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Choosing the Right Fuel for Your Vehicle
For those that love to pamper your vehicles, one concern is the type of fuel to give it. Just like an athlete, what a person uses as fuel ultimately determines performance. The same is true with your vehicle. When visiting your gas station, you probably have realized that there are more than one choice of fuel available- usually at least 3: regular gas, plus (or some mid grade fuel level) and super (or high grade level). If you have ever wondered which type of fuel to use, here are some tips.
Choosing the Right Fuel for Your Vehicle
The difference in gas levels is not only price, it usually depends on octane. The higher the octane level, usually the higher the grade and the price of the fuel. When choosing the type of fuel you should use for your vehicle, first consult your owner’s manual. Don’t go against what your manufacturer advises. Believe it or not, you can actually do damage to your vehicle by putting in higher octane fuel into a vehicle not configured for it.
Compression Ratio Matters
Engines that perform at higher levels usually have higher compression ratios. These types of engines require higher octane fuel. Octane is a measurement of how much fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites. For instance, in a typical vehicle the compression ration is about 8-1. A higher octane fuel which is used for higher performing engines can handle the most compression, while a lower octane fuel handles a lower amount of compression. When you consistently put a higher octane fuel into your vehicle that is made for lower compression ratios, you can actually do harm to the engine.
Remember, check your owner’s manual and follow your manufacturer’s advice. Not only will you save money on fuel costs, but you can also protect your vehicle’s engine.
Tags: Car Maintenance, Gas
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The Chevy Volt Electric Vehicle Unveiled
After several years of record breaking fuel prices, many consumers have demanded action from car manufacturers to deliver vehicles that are more fuel efficient. One of the earliest vehicles on the market that became incredibly successful due to its fuel economy is the Toyota Prius. As General Motors saw a big chunk of their market buying Priuses, GM took a bold step and created the Chevy Volt- an all electric vehicle determined to reshape the car industry for the future.
The Chevy Volt is a passenger vehicle and similar in appearance to the Prius, however instead of being a hybrid (running both on gas and electricity), the Chevy Volt offers an electric motor powered by Lithium-ion batteries. It should be noted that a small gas engine may be included (making it also a hybrid), but this gas burning engine will only power up the batteries and not run the vehicle directly. Slated for sale starting as early as Fall 2009 as a 2010 production model, on September 17, 2008 the Chevy Volt was finally unveiled to the press.
Fuel economy is unknown until more tests are done, however GM has stated that with a full charge in its current configuration, the vehicle can get about 40 miles to a charge. This is more than most Americans drive in one day and using the small gas engine to charge the batteries, theoretically, you can drive all day long with relatively high fuel economy.
As far as price goes, most industry analysts are expecting the vehicle to be anywhere from the low thirty thousand dollar range to the forty thousand or more. However, GM is expecting backing from the US government in the form of tax rebates for consumers which may drive down the price further.
Tags: Chevrolet, Gas, Hybrid Cars
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Modding Your Car for Better Gas Mileage
With gas prices at the highest levels ever, it is a no-brainer that while many modify and tune their cars for speed and performance, others find themselves tuning their cars for economy and gas mileage. The good news is that almost anyone and any vehicle can be modified to save on gas. Most modifications are extremely easy and are very affordable. Here are a just a few.
Inflate Your Tires to Proper Levels
You probably heard it many times before, but ensuring your tires are properly inflated is perhaps the easiest way to save a couple of miles per gallon and usually costs you zip. Simply check the manual or the side of the driver’s door to see the correct psi.
Performance ECU Chips
Just as an engine chip can increase performance, horsepower and speed, there are also chips on the market that can help you conserve fuel economy without wasting performance. Many of these “green” chips are new to the market and becoming quite popular.
Body Kits Improve Aerodynamics
One of the most efficient ways to improve gas mileage is to have a car that is aerodynamic. While many cars that are geared to performance are already quite aerodynamic, by adding a body kit and ground effects, you can ultimately lower drag while making your vehicle look ultra- sleek. Body kits while a little more expensive than other choices, are a great investment making your car more unique and better looking. Many kits can be had for less than $1,000 and not only come in a wide range of colors, but are light weight and durable.
With gas prices at their highest, there are many ways to boost fuel economy and car tuning can be the perfect way to increase the mileage your vehicle gets.
Tags: Car Parts, Car Tuning, Gas
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Buy a Car - A motorcycle may not be good enough to spare gas
The price of fuel is affecting many people nationwide in a very negative way. Individuals are having a hard time affording gas for their daily commute to work, families are finding it difficult to afford all the gas it would take to go on the same type of vacation they could just a few short years ago, and companies are researching the possibility of having employees work less on the road, all because of the price of fuel. Many people have decided to battle the high price of fuel that they will start driving a motorcycle or motor scooter to work and around town. It is true that motorcycles and motor scooters get far better gas mileage than cars, but before someone purchases one as a way to fight high gas prices, they should research the situation a little more. Buying a motorcycle to ease the pain of the price of gas may not be in some people’s best interests.
