Single and Dealing with Car

    As a newly single driver, one of your added responsibilities may be to properly maintain your own car, while also having to pay for your own gas. This isn’t something your former spouse is likely to continue to handle on your behalf. Luckily, it’s not necessary to become a car buff or obtain training as a mechanic to keep your car running efficiently.

Just follow the routine maintenance suggestions offered in the owner’s manual for your vehicle, use common sense, and if something does go wrong with your car, deal with it immediately, before the problem gets worse (and more costly to fix). Unfortunately, gasoline prices are currently high and seem to be rising with no end in sight. Aside from dramatically reducing your driving habits or purchasing a more fuel efficient vehicle, the following 10 things will help you reduce the impact high gas prices are having on your wallet:  

1.  Check your vehicle’s tire pressure.  
Keeping your vehicle’s tire pressure at the levels recommended by the tire manufacturer or the manufacturer of your vehicle. This will save you money on gas, prolong the life of your tires, plus provide greater safety in bad weather conditions. Under normal use, a tire will lose one psi (pound per square inch) of pressure every month. Also, for every 10-degree temperature drop, an additional one psi will be lost. Another situation that can cause a drop in your tires’ psi involves transporting heavy cargo.
 
For under $10., you can purchase a basic tire pressure gauge. At least once or twice per month, check the pressure in each of your tires, when you stop to get gas, for example. Brookstone (866-576-7337 / www.Brookstone.com) offers two inexpensive products that can help you keep tabs on your tires’ air pressure. The Tire Minder ($19.95 per set of four) is a set of small gauges that screw onto the air valve of your tires and replace each tire’s existing valve cap.

When a gauge shows a blue color, you know that tire is properly inflated. If the color changes to red, it indicates the tire’s PSI is too high (it’s over-inflated). If the color changes to green, it means the tire is under-inflated. Tire Minders are available for cars, minivans, motorcycles, SUVs and light trucks. It’s essential to install the right model of Tire Minders that are appropriate for your vehicle.

Brookstone also offers the Smart Pressure Tire Gauge ($35), a digital, handheld tire pressure gauge that offers a multi-color display that is easy to use and read. When using any tire gauge, to obtain an accurate psi level, make sure the vehicle has been off for several hours and that the tires themselves are cool and have not recently been exposed to direct sunlight. After every 5,000 to 7,000 miles, most car manufacturers also recommend rotating and balancing your tires. Doing this on a regular basis will add up to 10,000 extra miles to the life of your tires, plus improve their safety.

2. Perform routine maintenance.  
A well-maintained vehicle is always more fuel efficient. Obtain regular oil changes for your vehicle, based on vehicle’s manufacturer’s guidelines. For older vehicles, this usually means every 3,000 miles or every three months. Newer vehicles can typically go longer in between oil changes. At the same time you have your oil changed, have the mechanic check your vehicle’s air filter. If the filter is dirty or clogged, this can increase your vehicle’s fuel consumption by ten percent or more. Replacing the dirty air filter, as necessary, is an inexpensive way to improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Handling the routine maintenance requirements for your vehicle (as recommended by the manufacturer) will help you obtain the best fuel efficiency possible, reduce costly repair bills over the long-term, plus keep your vehicle running longer.   

3. Shop for the lowest gas prices.
Several free Web sites offer a listing of gas stations in your geographic area (searchable by zip code or address), and maintain an up-to-date database of gas prices (for the various grades of unleaded gasoline). The following sites make it easy to find the lowest gas prices, without wasting gas driving around your neighborhood looking for a good deal:        

www.gasbuddy.com  
http://gasprices.mapquest.com  
http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx     
www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/gasprices/states/index.shtml