Improve Your Gas Mileage Today With These 5 Simple Steps

We Americans are funny people. We complain loudly and often about increasingly expensive gas prices, yet are not very willing to alter our driving habits in any way to offset these increased costs. I'm not pointing fingers; I used to be the same way. Then I moved to Florida, where I have a commute that is 32 miles instead of 11, and I immediately noticed that my tank of gas was barely lasting a work week, instead of three. Our new financial picture, much tightened by the purchase of a bigger home in a better neighborhood, gave me further reason to find ways to save money. Not surprisingly, I soon started looking to save money at the pumps. I did a little research online and implemented a few changes, which I've listed below. Here's the good news: Despite higher gas prices and a longer commute, I use less gas than ever, and it WASN'T PAINFUL for me to do. And if I can do it . . .
Before I begin, let me put a different spin on a popular misconception around improving mileage. You DO NOT improve your gas mileage enough by turning off your A/C to warrant the discomfort. I've tried this with both my cars and didn't notice any difference in mileage. The Discovery Channel program, "Mythbusters", ran a similar test and found a neglible difference. Use the air conditioner, sweat less, smell better, and have yourself a good day. There are better ways to save on gas. Here's what you can do today:

1. Avoid the rush hour by adjusting your commute time by 30 minutes.
Cost=Free, Time invested=zero

If your work schedule allows it, try leaving your house a half-hour early in the morning and then leaving work a half-hour early as well. Rush hour traffic and the frequent stabs at the gas pedal, then brake pedal then gas pedal are not only bad on your car, but bad on your mileage as well. It doesn't do any favors for your mood either. I made this adjustment myself and its made all the difference. Now I'm pulling into the office right about the time the traffic is starting to get thick, and have the results on the way home.

2. Use the Cruise Control!
Cost=Free, Time Invested=3-5 seconds

I bet I know why you're not using the cruise control on your commute. I bet it's because you spend half your time in stop and go traffic, during which time you become a little frustrated so that when traffic finally thins and you're able to get up to a proper speed, you've forgotten about the cruise control and spend the rest of your commute filling the rear view mirror of the car in front of you. How do I know this? Because I used to be the guy filling YOUR rear view mirror. Sorry about that. Combine this step with Step #1 and watch your mileage skyrocket and your heart rate plummet.

3. Are your tires properly inflated? Under-inflated tires are a drag on mileage.
Cost=Free, Time invested=5 mins.

These days tires are so darn reliable that it's all too easy to forget about them. The next time you fill up your car, take 5 minutes and check the air pressure. Many gas stations have free air, and if yours doesn't then find a new gas station. They'll also have a tire pressure gauge at the counter if you ask. For you big huge truck driving dudes with the jumbo tires, this can save you as much as 25% in gas mileage (driving a Honda to work instead of your lifted F-350 is an even better way to save on gas, but that's a topic for another day). Checking tire pressure is just good safety sense as well.

4. Catch a ride to work one or two days a week.
Cost=Free, Time Invested=minimal

Several of my coworkers live in the same neighborhood as I do, but I initially resisted the idea of carpooling, fearing I'd be giving up my freedom to come and go as I please at work. One particularly proactive neighbor set up a couple different schedules for carpooling, one leaving earlier than the other each day, giving us more choices for coming and going. I joined the carpool and now I only drive one or two days a week. As a result, I only have to fill up my car once every three weeks. Believe me, the savings are more than worth the couple of extra minutes of accommodating fellow carpoolers. Plus I have more time to read my car magazines.

5. Is your car current on its maintenance?

Cost=minimal, Time Invested=1-2 hours

You do-it-yourself-ers should know that a car performs best when things like air filters, fuel filters, oil and oil filters, O2 sensors and PCV valves are all in good working order. All of these things are readily available at your nearest auto parts stores, and are all inexpensive. For you folks that have your car serviced by someone else, make sure you're current. In many cases you're actually paying more in gas costs than you're saving by NOT having your car properly maintained.

Bottom Line: I'm no Prius driving, hemp-wearing hippie hugger, but by implementing these changes I've been able to save roughly $100 per month on gas. For the gas that I am using, I'm averaging about 30mpg, and this in a car that's 17 years old and has 189,000 miles on it. My motivations are primarily monetary, but it does feel nice to know I've lessened my own contributions to pollution, and this has resulted in my looking for other ways to save money and do more with less. That's a step in the right direction for all of us, don't you think?

