Hello

Hello. I want to say thank you for your time and visiting my page. I created this blog to help people save both money and gas. In my site you can learn about general mechanics, driving tips and saving money and the environment. Instead of going to a mechanic, you can fix it yourself and save yourself time and money. Ive been away from this site for quite some time due to life. Its funny how moments are created. My car was wrecked, beyond repair, worst of all I didn't get the chance to destroy my own car. I let my "friend" borrow my car and calls me that he crashed my car. I knew he wasn't going to give me a penny, and the part that made me sad was that I didn't even get a phone call.  I waited and waited nothing. I also had to pay for towing fees :( . I felt that they were indebted to me for destroying my property. I was to told to forgive them, and I did, I forgave them. I learned my lesson and it cost me months of work to get back on track. I bought another Eclipse, it is a 1999 Eclipse Spyder GS with very low miles. The car needs mechanical attention because  the maintenance was neglected from the previous owner. In time I will eventually build a solid reliable car. Working on cars gave to chance to work on some problems this car had and bring it alive from the dead. The car  needs a water pump, radiator, motor mounts, a transmission and all the belts. Life is good. I have a job and a car, I can help myself and others as well. Its a great feeling when you need help in desperate moments and people listen to you and your get help. After two years, I had the 99 eclipse, it was fun and reliable. Thank you for your time. I will update and edit the bogs when I have time.

Coasting

Coasting is going to be your new best friend, if you are looking to save additional money on gas. When I drive in the city, I try my best to anticipate the traffic lights. If I see a red light, there is no point of accelerating and having to come to a complete stop, instead I coast and minimize the time I come to a complete stop. If I time myself and the lights correctly,  I will coast and not have to come to a complete stop. By using the coasting method, I lower my chances of having to make a complete stop. By the time I reach the traffic light, it usually changes green and I accelerate lightly to the speed limit. Whats better; going from 0-40mph or 25-40mph? 25-40!!! Be careful, because drivers may not know your intentions, they may not understand what you're trying to perform, you might get honked at. So check your rear view mirrors when coasting. Each time you press the accelerator you waste gas to move your car, braking  just destroys that effort that was created and most important your money.

Idling

Idling is one of the worst enemies for a modern vehicle and it will cost you. Ever heard of having to warm up a car when its cold? That was true for carburetor engines, but not so true for modern fuel injected engines. Now fuel injected engines get hot pretty quickly and are ready to use seconds after a start-up. On a cold morning, you can let the engine idle for 30 seconds, any prolonged time is just a waste of gas. The best way to warm up the engine is to just drive it, this way it will get hotter quicker and the heat is distributed equally along the motor.

When coming to a stop, your car is getting  0 mpg, that's right ZERO!. Drive-trues are also gas wasters, its is better to go inside and order your food.  IF you're waiting in your car for more than a minute, turn the car off, its a waste of gas. In my quest to save money on my gas, I avoid drive-trues, unnecessary warm-ups when the engine is cold, I turn off the ignition when i stop on red lights and only if I know that I am going to be there for more than a minute. In other words, I anticipate how long I'm going to be at that stop and if its worth it to turn of the ignition. Turning off the car while coming to a stop is an advanced driving method. Turning off the car will disable your power steering, due so with caution and at your own risk. Saving gas even means turning off the car once in a while. How do it? Read the next post.

How do you drive?

In order to start saving gas you will need a  good foundation. A first foundation  is the vehicles current condition. A car that is well maintained is more reliable, efficient, and will have longevity. Every car has its own limits, but its the driver that sets those limits. To increase your  gas mileage will have to start practicing new behaviors starting when you turn on the car and turning it off. I am a hypermiler. A hypermiler is a person who uses driving techniques to maximize their gas mileage. I make it a habit, a consistent effort to hypermile each time I drive. Hypermiling pays for itself and it doesn't make me decide whether I should give my arm or my leg at the gas station. Every time the car comes to a complete stop whether it is in "Neutral" or "Park", your car is getting 0 mpg. Idling is not good for the engines because the heat is not circulated properly, so it will build hot spots. Newer engines don't require to be warmed up, 10 seconds at most is good enough. The car will warm up faster if it is driven because the heat is circulated and not isolated. Here are some quick tips.

1. If you come to a red light, place the gear on neutral instead of Drive. The car uses more energy in the drive position and power is lost by having the car stopped.
2. If you are going to wait for more than 30 sec. turn off the car.
3. Do not wait to warm up the engine, fuel injected cars will warm faster if it is driven.
4. Go easy on the pedal.
5. Avoid braking. Using the brakes wastes fuel. Obviously you will have to brake at certain moments, many people use their brakes more than they have to.