance Group is a FORTUNE 500
company.
News releases and more information about Erie Insurance
Group are available at www.erieinsurance.com.
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SOURCE Erie Insurance Group