Try these things, make your dollars go further and your mood much brighter, and give us a wave when you see us on the road. Happy Driving!

6 Simple Steps to Prepare Your Car for Winter

Until moving to Florida, I spent the last dozen years or so in northern Utah, where the temperature begins to drop in October and doesn't rise again until sometime after April. Because of the shorter days, for much of the winter months I would leave for work before the sun came up and not come home until it had set. As a result, the bulk of my drive time was accomplished in the dark and with temperatures hanging well below freezing. It goes without saying that these were not ideal conditions for having car trouble. This was particularly true for my wife, who more often than not was out hauling some or all of my offspring around on various errands. It was with this in mind that I took the following steps to ensure that our cars were in top shape to serve us through the winter season.
You can probably abbreviate this list somewhat if you live in one of the Sunbelt states, but any prevention is better than none, and you never know when Mother Nature is going to throw a curve ball your way.
1. Change the Oil.
Change the engine oil and make sure to put in the appropriate type. Like most liquids, oil thickens as the temps drop. When you go out and fire up your car in the morning, your oil is sitting in the bottom of the oil pan, thick as honey. This condition worsens the dirtier the oil is, and your engine has to work harder to circulate it until everything warms up properly. Switching to a thinner viscosity oil (see your owner's manual or ask) improves things considerably. Additionally, it's always a good idea to start off the winter driving season with a clean oil filter and good clean oil, because you're sure not going to be motivated to go out into a freezing garage to change it mid-season.
2. Check Hoses and Belts.
The car enthusiast will know how old a vehicle's belts and hoses are and whether or not a replacement is due, but most of you probably won't. Freezing conditions exacerbate any problems your car may be hiding in milder climates, and items like belts and hoses have a way of choosing the absolute worst time to fail. Feel along the length of your engine's belts for any cracks, splits, or frayed edges. If you find any, replace them. Feel the various hoses for the same issues, and replace as necessary. Don't forget to check your windshield washer fluid hoses as well.
3. Check that the Wipers are in Good Shape.
In Utah we'd go for months at a time in the summer without using the wipers, and once I found out too late that one of my wipers wasn't working, during the season's first snow storm. Don't make this mistake! Check that both the front and the rear wipers are working properly. If the blades have been on your car longer than a few months, replace them. It's a cheap and fast way to ensure good visibility for you and the family. Check that the washer fluid system works properly and is topped off. It's a great idea to keep some of that fluid in the trunk of your car as well. I shouldn't have to emphasize that visibility is of primary importance when operating a vehicle!
4. Check the Battery.
The number one type of car failure in the winter is a dead battery. Cold temperatures cut a battery's cranking power in half, even more so if the battery is getting old. These days batteries are essentially maintenance free and usually require replacement every five to seven years. As such, it's easy to forget all about them until they quit working. Don't give your battery a chance to strand you in the middle of a snowstorm! Check the battery posts and wires for corrosion, and clean them as needed (try pouring Coke, or a mixture of baking soda and water on corroded posts). If your battery is more than a couple years old, yank it out and have it tested at the local auto parts store. They'll do it for free. Oh, and make sure you've got some jumper cables in the trunk. With your battery in such fine shape now, you're probably gonna want to help out your neighbor who forgot to winterize his car.
5. Check the Tire Pressure.
This one is pretty simple, and the reality is that your tires won't go completely flat because of cold temperatures. The tire pressure will drop considerably, however, and this will affect the way your car handles, as well as put a dent in your mileage. You should be checking your tire pressure at least monthly anyway (slacker), but be sure to check it AFTER the temperatures have dropped. If the pressure is below the recommended amount (check the sidewall for recommended psi), add some air.
6. Put some Emergency Essentials in your car.
Have you seen just how nutty the weather has been these last few years? You never know when you're going to find yourself in the middle of a full blown weather butt-kicking, and you'll thank yourself later that you had the foresight to stow a few items ahead of time. This is an important step, particularly if you live in the Snowbelt states and even more particularly if you have children in the car. Put these things in your car now, please:
A) flashlight with good batteries
B) Jumper cables
C) ice scraper and some gloves
D) bag of rock salt, sand, gravel, landscaping bark, or kitty litter, for traction if you get stuck
E) Blanket or extra jacket
F) Washer fluid
It's also a great idea to keep your cell phone and a charger handy as well. Don't take your car for granted, and don't leave your family's safety to chance. Spend an hour or two with your car and then rest easy throughout those long winter months. Happy driving!
Chad Hervig Hervighaus Motorsports Advancing the cause of car guys everywhere http://hervighaus.blogspot.com/ http://garageguru.blogspot.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chad_Hervig

Skyline or R8 ?

