Car Care Tips

As part of First Class Automotive’s commitment to providing Raleigh and the greater Triangle area with quality auto repair, we offer the following Car Care Tips. Ranging from Safe Driving Tips for Teens, Steps to Improve Your Gas Mileage, and a Maintenance Checklist, these tips are meant to empower our customers with automotive knowledge. If you have questions, or need to schedule maintenance, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment online or give us a call!

How to Improve Your Car's Gas Mileage

Here are some of the things you can do to ensure improved gas mileage for your car:

Driving Habits

Keep your car clean. Mud on the undercarriage can weigh a significant amount and slow you down.
Consolidate your daily trips and errands. This will also save you the cost of restarting your engine, which uses a lot of gas.
Avoid air conditioning when possible. However, when driving at higher speeds, having your windows open also creates drag.
Don't throttle the gas or brake pedal! Sudden starts or stops use more gas than gradual changes in speed.
Don't idle for too long. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait.
Limit car warm-ups in winter.
Clear out the trunk. More weight equals more drag.
Avoid high speeds. We know this is almost impossible to resist but you can improve your gas mileage by up to 15 percent driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph.
Use overdrive. If your car is equipped with overdrive gearing use it as soon as your speed is high enough.
Use cruise control. Maintaining a constant speed is ideal for improving your gas mileage.