Gas pump pain? 8 driving tips to save you $1,000 a year
Want to save $1,000 a year on gas? With pump prices steadily rising, the CBC's automotive expert Doug Bethune shares eight tips to save you money.
Want to save $1,000 a year on gas? With pump prices steadily rising, the CBC's automotive expert Doug Bethune shared eight tips to save you money:
- Pay with a credit card. This could earn you bonuses, refunds and loyalty miles. Of course, you need to pay your credit card off monthly for this to work financially.
- Use promotions. When the grocery store has coupons for gas, drive to the station and use them.
- Use synthetic oil. Used in the engine and drive train, it can save you five per cent on gas mileage. Paying for supreme gas will save you another three per cent.
- Inflate your tires. Check them monthly, as air is always seeping out. This will save you three per cent on gas mileage — per tire.
- Buy on discount day. If your local station cuts the price on Thursdays, buy then.
- Don't jack rabbit. Instead of sprinting from stop to stop, speed up and slow down gradually and improve your mileage.
- Slow down. If you scoff the law and drive 130 km/h in a 110 km/h zone, you're burning up your gas 12 per cent faster than if you drive the limit.
- Tune up your engine. Change those spark plugs every year and save on fuel.
The average Canadian driver uses 2,000 litres of fuel a year, Bethune said. At $1.40 a litre, he said following most of these tips will cut your fuel costs by 16 per cent — saving you $450 a year.
"It's up to 36 per cent if you do everything I've suggested — and that's $1,000 a year," he said.