Congratulations, you've just won an imaginary lottery wherein you are able to choose between the following two cars: The new Nissan Skyline GT-R, or the also new Audi R8? Which is it going to be?

Car auctions -how to succeed

By: Tonyccc

Have you ever heard of seized auto auctions? Have you ever wondered if there is an alternative to purchasing your next car through a dealer,or of someone getting a car at an incredible price, or wondered what happens to vehicles seized by the banks, police agencies or the government? Are you curious about what happens to pre-owned government vehicles? These vehicles are sold at auction; some at on site auctions and some at seized auto auctions. Buyers can get these cars for thousands less than retail and some starting at bids of $100.00.

If saving that kind of money is not a good enough reason to visit a seized auto auction then here are five more

1. Seized auto auctions are fun

Seized auto auctions can be a lot of fun. First there is the excitement of bidding for that car that you always wanted. Then there is the thrill of getting your dream car at a dream price. You could even practice by guessing what the top bid will be and see how close you come. How much would you have saved

2. They provide peace of mind

It is very important for seized auto auction sites to maintain a good reputation. To this end many sites provide services such as vehicle history reports for a small fee,or programs to protect buyers from fraud or misrepresentation. You may even be able to check out the sellers rating if they have sold on that site before. There are also resources on how to purchase a car online and how to bid to your advantage

3. They save time and effort

Driving from dealership to dealership, or from private owner to private owner can waste a lot of your precious time and play havoc with your nerves. What if your schedule just does not give you the time to run around? With high gas prices who wants to do all that driving. With seized auto auctions you set your own schedule for research and can bid at home or during coffee break or lunch.

4. They help you stay on budget

A major problem faced buy most buyers is letting your emotions influence your buying decision. Something the average car dealer knows how to exploit. Seized auto auction sites protect you from the heat of bidding by allowing you to place a maximum bid level before starting the auction. This way you can only bid as much as you common sense will allow. That is as long as you do not let your emotion decide the maximum bid to begin with.

5. That is where you get your car at a bargain price

Car auctions are one of the best places to get a great car at a bargain price. Thousands of cars, trucks and motorcycles end up in auctions. Many of these vehicles are in prime condition; being either repossessed by banks or law enforcement agencies, or pre-owned government vehicles. Many sites boast cars sold for savings as high as 90% of retail. While this is possible most vehicles go for around wholesale or blue book value. Still a sizable savings over anything you can get from a dealership.

Research is your best friend. Like any major purchase you should do your research on the car you plan to purchase. Familiarize yourself with the policies and guarantees offered by the seized auto auction site. Get all the information you can about the vehicle and the seller. Check out insurance and financing options.

Prepare well and you you will have a stress free and profitable experience. You may end up owning the car of your dreams for thousands less just by trying out the seized auto auctions
For more information go to
http://www.webspawner.com/users/tonyccc/index.html

Article Source: http://www.articlesbasecamp.com

Premiere Publication of the Hervighaus Top 7

Until now the Hervighaus Top 7 list has been kept relatively private, being shared with only a few friends in the know. Seeing as how Hervighaus has its own blog now, it seems only fitting to share the Top 7 with fellow enthusiasts.
For the uninitiated, the Top 7 list is a list of the 7 most desirable cars in existence, in the opinion of the list maker. You yourself can and should have a Top 7 list of your own. So should your brother, and his friends, and so forth. The vehicles on the list aren't ranked in order of desirability, indeed are not ranked at all. Additionally, it's quite common for vehicles to make it on the list one week, or month, only to be dropped in favor of something else soon after. And then possibly make it back on the list a few months down the road. The decision to limit the list to 7 vehicles was made for two reasons. Firstly, having a top 10 list is sooo cliche. Second and most importantly, the original creator of the Top 7 list has always had a 7 car garage in mind for his ideal home. Hence, 7 cars to fill the garage. Logical genius. If you're interested, there are several "Top" lists. Feel free to inquire about the others. Without further ado, then, the most up to date Hervighaus Top 7:

• Ruf RT12
• Koenigsegg CCX
• '08 Skyline GTR
• Ferrari F430 Scuderia
• Atom Ariel (Honda powered variant)
• Audi R8
• Alfa 8C

Feel free to submit your own.