Using a motorcycle or motor scooter to lessen the negative impact of the high price of fuel makes a reasonable amount of sense for those that already own those vehicles. For those that would have to make the purchase of a motor scooter or motorcycle in order to take advantage of their superior fuel efficiency, the decision may not make as much sense. There are a number of things people in this position should consider regarding this decision.
The Purchase
When purchasing a motorcycle or motor scooter, a buyer can expect to spend any where from $1,000 to $5,000 or more depending on what model is bought. Quality used motorcycles and motor scooters will be nearer to the bottom end of that spectrum, while newer models will be nearer to the upper end, some will even be significantly higher.
Additional Expenses
There are a number of additional expenses that come along with owning a motorcycle or motor scooter. The first thing to consider is additional equipment needed for the vehicle itself. All the proper safety equipment as well as storage accessories should be in place before the first commute is undertaken in a motorcycle or motor scooter. There are also safety equipment that the rider needs to have when driving a motorcycle or motor scooter. Proper attire, including a helmet, is necessary to insure that if something goes wrong on the roadway, the driver is safe. Other additional expenses include any rider safety programs that may be needed as well as an initial service check on the bike to make sure it is in proper condition.
Ongoing Expenses
There are also ongoing expenses involved when a motorcycle or scooter is brought or bought into a person’s life. Though usually less expensive than a car, a motorcycle and motor scooter also need regular maintenance. Another ongoing expense that is associated with a motorcycle and motor scooter is insurance. If the driver does not already have a motorcycle, they will most likely have to add it to their insurance policy. This additional expense will then have to be paid each and every month.
Due to it’s greater fuel efficiency, a motorcycle, when used for a regular commute, will have a positive impact on the amount of money that is spent on gasoline. The level of benefit that it brings to the driver or user will vary depending on whether the person owns a motorcycle or motor scooter already, or has to go out and buy one just to take advantage of the benefits. Buying and using a motorcycle or motor scooter as a way of avoiding some of the pain of the high price of fuel can be effective. But, when someone is adding up the savings that they will be able to get because of the improved fuel efficiency, they need to remember that their will be additional expenses too and these additional expenses might just make the fuel efficiency benefits non-existent, especially at first.
Tags: Gas
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Benefits Of Hybrid Powered Vehicles
With the price of fuel and the increased emphasis on environmentally friendly vehicles, there has been a lot of attention put recently on hybrid powered vehicles. The appeal of hybrid powered vehicles is focused on those that are environmentally concerned, those that are concerned with the price of fuel, and those that are politically concerned with the western world’s dependence on oil. Whatever the reasons, do hybrid powered vehicles really benefit anyone or anything? If so, what are the benefits of hybrid powered vehicles?
There are a number of benefits that hybrid powered vehicles have for a wide variety of people. How many and how important those benefits are is hard to say without seeing who each benefit applies to.
Government Incentives
To encourage the public to invest in this new technology there are a number of government incentives that benefit car buyers who purchase a hybrid powered vehicle.
Fuel Efficiency
The most publicized benefit of a hybrid powered vehicle is the savings in gas. With the electric motor portion of the vehicle handling much of the power needs, the car needs less gasoline to create the power needed to move the car down the road. Using less gasoline means the owner will be spending less money on their travel or commute expenses than owners of standard automobiles.
Environmental Benefits
Due again to the electric motor portion of a hybrid vehicle being present, there is less exhaust emissions eminating from a hybrid vehicle than from a standard automobile. An additional benefit would be that with each hybrid vehicle that is on the road there is that much less gasoline being used. This stretches out the usability of the world’s remaining oil resources.
Warranties
Many hybrid vehicles come with fantastic warranties to take advantage of. Some warranties reach all the way up to 100,000 miles or more and even cover the batteries used to store the excess power.
Long Term Value
One of the worst parts about buying a new vehicle is how much the value of it decreases from the moment you drive it off of the car lot and then each year after that as well. Hybrid vehicles have so far shown to hold their values very well in comparison to standard vehicles.
Hybrid powered cars come with a number of benefits that a wide variety of car buyers can take advantage of. The more that this still new technology develops in the future, the more chance that there will be additional benefits to both current and future owners of hybrid vehicles. Based on their success on the roads and in the marketplace, it doesn’t appear that hybrid vehicles will be losing popularity or market share anytime soon.
Tags: Gas, Hybrid Cars
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