Twenty-Four - Car Maintenance

There are some easy peasy lemon squeezy things I found out that Laura and I could do while at the gas station that will help our car run more smoothly and, at the same time, help lower our emissions and reduce air pollution. We found four simple tips from the book, The Green Year.

Firstly, don't top off your gas tank because the added gas takes up space that is needed for your gas to expand in the tank. I always rounded up to the next dollar or half dollar for my benefit but, apparently, if this space is taken up then the gas tends to evaporate in the vapor collection system, causing your car to run poorly and increase emissions. Secondly, fill up at night when at all possible. More gas fumes are released in the air from the gas pumps when it is hotter outside, depleting the ozone layer. Thirdly, getting a car wash at the gas station is a great idea. Not only do you get a discount when filling up, but much water is conserved in the process. Commercial car washes use around 45 gallons per wash (compared to the 80-160 gallons used at home) and have a waste-water management system so water contaminated with chemical soap doesn't get into the sewer system. Finally, click your gas cap three times to prevent unnecessary gas evaporation. If your cap is too loose you may be contributing to the 147 millions gallons of gas that is needlessly evaporated in the air each year because of loose, broken or missing gas caps.

There is another great tip Laura and I came across as well that will help keep your car in great shape and reduce your impact on Mother Nature. Recently, there was a New York Times article that discussed the oil change every 3,000 miles adage that has been passed down from generation to generation. Well, the idea that changing your oil every 3,000 miles is best for your car is a myth. It's a waste of money and should only be done every 6,000 miles or so. Here's Why: firstly, check your car manual to see what the manufacturers suggestion is. It will probably be around 6,000 to 7,500 miles. In California alone, nearly 153 million gallons of oil are used each year for this purpose. No good. At some point in time, the 3,000 mile adage made sense but since then engine technology and oil chemistry have improved. Laura and I grew up adhering to the parental adage that you must religiously change your oil every 3,000 miles or else you will ruin your car. Having this new knowledge is great considering that we take great care of our car and don't use it that often, so there's no need to impact Mother Earth even more and use more money and oil than we already do. The article also states that if you use your car less than 3,000 miles a year, get an oil change once a year. If more than 3,000 miles but still driving it sparingly then every 6 months will do the trick.

Safe travels!