Tips and Tricks for Saving Money
The gas pedal thing on various Toyota models is an easy fix, and won’t cost anything for the consumer. For the most part I think they build a pretty good car. I’ve had lots of cars with way more problems than that. Prices could drop by 5% or more on most Toyota cars. There could be some great bargains out there.
-Phil
My brother and I were discussing how he manages to maximize the miles per gallon on his Cadillac.
“I’ve read a number of articles on hypermiling where, through various techniques in driving, these guys get amazing gas mileage out of their cars. I tried a lot of the methods and they really do work. Some of them, like putting the car in neutral when coasting I don’t like to do because I worry about the control aspect, but I’ve found quite a difference in my own gas mileage even without that one.
I drive a 2001 Cadillac DeVille, and can consistently get 30 mpg or better. This is mostly highway, with some city driving in the mix. I know I’m saving well over 10% on my fuel costs so this amounts to about $500 per year, or more, saved.”
Anybody can be a hypermiler says Wayne Gerdes, “America’s greatest hypermiler,” who averages 59 miles per gallon on his Honda Accord.
You can read the article here but the basic rules are:
■ Drive the speed limit. (For every 5 mph above 55 miles per hour, you can lose as much as 10 percent of your fuel economy. So slowing down can save you gas.)
■ Drive without brakes (e.g. avoiding stops when you can and coasting to the traffic light)
■ Turn off your car and coast (dangerous according to experts)
■ Optimize your route (avoiding big hills and stops and starts)
■ Watch your tire pressure (takes more gas to move a slightly flat tire)
■ Stay on top of oil changes and use thinner oil
Other tips:
■ Remove your roof rack and clean junk from the trunk
■ Minimize idling at gas fill-ups and stay away from drive-thrus
■ Choose smooth road surfaces
■ Avoid bad weather/peak traffic
■ Windows up
I was at Tampa airport about two years ago. A woman idled in a huge Cadillac SUV at the curbside for about half an hour. What did that cost? It’s not only the cost for gasoline but to our environment.
In Toronto, this could cost you a $150 ticket. Natural Resources Canada figures that if every light-duty vehicle cut idling by three minutes per day, we would save 630 million litres of gasoline annually. Not only do you save on gas but on engine wear. You might argue that you have to warm up your car each morning in this sub-zero weather. Not so. These days, cars are best run by gently driving them in the first few minutes. If you idle more than 10 seconds, you produce more CO2 than restarting.
How much could you save by idling less? Check out this worksheet here.
Stop idling and turn off your car.
I was selling my used Toyota Echo last year. I had an ad on Craigslist and I had a few lowballers send me offers. I was mildly annoyed but I just deleted the emails or politely answered no.
I found out a friend bought a Mini Cooper this way. He sent out loads of emails with a low offer. This is based on the theory, “Throw enough mud at the wall, some of it will stick”. He got a Mini Cooper at a drastically reduced price. And a week later, a few of the other Mini Cooper owners asked if he was still interested.
You’d still have to check out the car and make sure it was mechanically sound but it’s a good way to get a big discount on a used car.
Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion on an expensive car repair. We had a problem with our car recently and took it to a mechanic. He checked it all out and said it would cost about $850 to fix. We decided to have somone else look at it. So $150 and we’re all fixed up. Runs fine.
There are times when it will cost $50 to $100 for a shop just to check the car out so it’s not something I’d always do for a small repair. On the other hand I’ve had those small repairs done, the car not fixed, and had to do it all over again until they found the real reason. Fortunately we have one mechanic who doesn’t charge to look at it, so we go there first, and if we’re in doubt we’ll get a second opinion from the dealer.
-Phil
My brother, Phil, writes:
A reminder to check things like auto insurance periodically. Since our driving habits changed in this economy, and we’re driving less, our insurance cost dropped by more than $150 for the year. They’re not going to phone you to drop it down, you have to call them. Ten minute phone call saved me $150. Worth it.
Ooh, good one. Some insurance companies charge you less if your work distance lessens. Some insurance companies have abstainer insurance for those who never drink. This is a call that could save you money. You can also increase your deductible or take off the collision if your car is older.
Call your broker or insurance company and see how you can save now.
Shell has some great fuel-saving tips.
Imagine if you did them all. You could run your car on the fumes of an oil rag.
Service your engine - Did you know a poorly maintained engine can increase your fuel consumption by up to 50 per cent? Just replacing dirty spark plugs can improve your fuel consumption by up to 5 per cent.
Keep your tires at the right pressure - If your tires are under inflated by just 1psi, your fuel efficiency can be reduced by up to 3 per cent. So pump up those tires up once a week or whenever you fill up.
Avoid carrying excess weight - For every extra 100 lbs (45kg) you carry, your fuel efficiency can drop by 1-2 per cent. So clear your car of unnecessary items that just add weight to your vehicle when you can.
Take the roof rack off - If you’re not using your roof rack or your roof box, remove it. A roof rack can affect the aerodynamic efficiency of your vehicle, creating drag which can result in your car using up to 5 per cent more fuel.
Check the air filters - Air filters keep impurities from damaging your engine. Replacing a clogged air filter can help improve your fuel economy by as much as 10 per cent and can help protect your engine.
Use the correct oil - Using the manufacturer’s recommended lubricant can help improve fuel efficiency by 1-2 per cent. Higher quality motor oils can also help your engine operate more efficiently. If you’re using Shell Fuel Economy, Shell Helix will help you squeeze even more out of every drop by helping your engine run extra smoothly.
