Scott's Useful Information Blog

Beware of Deceptive Advertising Claims for Gas Savings Devices

There are all kinds of gas saving devices being advertised now.  Do a search in Google and you will find that google finds 1.5 million web pages concerning fuel saving devices. As with any situation where people smell money, unscrupulous individuals are always ready to steal your money with the latest scam. 

The latest scam is trying to convince you that a fuel saving device attached to your car will miraculously cut your gas consumption 20, 30 even 40 percent. The federal government has done a lot of testing of fuel saving devices.  From this extensive testing comes this advice.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns you to be wary of any gas-saving claims for automotive devices or oil and gas additives. Even for the few gas-saving products that have been found to work, the savings have been small. 

There are some general themes and methods to the fuel device advertising strategy.  Here are a few to beware of:

Be very skeptical of the following kind of advertising claim. "This gas-saving product improves fuel economy by 20 percent." Claims usually tout savings ranging from 12 to 25 percent. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated or tested more than 100 alleged gas-saving devices and has not found any product that significantly improves gas mileage. In fact, some "gas-saving" products may damage a car's engine or cause substantial increases in exhaust emissions. 

Also be skeptical of ads that feature glowing testimonials from satisfied drivers such as: "After installing your product on my car, I got an extra 4 miles [6.4 kilometers] per gallon [3.8 liters]."  You cannot put your hard earned dollars at risk because of some amateur drivers claim.

These ads feature glowing testimonials by satisfied customers. No consumer has the ability or the equipment to test for precise changes in gas mileage after installing a gas-saving product. Even if they did have the right equipment they could not control the conditions and the environment under which they could actually test the device.

Many variables affect fuel consumption, including traffic, road and weather conditions, and the car's condition.  For example, one consumer sent a letter to a company praising its "gas-saving" product. At the time the product was installed, however, the consumer also had received a complete engine tune-up - a fact not mentioned in the letter. The entire increase in gas mileage attributed to the "gas-saving" product most likely was the result of the tune-up alone. But from the ad, other consumers could not have known that.

These are just some of the tactics that those selling fuel saving devices use to legitimize their claims.  They are out there to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers desperate to find a way to lower their gas costs. Don't become a victim of these scams.  Be wary of their claims.  Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Scott Siegel shows you how to cope with high gas prices. He is the author of a 143 page manual of industry insider information on saving gas and money at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to increase gas mileage.

Cold Temperatures Lower Your Fuel Economy

Winter conditions put a tremendous strain on your car and on your driving. Winter also puts a strain on your fuel economy.  In order to prevent a decrease in your fuel economy you need to be aware of some specific issues with regard to your car and your driving in the winter.

One of the two main characteristics of winter, cold temperatures, create conditions that lower your fuel economy.  A car that is cold uses more fuel to start up than a warm car.  The colder the car the more fuel it uses when it starts. 

In cold weather, the engine of your car is harder to start. The oil in your car is thicker when it is cold and thus requires more energy to get it flowing.  All the parts that are lubricated by this thicker oil require more energy to move them.  More energy means that it will take more fuel to move the parts.  Your engine will use more fuel to run until it warms up.

Cold temperatures also effect other parts of your car.  The bearings, joints, transmission, power assisted brakes, and steering mechanisms will all require more energy to move them when they are cold.  These mechanisms all depend on some fluids to operate.  Like the engine oil these fluids will be thicker in cold weather and will require more energy to move them.  Again that translates into more gas.

Other parts of your car will be stiff and may be frozen. Moisture in the air can condense and freeze on many car parts. Water from precipitation or from the road may have frozen on to part of the car. It will take more energy to move these parts.  Wheel bearings, suspension systems and wheels themselves are some of the parts effected. The same applies, more energy needed to move these parts translates into more fuel burned and lower gas mileage.

Since your engine needs to overcome some temperature issues to lubricate itself in the cold you do need to give it a little longer to idle after starting than you would in the summer.  But, I have to stress this, it only needs about 30 seconds of idling, no more.  That little extra idling does affect your gas mileage.

Some things you can do to mitigate the affects of cold on gas mileage are: Park your car in a heated garage if available.  Even a non heated garage may be warmer than leaving your car outside.  It may be time to get rid of all the boxes in your garage and make room for your car.

Make sure you are using an oil that is recommended for your car in cold temperatures.  The proper oil will flow better in cold weather thus reducing the amount of energy needed to start and run a cold engine.

In extreme cold climates an engine block heater will help keep the engine and oil warm thus avoiding a complete cold start.  You will need a way to plug it in and keep it plugged in until you are ready to drive.

Don't wast fuel warming your car when you start it.  You only need about 30 seconds of idling to make sure the oil is flowing sufficiently in the engine.  Excessive idling beyond 30 seconds will rob you of gas mileage faster than anything else.  Let the car continue to warm up as you are driving.

Although winter and the cold temperatures that it brings can greatly reduce fuel economy you can minimize it's affect. If you follow the simple steps outlined you can keep your gas mileage up at the level it should be.

Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page manual of industry insider information on saving gas and money at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to increase gas mileage.

