| With the escalating price of gas, buying
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| | maintenance costs while minimizing
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| a fuel-efficient car makes a lot of
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| | harmful emissions.Keep Your Engine
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| sense. Approximately 15% of new car
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| | Properly Tuned-Getting regular tune-ups
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| buyers reject a model due to poor gas
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| | when your car is out of tune or has
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| mileage. Nearly 40% of those consumers
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| | failed an emissions test may improve gas
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| who eliminate a full-size SUV due to gas
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| | mileage by about 4%. If your car has a
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| mileage ultimately purchase a midsize SUV
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| | faulty oxygen sensor and you have it
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| instead, while nearly 20% purchase
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| | fixed, gas mileage could improve as much
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| another model altogether. (J.D. Power and
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| | as 40%. Make sure the spark plugs, if you
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| Associates, Sept. 2004.)But even if you
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| | have them, are firing properly, replacing
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| don't currently own a fuel-efficient car,
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| | them when necessary. Have the engine
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| there are lots of ways you can improve
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| | timing checked for accuracy.Check &
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| the fuel efficiency of your present
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| | Replace Air Filters Regularly-Replacing a
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| vehicle until you're ready to purchase
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| | clogged air filter could improve a car's
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| one of the best gas mileage cars. Your
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| | gas mileage by as much as 10%.
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| personal driving habits have a big effect
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| | Additionally, it will protect your engine
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| on your fuel use and costs. You can
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| | from impurities. Change this more often
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| better manage your vehicle operating
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| | if you live in a dusty climate, drive on
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| costs as well as minimize the emissions
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| | dirt or gravel roads or if you drive
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| it produces by driving less and more
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| | off-road for fun.Keep Tires Properly
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| efficiently. Here are some tips to help.
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| | Inflated-Your gas mileage can increase by
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| First, you need to know what kind of
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| | about 3.3% if you keep tires inflated to
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| mileage you are getting. Calculate this
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| | their proper pressure. It takes more
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| by filling up your tank and recording the
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| | effort and gas for the engine to propel
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| odometer reading-or you can reset your
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| | an underinflated tire than a correctly
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| trip gauge to zero. Next time you get
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| | inflated one-which provide less
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| gas, fill the tank again and divide the
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| | road-resistance, thereby improving fuel
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| miles you traveled between fill ups by
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| | efficiency. Beware over-inflation,
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| the quantity of gas you bought on this
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| | though, which can lead to handling
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| fill-up. This is your car's miles per
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| | problems and uneven tire wear. Check tire
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| gallon or mpg. If it's pretty dismal,
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| | pressure on a regular basis, looking for
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| here's how to turn your fuel guzzler into
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| | signs of uneven wear or embedded objects
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| a fuel saver:
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| | that can cause air leaks. In winter,
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| Drive slower: The aerodynamic drag on
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| | check tire pressure if there is a sharp
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| your car increases noticeably the faster
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| | change in temperature, as cold weather
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| you drive. The drag force at 70 mph is
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| | decreases air pressure in the tires.
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| about double that at 50 mph, so keeping
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| | Use the Recommended Grade of Motor
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| speed down can increase your mileage
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| | Oil-Fuel efficiency can improve by 1-2%
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| considerably. Gas mileage decreases
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| | if you use the manufacturer's recommended
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| rapidly at speeds over 60 mph. Each 5 mph
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| | grade of motor oil. Also, if you change
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| above 60 mph is like paying an additional
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| | your own oil, look for motor oil rated as
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| $.10/gallon for gas. Observing the speed
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| | "Energy Conserving" to be sure it
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| limit is also safer for everyone.Maintain
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| | contains friction-reducing
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| a constant speed: Every time you speed
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| | additives.Check Which Gas to Use-Choose
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| up, you use energy, some of which is
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| | the correct octane gas for your car by
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| wasted when you slow the car down again.
