Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Ten thrifty Thanksgiving travel tips

Shopping smart and traveling economically are the two major buzz phrases for this holiday season. As thousands will be opting to take to the road instead of the air for their annual visit to "grandmother's house," Joel Burrows, a.k.a. "The Car Doctor" and vice president of training/R&D at Precision Tune Auto Care, has timely advice to help commuters save money at the gas pumps this holiday season.

1. Keep tires properly inflated (recommended air pressure is posted on the driver's door or in the glove compartment). Under-inflated tires cause drag: over-inflation causes improper tire-to-road contact. Both conditions will result in abnormal wear.

2. Plan your day. Limit trips by running all errands at the same time or on your way to or from work.

3. Have a certified technician perform an engine and emissions analysis to ensure that the engine is running at maximum efficiency.

4. Avoid making quick starts or stops. To avoid jamming on brakes, stay a safe distance from the car in front of you. When possible, slow down simply by taking your foot off the gas.

5. Maintain steady speeds; use cruise control on the open road.

6. With today's high fuel prices an air induction and fuel injection cleaning restores power and performance and will squeeze every precious mile out of each gallon of gas.

7. Use proper octane fuel. Higher-octane gas, which produces less energy, not only costs more, it also yields lower miles per gallon.

8. Don't let the engine idle more than a minute or two. This is extremely important on cold morning start-ups.

9. Today's vehicles run on a fine film of fluids. Make sure you service all fluids on a regular basis and in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Engine oil level should be checked at every fill-up.

10. Use over-drive gear for highway driving.

For added peace of mind, The Car Doctor suggests an engine and emissions analysis to ensure there are no problems and that the engine is running at maximum efficiency. This, too, helps reduce your fuel bill. And for safety he recommends bringing a cell phone and road map.

Precision Tune Auto Care has been a pioneer for more than 25 years in advanced diagnostic training and development, and is the one stop shop for scheduled maintenance, service and repairs for autos, SUV's and Minivans.Ê Servicing 2.5 million vehicles each year, PTAC operates more than 420 state-of-the-art professional service facilities throughout the world and is a leader in educating the driving public on the importance of car care for personal safety and the health of the environment.