Check the seal on your fuel cap - Fuel evaporates every time you open the fuel cap. Make sure your cap is properly screwed on every time after every fill up.
Plan your trips - Cutting down on the time spent in the car is the easiest way to conserve fuel. To reduce driving time, combine all your short trips and errands into a single journey or call ahead to avoid wasted journeys.
Keep hydrated - Don’t forget to drink water. When you’re well hydrated, you concentrate better. Keep a bottle to hand as you drive and make sure you drink to help keep yourself cool and focused when you drive. And remember, if you ever feel drowsy while driving, pull over and rest at the first opportunity.
Keep calm - That way you’ll be able to drive smoothly and anticipate what’s going on ahead of you. When you keep calm, you also drive with plenty of distance between your car and others.
TIPS ON DRIVING MORE EFFICIENTLY
Drive smoothly - If you drive aggressively, you’ll burn up to a third more fuel than if you drive smoothly. Avoid accelerating or braking too hard and try to keep your steering as even as possible.
Use higher gears - When you drive slowly in a higher gear, you’ll burn less fuel. Change up a gear whenever you can.
Keep the windows closed - Wind blowing through an open window slows you down. To compensate, you’ll put your foot down harder, using more fuel. So instead of opening a window, try and use your car’s internal ventilation system instead of the air conditioning.
Use cruise control - Change up whenever you can. Using cruise control on major roads helps you maintain a constant speed and helps you make all those drops count.
Avoid excess idling - Stuck in a jam? Idling gets you nowhere, but still burns fuel. Turn the engine off when you’re in a queue until you need it. As a rule, if you’ve stopped for over 10 seconds, switch off your engine.
Avoid over-revving - Change gear in good time when you pull away or when you’re accelerating. Never ‘redline’ the rev counter.
Avoid high speeds - The faster you go, the more wind resistance you’ll encounter and the more fuel your vehicle will consume just to maintain speed. Driving just 5mph (12kmph) over the speed limit can affect fuel economy by up to 23 per cent. So keep it slow.
Use air-conditioning sparingly - Sometimes it’s hard to avoid using your air-conditioning, but remember that it does put added strain on your engine on hot or cold days. And, it increases your fuel consumption by up to 8 per cent. On temperate days, you can always use your car’s internal ventilation system instead.
Avoid rush hour - If you can travel outside of peak times, you’ll spend less time stuck in traffic and use less fuel drops as a result.
Keep a constant speed - Instead of coasting when you reach a downward slope, maintain steady engine revs. This will mean you pick up speed, and if you’ve then got a hill to climb, it gives you considerable added momentum to help go up.
In an effort to cut down our carbon footprint, we sold one of our two cars. Naw, we were just paying down some bills. This is not for everyone. But with some organization, you can live with one car. And in some cases, you can live without a car altogether. Definitely easier in a city with good public transit. I find that I am more organized when I am driving the car and plan my errands to use less gas as well. We do plan to get a used pick-up truck in about a year so that will give us another vehicle.
The AutoShare website has some good information here.
Worldwide, where can you find car sharing? This link shows lots of planet-wide cities and some have costs indicated.
In Canada, we have Car Sharing.
Or, in the case of my brother, you could sell one of the cars and get a motorcycle. Cheaper on gas and insurance.
A friend of mine needed a truck for his business. He lives in a major city. He scoured the outlying smaller towns and went far afield and bought a truck a few hours away. Saved some money. But the real money he saved was because it was a standard. Manual transmission. Stick shift. Five speed. This is becoming a lost art. But if you can drive a standard (and it’s not hard, believe me), you can save yourself a lot of money.
It subtracts about $1000 from a new car cost compared with an automatic. You can save 2 to 5 mpg with a stick shift. Better acceleration as well.
The downside? You have to keep in mind there are fewer models these days with manual transmission. It can be hard in a place where there are a lot of hills. The car could be harder to sell later because fewer people know how to drive your car. Expect to drive it into the ground.
The upside? After my friend bought the truck, he had a call from someone wanting to borrow the truck to move. “It’s a stick shift,” he explained to him. “Oh, never mind,” the caller replied.
Cars
Make sure you factor in financing or leasing costs, insurance, gasoline, licensing, maintenance, tickets (parking, speeding, moving violations).
Pets
Even if you get a pet for free, they should definitely be spayed or neutered (spaying a dog is over $400 in my neck of the woods). Over the life of the pet, you have to take into consideration its food, toys, vet bills, annual shots, grooming and boarding.
Buying a house
When a buy a house, besides the closing costs, there is the expense of a home inspection, legal costs, title insurance and hook-up charges. You also have to add in the moving cost. Remember after you settle in, it’s not just the mortgage but property taxes, utilities (which may or may not be more than when you rented), house insurance and maintenance costs.
Pools/Hot tubs
Before you buy something like a swimming pool or a hot tub, find out what other costs will be involved over time such as chemicals, electricity, maintenance and increased insurance. Perhaps a fence will be required.
Cruises
“All-inclusive” cruises can seem like deals until you add on the airport tax, port taxes/fees, fuel surcharges, alcohol, shore excursion costs, trip/medical insurance and tipping. Ask what the cruise includes and read the fine print.
Cell phones
That rate may seem good but find someone who already has that carrier and ask about those pesky hidden surcharges, network access charges, texting costs and what it costs to go above the basic plan.
