Get better fuel economy this winter

Save gas in winter

Have you noticed you have to stop for gas more often during the winter? It’s not all in your head just because the freezing wind and snow make it that much more unpleasant — Winter actually can result in worse fuel economy. And since our Wisconsin winters are anything but forgiving, you can be sure your efficiency is being affected. This happens for a number of reasons, including increased engine and transmission friction due to cold fluids, heaters using up power, tire pressure decreases, and lowered battery performance, among other factors. The bottom line is: There are a lot of ways for winter to make your fuel economy worse, so we’re going to focus on ways to help make it better. Save gas in winter with the following tips: 

1. Check that tire pressure. Decreases pressure is a major cause of lowered fuel efficiency, and it’s an easy one to fix as long as you’ve got a little bit of know-how and access to air (free at most gas stations!)
2. You’ve probably heard that it’s best to idle while letting your car get warm. Nah, not really, and on top of not helping much it’s also a big waste of fuel. After about a half a minute, be on your way.
3. Okay this tip is kind of a no-brainer since you’d be doing this anyway if you had the option, but we’ll put it out there anyway: If you can park in a warmer place, do it! It takes less energy to get your engine up to temperature once you start out, and you’re probably less likely to full-blast the heat as soon as you get in.

 
4. Whenever you can, make two trips in one. This might also be something you’d just always do if you could, but trying to plan your errands for the week ahead of time might help you take less unnecessary short trips.
5. Make sure your fluids are all in good shape and you’ve had a recent oil change. Stop by our service center if you have questions about this or any other vehicle health topics!