Get the most out of a tank of gas
Summer travel looks a lot different this year, with millions of us on the move. There is one thing that might slow you down: gas prices. They hit record levels in B.C. on July 1, the first unofficial day of the summer vacation season.
However, before you put the brakes on your road trip, Consumer Reports has some advice to fine-tune your driving to maximize fuel economy and ease the squeeze on your wallet.
It starts before you hit the road. You want to start out by checking your tire pressure. Having tires with lower pressure than what is recommended on your doorjamb sticker can affect fuel economy along with performance and handling. Driving at the correct pressure can save two weeks' worth of gas in a year.
Next, look up top. Remove the roof rack if it is not being used. At highway speeds, more than 50 percent of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. Do not add to that by carrying unneeded things on the roof.
They say getting there is half the fun, so do not speed to your destination. Along with being a safety risk, it can really hurt your fuel economy. Consumer Reports found that reducing the speed of a RAV4 from 120 kilometres per hour to 105 kilometres per hour improved fuel economy by 2.5 kilometres per litre.
The harder you accelerate, the more fuel you use. The goal should be to drive evenly and anticipate the movement of traffic. Smooth acceleration, cornering, and braking help extend the life of the engine, transmission, brakes, and tires, too.
In addition, before you leave, use your phone to check prices along your route. Apps and websites like GasBuddy can direct you to savings. Gas stations well off major highways and away from city centres may have better prices, along with warehouse stores.
Consumer Reports says you can save money and skip premium gas unless it is required. This is indicated on the fuel filler door. Many cars list it as “recommended,” which means it is optional.
A proper tune-up can also improve mileage, so can changing a dirty oil filter and using the right oil. And if a tune-up reveals a faulty oxygen sensor, you'll really get a great boost in gas mileage by replacing it.
With files from Consumer Reports
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.