Auto maintenance – With summer already upon us, many groups of families and friends might have some free time and want to leave Long Beach for a while on a quick vacation. If you’re taking a road trip, this will mean driving your vehicle for long distances, likely several hundred miles, taking you far from home. In this type of situation, it is more important than ever to make sure that your car is in good running condition, not only so that it doesn’t break down and leave you stranded on the side of the road, but also because having a properly maintained car can help you make sure that your engine is running as efficiently as possible, potentially saving you tens of gallons or hundreds of dollars in fuel and reducing wear on your engine.

Fixing a car that is significantly out of tune, or fails to pass an emissions test, has been shown to improve gas mileage by an average of 4%, although results vary by vehicle. Some parts, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can diminish your fuel economy by as much as 40%. That’s almost half! You’ll certainly want to get that fixed before taking any long road trips.

Before you take your car on any kind of road trip, whether it’s San Diego or Yosemite, or anywhere else, here are some basic maintenance items that you should check to make sure that you get the best possible fuel economy:

Get a tune-up. Getting a tune-up will allow us to clean or replace any dirty or faulty sensors or parts, improving the flow of air and fuel into your engine – letting it breathe better and run more efficiently, and reducing wear on its components.

Check your tires. Keep your tires properly inflated by making sure that the tire pressure is at the level your manufacturer recommends, and you can save anywhere from 0.6% on average to 3% more fuel.

Get an alignment. Your wheels being out of alignment can have a significant drag on your fuel economy, because they are creating more friction than they should be and making your engine work harder to move your car.

Get an oil change. Getting an oil change, if you haven’t done so recently, and making sure to use the recommended grade of motor oil, can save you from 1 – 2% of your fuel by lubricating your engine better, making it spin more freely.

Replace dirty air filters. On newer cars, replacing a dirty air filter will not improve your fuel mileage in itself, but it can improve acceleration, leading you to drive less aggressively and save gas. In older cars with carbureted engines, it can improve both performance and gas mileage.

If you are experiencing problems with your vehicle or have questions regarding Auto maintenance visit Orozco’s Auto Service Orozco’s Auto Service at any of our convenient locations in Long Beach, Bellflower, Garden Grove or Fullerton!