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Winter and Rising Gas Prices Means Extra TLC for your Vehicle, Says AAA
Cheyenne, Wyo., November 19 – As winter hits Wyoming, AAA reminds motorists to take extra precautions caring for your vehicle and when traveling. Advance planning and calm decision-making are the keys to successfully reacting to weather problems and emergency roadside situations.
“Winter weather is a major contributor to vehicle breakdowns and other incidents that leave motorists stranded and in need of help," said Denice Harris, AAA Spokesperson. "While it is not possible to prevent many emergency road service situations that will occur over the next few months, motorists can prepare and hopefully counter-act foreseeable problems.”
In addition to monitoring weather reports and adjusting driving styles to road conditions it is important to keep vehicles in top operating condition. “Keeping your vehicle’s battery charged is the key when operating a vehicle in the winter,” said Harris. “Just starting a vehicle in sub zero temperatures can put as much wear and tear on the battery and engine as a whole summer of driving.”
AAA reports roughly one in every five service calls AAA responds to is battery related. Though often times a vehicle can be started with a battery jump, if the battery is spent, it will not hold the charge and will disable the vehicle again and again, causing repeat calls.
To combat the problem, AAA urges motorists to take the following precautions:
• Have your vehicle’s battery checked NOW. Replacement becomes necessary when the battery no longer has sufficient reserve capacity to meet the demands of the vehicle’s electrical system, particularly the starter. Battery life varies widely, but is typically every 3-5 years.
• If your vehicle is equipped with a block heater, plug it in when temperatures plummet. If it is not equipped with a block heater, keep the vehicle in a garage (heated or unheated), or consider starting the vehicle every few hours and let it run enough to keep oils and lubricants warm to avoid extra strain on your battery. Check owner’s manual for manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Add gas-line antifreeze or diesel fuel additive before it gets cold. They do not help once the vehicle’s fuel lines are frozen.
• Always keep your gas tank at least half full to prevent condensation from forming.
• If you do need a jump-start, call AAA, but do expect added delays on especially cold days due to increased call volume. Our service providers are out there working hard against the elements to serve our members, so please be patient.
Emergency roadside situations demand the same kind of preparation. AAA insists motorists:
• Check the weather conditions along your route.
• Remember to bring a cellular phone and a winter driving kit that includes the following items: a flashlight with fresh batteries, a small snow shovel and brush, traction mats, an ice scraper, booster cables, a warm blanket, flares or triangle warning devices, heavy gloves, window washing solvent and a first aid kit.
The bottom line is to be proactive –Have your car checked over to be sure everything is in peak operating condition and prepare for a breakdown – before winter weather takes its toll.
Gas Price Squeeze
With soaring gas prices squeezing many household budgets heading into the Holiday shopping season, AAA is helping consumers with tips on how to save gas and Web sites dedicated to fuel information.
When fuel prices rise to new record levels, motorists have an understandable interest in finding out why, and need information on what they can do to stay within the family budget, according to AAA.
To help consumers make better decisions regarding their fuel consumption AAA has been posting localized, up-to-date fuel information on the Internet in 2000, and now has two Web sites devoted to fuel issues as well as other online tools for consumers.
Perhaps the best known site is AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report (www.aaafuelgaugereport.com). That site – a natural extension of the reports AAA has issued in some form since the 1970s – averages prices paid at 100,000 gas stations across the country and posts national, state and local averages daily for each of the major grades of gasoline.
AAA Fuel Cost Calculator (www.aaafuelcostcalculator.com) helps users understand and budget for the amount of fuel they are likely to use on a long-distance trip. After entering the trip’s origin and destination, and the type of vehicle being driven, the site calculates the miles driven, the amount of fuel that will be used and the cost. It also can tell motorists the difference in fuel costs for various vehicles, helping them to determine which vehicle is most cost effective to drive.
Earlier this year, AAA enhanced its online trip planning tool, TripTik® Travel Planner found at www.AAA.com, with location and fuel pricing information for more than 100,000 U.S. gas stations. Using the planner, travelers can note the locations of convenient fuel stops along their vacation driving route.
To help counteract the effect of high gas prices on family budgets, the AAA Visa® credit card offers a rebate of up to 5 percent on gasoline purchases made at the pump. The more cardholders use their card for everyday, non-gas purchases, the greater the rebate will be for gas purchases. Since its inception in 2003, cardholders have saved $142 million on gas purchases.
AAA provides fuel-saving tips and advice to consumers through many local AAA club Web sites (www.AAA.com) as well as on its AAA Exchange site (www.AAA.com/publicaffairs) which includes fuel conservation information in a downloadable brochure titled, “AAA Gas Watcher’s Guide.”
Some tips from the guide include:
• Stick to a routine maintenance schedule. Keeping tires inflated, moving components properly lubricated and ignition and emission systems operating properly will help ensure maximum fuel efficiency and extend the life of your vehicle.
• If you own more than one vehicle, use the more energy-conserving vehicle as often as possible.
• Consolidate trips and errands to cut down on driving time and miles traveled. When possible, combine them with your daily commute.
• If you are going somewhere new, get a map first from an online source such as AAA TripTik (www.AAA.com). Getting lost wastes gas as well as time.
• Comparison shop by phone or online if possible before heading out on the road.
• Slow down. For most vehicles, fuel economy drops off significantly when traveling more than 60 miles per hour. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.
• Avoid quick starts and sudden stops. They waste fuel, are harder on vehicle components and increase the odds of a traffic crash.
• Lighten your vehicle by cleaning out the trunk, cargo areas and passenger compartments. A heavier vehicle uses more fuel.
• Keep your eyes open for low fuel prices but don’t waste gas driving to a distant filling station to save a few cents.
AAA Fuel Gauge Report and AAA Fuel Cost Calculator are based on data from Oil Price Information Service, the nation’s most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information.
AAA Wyoming, a AAA MountainWest Club, is dedicated to providing its more than 32,000 members in Wyoming with travel, insurance, financial, and auto-related services. A fully taxpaying, not for profit corporation, AAA MountainWest, Inc. strives for improvement of motoring and traveling conditions, and is a leader for travel, civic and safety issues. AAA Wyoming can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.
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