Mini Clubman

Ever since I saw "The Italian Job", I've viewed the Mini Cooper as a viable sports car. There's no denying their light weight and sporting capability, and I've seen several that I would gladly pay full price to own. Unfortunately for me, my wife says she can't see me in one. They're too cutesy, too girly for a guy like me, she says. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a wannabe lumberjack who must sit 7 feet off the ground in a chromed out, full size pickup bearing the words "Heavy Duty" and "Git 'R Done" in several spots along the sides and back, and I don't think my wife would've married me if I were. On the contrary, I drive small rusty cars that can negotiate the freeway onramp at above-average speeds, and I probably always will. Still, my wife's flat assessment of the Mini as cutesy put the car out of contention as a potential garage buddy.

But then I saw this new Mini Clubman, with its longer wheelbase and superior functionality, and I'm back to trying to convince Allison that they are manly enough. With that in mind, I thought a little survey of the masses would help clear up the issue of "manliness" concerning the Mini. So take two seconds to vote, over here on the right. Is the Mini Clubman manly enough to be driven by a 30-something dad with sporting intentions? You tell me.

Porsche Cayman S Special Edition

Has anyone seen the writeups for the new Porsche Cayman S Special Edition?.

My Car, My Castle

I bet that if you stopped a moment and thought back on your big moments, you’ll remember the car that got you there. Consider how many “events” a car will see in its life, first with one owner then the next, and on down until the day it’s hauled into the salvage yard, never to turn a wheel again. I know mine would sure have a lot to say.
The day I turned sixteen, I was positive there wouldn’t be a bigger or better experience than getting my driver’s license. And that was a good day, beginning with the actual acquisition of the license (I only incurred 2 penalty points, the best of the day, they said) and culminating in my first car-related grounding by my parents, for staying out too late. In the years since, of course, I’ve had several “big” moments, most of them good ones, and a few that weren’t so great.
I spent my teenage years running around the little town of Tullahoma, TN in a 1982 Datsun long-bed pickup. Arctic White with a tan vinyl bench seat and interior, it had been wrecked on the driver’s side and repaired before my dad brought it home from the used car lot. I hated it right off the bat, and began my relationship with this truck by complaining so loudly about it that my dad very nearly drove it right back to the car lot. Eventually I grew to appreciate the Datsun, though, and had some great times with it. I could write a book about all the crazy times that little truck saw with me at the helm, and perhaps those stories merit some attention another day. It was with this truck, though, that I began to appreciate a vehicle’s ability to serve as sanctuary. On many a quiet summer night in Tullahoma, I’d ride around with the windows down, soaking in the night air, enjoying my solidarity, the freedom. Even at that early stage of my life with cars, I recognized that these times were special. Behind that bus-sized wheel (it had to be with no power steering) I made many of the decisions that shaped my future. The first Gulf war was going on, and I took one such drive for hours one night, trying to decide if I should enlist in the military. I decided not to, much to the relief of my parents. I took another drive one afternoon, at well over the posted speed limits, immediately after learning that my mother would undergo surgery to have tumors removed (she’s doing just fine some 20 years later, thanks). Several other less intense but meaningful drives took place in my Datsun pickup, one of the last being when I loaded up all my stuff into it and drove the three hours to Atlanta without a trace of fear or trepidation about what lay ahead, plain and simply because I was just too naive to feel otherwise. I got rid of it soon after arriving, taking the $900 I sold it for and buying a new mountain bike. Shortly after that I hopped a plane to Utah.
In the years between then and now I’ve owned several cars (no more trucks), some of them reasonably cool, others not so much, but all of them have been havens for me at one time or another. On our honeymoon my wife Allison and I drove her 1986 Honda Accord Lxi hatchback to Las Vegas, avoiding a ticket thanks to a sympathetic trooper who was willing to overlook a busted headlight on account of our recent nuptials. 18 months later that same car faithfully and faultlessly hauled Allison, nine months pregnant and set to pop, and I through a nasty snowstorm to the hospital, returning home two days later one passenger heavier. That extra passenger prompted the purchase of a new vehicle not long after, a shiny silver Civic EX sedan, and the Accord was, sadly, retired.