Warming Your Car in Winter Can Burn a Hole in Your Pocket

Winter can be a difficult time for car owners.  Winter does it's best to wreak havoc on your fuel economy.  You may be an unwitting ally in hurting your fuel economy.  How your car warms up in cold weather could burn a hole in your pocket.

The first thing you need to do in cold weather get out of the habit of letting your car warm up when you start it. Old cars may have needed some warm up time, today's cars don't.

Many drivers idle their car for 5 to 10 minutes in the winter to let their cars warm up.  You should not let your car idle for more than 30 seconds. You need no more than 30 seconds of idling to circulate the engine oil before you can drive away on cold days

When you idle your car to warm it up you are burning gas but not going anywhere. When you let that happen you are getting zero miles per gallon.  You may think that idling your car for few minutes or so is no big deal, think again.

To give yourself an idea about how much gas you would be burning by just letting your car idle for 5 minutes each time you start it think about this.  Assume you idle for 5 minutes when you start your car in the morning.  Assume you idle for 5 minutes again, sometime during the day when you start your car again to drive home. 

That would be idling your car for 10 minutes per day.  If we consider winter to be November, December, January and February, then winter would be considered to be 120 days long.  If you idle your car for 10 minutes a day for 120 days that amounts to 1200 minutes of idling.

1200 Minutes of idling is equal to 20 hours.  That means that by warming your car up by idling for only 5 minutes amounts to letting your car sit and idle, burning gas and going nowhere, for 20 hours.  Would you ever let you car sit and idle for 20 hours? Of course not.  Then why would you idle for the equivalent of 20 hours warming your car up if you don't have to?

Warm your car up by driving it.  To operate efficiently your car needs to warm up other parts in addition to the engine. Tires, transmission, wheel bearings and other moving parts also need to warm up. Your car's catalytic converter doesn't function at its peak until it reaches between 400°C and 800°C. The only way these other parts warm up is by driving. The reality is, to warm your car up completely you have to drive it anyway. 

Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page manual of industry insider information on saving gas and money at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to increase gas mileage.

Save Gas and Money: How to Keep Tires at the Recommended PSI

Keeping your tires at the recommended PSI (Pounds per square inch) can save you 4% on your annual gas costs. That could save the average family between $100 and $200 dollars per year. Here is how you determine and maintain the correct tire pressure.

Correct tire pressure varies from vehicle to vehicle and wheel to wheel. In fact, the recommended pressure for personal vehicles ranges from 20 to over 50 psi.

The correct tire pressure for your vehicle is listed on the information placard. This placard is normally located on the edge of one of the doors, the inside post of one of vehicle's doors or inside the glove compartment, trunk, or fuel door. Your owner's manual should include the correct tire pressure or direct you to the placard's location on your vehicle.

The pressure listed on the tire sidewall is the maximum tire pressure - or the tire pressure that is required to carry the maximum load of the tire. It is not the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure, which is a common misconception.

Once you find the recommended tire pressure then you have to be able to measure the tire pressure on all of your tires to make sure they are at the correct pressure. Here is the correct way to measure tire pressure.

How to measure and correct tire pressure:

Step 1:

Make sure you have a tire pressure gauge. There are many kinds. You do not need an expensive one. A gauge with a dial is easier to read than the pop up kind.

Step 2:

Find the recommended inflation pressure for your tires on the vehicle information placard. Check the owner's manual for its exact location. A sight inspection is not an appropriate way to measure the air pressure in your tires.

Step 3:

Only measure pressure when the tires are cold. Tires are cold if they have not been driven for more than 1 mile or have been at rest at least 3 hours.

Step 4:

Complete tire inflation pressure check: Remove the cap from the valve on one tire, press the pressure gauge onto the valve and take a pressure reading. Make sure you press the pressure gauge completely onto the valve. You should not hear any air escaping from the tire as you are taking the reading. If air is escaping, remove the gauge from the valve and try reseating it again.

Step 5:

Add air to achieve recommended air pressure. If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the metal stem in the center of the valve, then re-measure the pressure.

Step 6:

Repeat the above procedure for each of the tires.

It is recommended that you check your tire pressure at least once per month. Air can and will leach from a tire over time. Heat and use will affect the rate at which a tire loses air. Checking once a month will assure that you are maintaining the correct pressure all year round.

Check your tires. Follow the steps above. There is no easier way to put $100 to $200 dollars of gas costs back into your pocket.
 

Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page manual of industry insider information on saving gas and money at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to increase gas mileage.

• Previous Posts:

• Beware of Deceptive Advertising Claims for Gas Savings Devices
• 10 Cent Increase In Gas Costs You From $150 to $300 Per Year!
• Cold Temperatures Lower Your Fuel Economy
• Warming Your Car in Winter Can Burn a Hole in Your Pocket
• Save Gas and Money: How to Keep Tires at the Recommended PSI
• Can You Save Money With Generic Gas and Not Harm Your Car?
• Summer Driving Tip:Checking Tire Pressure Can Save $200 in Gas!
• Do You Make This Mistake at The Gas Pump?

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