Green Cars Conclusion
Jul 22nd, 2008 by gmoran
A few final tips offered by ConsumerReports.org based on tests with their sample Toyota Camry. 1. Don’t buy premium gas unless your manual requires it. Most cars are designed to run fine on regular and won’t run better on mid or high test. 2. Minimize driving with a cold engine. Warm engines run more efficiently. In CR tests with the Toyota Camry, making multiple short trips and starting the engine from cold each time reduced fuel economy by almost 4 mpg. Whenever possible, combine several short trips into one so that the engine stays warm. 3. Keep tires properly inflated. The Toyota Camry experienced a 1.3 mpg loss in highway fuel economy when the tires were underinflated by 10 psi. 4. Buy tires with lower rolling resistance. A tire’s rolling resistance can add or detract another 1 or 2 mpg. 5. Avoid idling for long periods. A test Buick Lucerne with a V8 idled for 10 minutes burned about an eighth of a gallon of gas. As a rule, turn off your engine if you expect to sit for more than about 30 seconds. An engine warms up faster as it’s driven anyway.