Back to all

Gas Savings in Grove City: Sharpen Your Pencil

November 30, 2016

High gas prices in Grove City increase the cost of living for Ohio drivers. You've probably budgeted a certain amount for vehicle related expenses. Increased fuel costs now consume a larger portion of our incomes, causing some Grove City vehicle owners to skimp in other areas – like scheduled maintenance.

According to Ohio news reports and automotive industry studies, this is becoming increasingly more common. In fact, nine out of ten personal vehicles on the road have at least one maintenance or repair item that hasn't been done. Some of these items pose serious safety risks. Others are just more likely to make it more expensive to drive.

In this area, we can take a lesson from professional Grove City vehicle owners. I'm talking about fleet owners and operators. You know, Grove City folks like the trucking companies and delivery services. Because their livelihood depends on it, they have gotten scheduled maintenance down to a science. And the last thing they skimp on is regular maintenance.

Why is that? Well, for one thing they know that routine maintenance prevents expensive repairs and costly breakdowns. They also know that a well-maintained vehicle uses less fuel. For them, even a small decrease in fuel efficiency may put their Grove City business in the red.

So what does this mean to Grove City drivers? Well, there's a 90 percent chance that you're missing some service that would improve your fuel economy. Here's a quick reminder list:

Fuel system cleaning, transmission service, differential service, engine air filter, wheel alignment, oil change, tune up.
Ring any bells? Can most Grove City vehicle owners honestly say that there isn't at least one thing on the list that hasn't been done?

Let's suppose you chose to spend $150 and get caught up on some of these services at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City. Figure that they combine to improve your fuel efficiency by 15 percent. What would that mean to your pocketbook?

Well, the average personal vehicle in Grove City is driven about 12,000 a year. If you get 20 miles per gallon in your vehicle, over the course of one year you would pay for the $150 worth of service and save an additional $165 dollars if gas is at t$3.50. If gas is $4.50, you would save $255. And you'd rack up savings of $345 dollars with gas at $5.50.

GAS PRICE
$3.50
$4.50
$5.50

20 MPG
$165
$255
$345

From this you can see that the more fuel costs, the more it pays to keep up on scheduled maintenance. Some of us drive trucks in Grove City for work or recreation – or want a large SUV for family needs. A 15 percent improvement in fuel economy can generate huge savings – $650 a year if gas is $4.50 a gallon in Grove City. Take a look at this table to see where your savings could lie.

 

GAS PRICE

A) $3.50, B) $4.50, C) $5.50

10 MPG: A) $480, B) $660, C) $840

20 MPG: A) $165, B) $255, C) $345

30 MPG: A) $60, B) $120, C) $180

 

So catch up on those services you've been neglecting at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City. Get a couple done now and a couple next time. Chances are you'll save a lot of money at Grove City gas pumps this year – and a lot more on repairs in years to come.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City
2131 Stringtown Road
Grove City, Ohio 43123
614-871-4020
http://www.tuffygrovecity.com

 

More articles from Tuffy Grove City

A Bumpy Ride (Strut Assembly Replacement)

January 26, 2025

If youve noticed your vehicles ride has lately been bumpy or youre hearing strange noises when you drive over bumps, you may need new struts. The strut assembly is part of your vehicles suspension system thats used to absorb the irregularities on the surfaces you drive on. You have probably hea... More

Plugging Away (Spark Plug Replacement)

January 19, 2025

If you drive a vehicle with a gasoline engine, thank the spark plugs for igniting the gasoline/air mixture in each cylinder that keeps your vehicle traveling smoothly down the road every day. Your spark plugs work hard, firing thousands of times in a well-choreographed order, and you usually don... More

I Want a New Vehicle. Or Do I? (Vehicle Maintenance Payoffs)

January 12, 2025

Spring is a peak season for vehicle sales; companies aggressively market new models and offer all sorts of incentives. So you may be tempted to buy a shiny new beauty. But should you? If you've regularly maintained the vehicle you're driving now, you probably don't NEED a new one. Even if your... More