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| | checking your owner's manual. It's not
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| By maintaining a constant speed,
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| | necessary to buy the "super" high-octane
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| especially driving the posted speed
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| | gas unless your car manufacturer
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| limit, you will improve your fuel
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| | recommends it or your engine knocks
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| efficiency. Just by increasing your
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| | without it. While you won't do harm to
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| highway cruising speed from 62 mph to 74
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| | the engine, you will be paying more than
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| mph you increase fuel consumption by
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| | you need to, since premium (highest
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| about 20%! Using cruise control on the
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| | octane) gas sells for an average of 17
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| highway helps you maintain a constant
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| | cents more per gallon than regular gas.
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| speed and will usually save gas.Drive
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| | Only about 6% of cars sold in the U.S.
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| gently: Aggressive driving-speeding,
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| | need premium gas, according to the AAA.
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| rapid acceleration and hard
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| | Also, avoid topping off your gas tank,
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| braking-wastes gas. These bad habits can
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| | since in warmer weather, fuel expansion
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| lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway
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| | can cause an overflow and you'll be
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| speeds and 5% in the city. In addition,
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| | wasting precious fuel. You want to be a
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| reasonable driving is safer for you and
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| | fuel saver-not a fuel waster!Planning &
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| others, so you may be saving more than
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| | Combining Trips: Combining errands to do
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| gas money. Consider using overdrive gears
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| | together and in similar areas saves time
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| on the highway, as this decreases engine
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| | and money. Several short trips starting
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| speed, reducing fuel usage and engine
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| | from a cold engine can use twice as much
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| wear.Avoid Excess Idling: Idling gets 0
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| | fuel as a longer multi-purpose trip that
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| miles/gallon and wastes fuel and money,
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| | covers the same distance when the engine
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| is hard on the engine and adds to toxic
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| | is warmed up. With a little advance
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| emissions. Cars with larger engines
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| | planning, you can avoid high traffic
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| typically waste more gas at idle than
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| | areas, road construction, retracing your
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| those with smaller engines. Turn off your
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| | route and ultimately reduce the distance
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| engine if you think you will be stopped
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| | you travel while running errands. You'll
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| for more than 30 seconds. However, if
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| | not only save on fuel, but also reduce
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| you're driving a fuel-efficient car like
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| | wear and tear on your car.
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| a hybrid, your electric motor is on when
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| | Commuting: If you can alternate your
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| you idle, so you're not wasting any gas
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| | work hours to avoid rush hour, you'll
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| at all!
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| | spend less time sitting in traffic and
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| Minimize air conditioning: Using your
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| | burn up less fuel. For stop and go
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| air conditioner in hot weather can
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| | traffic, drive your best gas mileage car
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| increase your fuel consumption by more
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| | if you own more than one vehicle.
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| than 20% in city driving. Whenever
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| | Contemplate telecommuting (working from
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| possible, close all windows and use the
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| | home) when your job permits. If you can,
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| air vents to circulate air instead of air
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| | participate in carpools and ride-share
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| conditioning. You will improve your fuel
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| | programs. You can cut your weekly fuel
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| efficiency in summer by minimizing the
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| | costs in half and save wear on your car
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| use of air conditioning and using your
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| | if you take turns sharing driving with
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| car's flow-through ventilation,
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| | others.Traveling: A roof rack or carrier
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| especially on the highway. If you must
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| | affords additional cargo space and helps
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| use the air conditioning, set the
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| | out when you have a smaller car. However,
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| controls to a level that lets the system
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| | a loaded roof rack decreases fuel
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| cycle, and turn it off once the interior
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| | efficiency by 5%. Reduce the wind
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| of car is cooled down enough. Also
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| | resistance and increase your fuel
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| consider such options a sunroof and
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| | efficiency by putting objects inside the
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| tinted glass to keep the car cool.Keep
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| | trunk when possible. Also, remove any
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| Your Car in Shape: Maintaining your
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| | unnecessary items, especially heavy ones,
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| vehicle in top working condition saves
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| | as an extra 100 lbs. in the trunk reduces
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| you fuel and money, and reduces long-term
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| | a car's fuel efficiency by about 1 to 2%.
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