Choose Tires Wisely and Enjoy Gas Savings | Auto Finance

By JoanYankowitz
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I'm sure you're concerned with saving as much money on gas as possible these days. I'll bet you didn't realized that having the right tires can greatly improve your fuel consumption.

If you don't know a lot about tire efficiency, you're not alone. Most people don't know that they are adding to their driving expenses by choosing tires that deliver poor fuel economy. There's not a lot of information available about tire efficiency. And its difficult to know how to make your choice.

This will change in the future, because the federal government has mandated that tire manufacturers must start labeling tires for fuel efficiency. The program would create a national labeling system similar to the Energy Star system used to rate the energy efficiency of household appliance.

So far, however, there has been little progress made. Critics say the industry is stonewalling, but the tire manufacturers disagree. They say they have spent millions on research and development of more fuel-efficient tires.

You'll find that tires today are more efficient today than they were in the 1970s. Radial tires have improved tire efficiency, and there have been many advances in tread patterns. Rolling resistance, (the power that is lost as rolling tires flex and change shape), has also been reduced by as much as 50%.

Unfortunately, efficiency can still vary by as much as half from tire to tire, reducing fuel economy by more than 10 percent. And experts believe the mandated minimum standards should help reduce the amount of gasoline used in the US by billions of gallons.

Until those minimum standards actually appear, though, you will have no way of knowing which tire will deliver the most fuel efficiency for your vehicle. Until labeling arrives, the best you can do is remember these tips from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Your tires should be properly inflated. Check the manufacturer's psi recommendations. You're mileage will improve when your tires are inflated to the right psi. Make sure not to test the pressure in cold or hot tires.

When you're replacing tires, consider purchasing the same brand and model that came as original equipment on your car. Auto manufacturers know that new cars will be thoroughly tested and rated by consumer magazines, right down to the performance of the tire, so they're usually careful to choose the most efficient tire possible.

Stay away from special wheels for your truck or car. Wider tires touch the road with more friction, and oversize wheels and rims weigh more. Your fuel efficiency will be reduced.

Only replace your tires when they need it. To test the tread, turn a penny and put Lincoln's head upside down. Then stick the penny in the tire tread groove. If the top of his head is noticeable, replace the tires.

Don't fill tires with nitrogen instead of air. There's still no definitive data showing that filling tires with nitrogen improves either mileage or tire wear. Until the data is in, it's probably not worth the extra expense.

If you see that the tire tread is uneven, take your car in for servicing to determine the problem. You could have alignment, balance, or parts issues.

If you live in a dry climate, don't buy rain tires. Water-shedding or off-road tread patterns can burn more fuel. If you live in a snowy climate, buy snow tires and drive slow, both of which will increase efficiency when driving in the snow.

Now you've learned how choosing the right tires can save you money and improve your fuel efficiency. As gas prices continue to increase, you'll want to learn even more gas saving tips.

About the Author

Joan Yankowitz will show you how to save gas and increase your car's MPG by at least 25-40% or more by hypermiling.

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