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QUALITY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP | AUTOMOTIVE DRIVING TIPS
Make the road and world a better place by
improving your driving habits. Find many tips on how how to be a
safer and fuel efficient
driver below.
What to Know When You Drive in the Snow!
Yes, it is that cold & snowy time once again.
Whether you are a winter person or not, driving in the snow is
inevitable and we want you to be safe. We have broken down these
tips into three categories: Preparing, Braking &
Emergency Kit.
Being Prepared for the Winter
There are a few things that will help you see your way through
this winter season clearly and safely.
Swap out your old windshield wipers with new sets
Make sure that you always have enough wiper fluid
Be sure to clear all the ice off of your windows so that you can
see in all directions
Make sure that your tires are properly inflated
Make sure that you have a safe amount of tire tread on all four
tires
To schedule your winter service at Quality Automotive in Tooele,
Utah please click here.
Braking
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4x4 Myths – When you use your brakes on your 4-wheel or
all-wheel drive vehicle you will instantly find no additional
traction benefit in comparison to a 2x4 unless you have some
sort of stability control (not to be confused with traction
control or limited slip)
ABS – Anti Lock Brakes need to be pushed and held in when
needing to come to an abrupt stop. You will feel a vibration
when this occurs which means your ABS is working. Keep in mind
with slippery conditions that you may lose control. Always
consider a turn or some sort of maneuver that does not require
braking in icy conditions.
Always keep additional space between you the and vehicle in
front of you especially in traffic and at intersections or stop
signs.
Emergency Kit
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Be sure to have emergency items in your vehicle just in case the
worst comes your way. Here is a list to get you started:
Flashlight with fresh batteries
Chains for 2-wheel drive vehicles
Warm clothing or blankets just in case you breakdown
Flare kit
Bottled water and snack food
Mobile phone with a fresh battery (analog phones may have better
reach in rural areas)
First aid kit. Be sure to make sure everything is up to date and
used items have been replaced
Stability Control
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Stability control in short makes you a better driver whether you
are new to the road or have professional experience. Using
computer technology and yaw control, your vehicle, equipped with
stability control, will adjust your acceleration and braking to
the front & rear independently regardless whether you are
braking, coasting or accelerating. Some systems will even
provide independent brake and acceleration control to each of
your four tires. Please consult a sales representative or
manufacture website or brochure to learn more.
Stability control comes in many names but has life saving
capabilities:
Audi - Electronic Stability Program or ESP
BMW - Dynamic Stability Control or DSC
Daimler Chrysler - Electronic Stability Program or ESP
Ford Motor Company - AdvanceTrac
GM (General Motors) - Active Handling System in the Corvette and
StabiliTrak for Pontiac, Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac & GM
Jaguar - Dynamic Stability Control or DSM
Lexus - Vehicle Skid Control or VSC
Porsche - Porsche Stability Management or PSM
Volkswagen - Electronic Stability Program or ESP
Volvo - Dynamic Stability Traction Control or DTSC
How to Drive Fuel Efficient
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With the constant rise in fuel and vehicle maintenance costs
we would like to help you save by suggesting some simple driving
practices: (Source: 2005 fueleconomy.gov)
You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by
keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.
Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for
every 1-psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly
inflated tires are safer and last longer.
Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph can cost you an additional
$0.10 per gallon for gas.
Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a
constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines
typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller
engines.
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking)
wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway
speeds and by 5% around town.
Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas
mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps
impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only
will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your
engine.
Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an
emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4.1
percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how
well it is done. If your car has a faulty oxygen sensor, your
gas mileage may improve as much as 40 percent.
Additional Resources
2006 Fuel Economy Guide (5.4MB - .pdf file from fueleconomy.gov)
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