The list continues in one form or another until we arrive at the car I’m presently driving, a maroon 1991 240SX. Allison has had a few different vehicles in the 7 years I’ve had this car, but I just can’t bring myself to get rid of my little red car. Oh and it’s time too. A quick look into the driver’s side wheel well will uncover a gaping rust encrusted hole, which reveals the frame rails and other mysterious car innards. Any 240SX owner will tell you, but these cars are famous for their foam rear spoiler, which actually collects and traps water at its base, ensuring at least a quarter-sized hole around the right side mounting bolt. Mine is no different. The last time it rained here in St. Augustine I had three inches of water in my spare tire well. Luckily the well has a drain plug. The previous owner apparently elected to replace the windshield himself at some point, because the top edge allows water to accumulate, and has done so for the time I’ve owned it. As a result, there’s a nice even bead of rust running the length of the windshield along the top, almost as if I’ve grown it on purpose. The rust allows water to seep in, dripping precisely onto the crotch area of both the driver and the passenger. This unique feature, along with the 240SX’s cramped interior, ranks me lowest in popularity in my carpool. But I’m not ready to give up the car just yet. I’ve caulked and re-caulked the windshield three times now, and I think maybe the last time did the trick, though now it looks like my rust bead grew a long black eyebrow. Still, the car belongs to me and I’m determined not to get rid of it until absolutely necessary. Which means probably never.
My reasons certainly don’t have anything to do with the rust, or the fact that the car now likes to threaten a complete shutdown at freeway speeds. No, it’s because this old car was with me on my worst days.
Early in the morning in July of 2004, my wife, pregnant with twin girls had what’s called a full placental abruption. She was rushed to the ER where she had an emergency C-section, and delivered our twin girls almost 13 weeks too soon. The little red car stayed in the garage that morning; we rode in the ambulance. The twins rode in a helicopter just minutes later. But the red car was called into service soon after, carrying me constantly between home, work, and the hospital, with nary a hiccup. Those were some dark days for me. Initially I didn’t know if my wife was going to make it, though within a few days we learned she would fully recover. The twins, on the other hand, were always in danger, and eventually spent 90 days in the NICU before coming home. Through it all my little red 240 was my buddy, listening as I pled and prayed and cried my way to the hospital, to work, back to the hospital, home, and then back again and again. Many times I’d sleep in the car, on a lunch break or in the hospital’s parking garage, even if for a few minutes so that I’d be able to stay awake long enough to get back home. We came through those days and those same twin girls like to ride in my 240 whenever they get the chance, which isn’t often considering that they’re three and Allison much prefers them in our Sienna, as do I.
Last September I moved my family to Florida from Utah, for a job transfer, and my little red 240SX made the trip on the back of a vehicle transporter. I had a rental car in Jacksonville, FL for three weeks while I waited for my car to arrive. The rental was nice, a brand new Ford Mustang. I drove it all over the place, including a seven hour road trip up to my brother’s house in Auburn, GA. It was a great car, infinitely more refined than my tired old Nissan. But you know what? The night before my car was scheduled to arrive I could hardly sleep, I was so excited. In the year that our family has been here in Florida we’ve seen some more difficult times, having not anticipated such a stressful and anxious transition period. Once again and through it all that rusted out, tired old 240 just keeps helping me along as best it can, the rain soaked pants notwithstanding. In fact, the humidity of Florida has seemingly put the rust on fast forward, and I’m sure that any day now my windshield will fall into my lap.
Until then, however, I think I’ll just keep caulking the windshield and then together we’ll keep finding new roads to explore and new thoughts to ponder.

Hervighaus lives!

Hello all! I've just become a blogger, and I'm quite excited about it. My name is Chad Hervig, and there are a few things you should know about me. First, I'm an absolute car geek. Can't get enough of them, love to talk about them nonstop, am interested in every facet of every car, and I don't care who knows it. Second, I'm a hack when it comese to writing, but I do love to write. I'm definitely one who loves to read his own printed word. Given these circumstances, it seems to me that a Blogspot is just the ticket for me.

I'll talk to you soon.