Car Care Tips

The hottest Okotoks news story may be different every day, but there's one topic that seems to come up over and over again – the price of gas in Alberta. If you feel like most of your paycheck goes into your gas tank, this post is for you. Here are several basic things people in Alberta can do to greatly reduce their gas consumption, save money, and help the environment. You can really improve your fuel economy by how you drive – but first, here's a review of things you can do for your vehicle that'll save gas no matter how you drive.

The first one for Alberta drivers is keeping tires properly inflated. That can save 2 miles per gallon/.85 km per liter. Driving on low tires is like driving through sand – your car just has to work harder. Most Alberta service centers will fill up your tires for free, so just ask Lube Town. Also, make a habit of checking your tire pressure whenever you fill up. Many Alberta gas stations have an air hose you can use for free.

Another important item is to keep your air filter clean. An air filter all clogged up with dirt and bugs doesn't let enough clean air through to efficiently burn fuel. Using a dirty air filter will cost you almost 2 miles per gallon/.85 km per liter in reduced fuel economy. 

And of course, there's dirty or substandard oil. Dirty oil causes extra drag. The wrong grade may be too thick. That's another .4 miles per gallon/.17 km per liter right there.

And with current gas prices in the Alberta area, the cost really adds up. Taking care of these simple maintenance items will save Alberta drivers at the pump. 

Now most vehicles aren't missing on all of these items, but think about which ones might affect you right now! And don't forget  transmission fluid, anti-freeze, fuel system cleaning, fuel filter and other services spelled out in your owner's  manual.

Lube Town knows all this stuff and can tell you when you're scheduled to take care of each item. Create a system of your own to track your service schedules, or just use the computer system at Lube Town – which may also be updated with recall notices and maintenance schedule items from your vehicle manufacturer.