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Archive for March 2011

Fuel Saving Tip: Slow Down Around brandon

Posted March 31, 2011 3:00 AM



There's not much we can do about the price of gas in brandon, florida, but we do quite a bit about how much we use as we're driving on our brandon streets.

Our driving habits can dramatically affect our fuel economy.

The first thing we can do is watch the 'go-pedal.' Hard acceleration just sucks the gas. Gently leave stop lights and plan lane changes so you don't need to floor it. That can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Go a little slower on the freeway. Once you're going more than 65 miles an hour (105 kilometers per hour), your fuel economy starts to drop dramatically. Leave early so you don't need to rush to be on time. And cruise control is your friend – steady speed uses less gas.

Plan errands ahead. Make fewer trips by combining errands.

Hey at current gas prices, a lead-foot might as well be a gold foot.

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686



Fuel Saving Tip: Tire Pressure Saves Fuel in brandon

Posted March 25, 2011 12:00 PM



Underinflated tires waste gas for lots of folks in the brandon area. Think how hard it is to walk in sand – you just have to work harder because of the resistance. When your tires don't have enough air in them, their rolling resistance is dramatically increased and it simply takes more gas to get from here to there.

Always check your tire pressure when you gas up at one of our local brandon service stations. If they're low – even just a little bit – bring them up to proper pressure. There's a sticker on the inside of your driver's door that gives the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure.

And don't rely on your tire pressure monitoring system to alert you to when you need more air. The TPMS system is set to warn you when pressure drops 20 percent below recommendations. That's severely underinflated and you needed more air a long time ago. And if you have a slow leak – get it fixed right away at autoclinic of brandon.

Get some air and save some gas.

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686



Fuel Saving Tip: brandon Tune Up

Posted March 17, 2011 12:00 PM



Have you ever gone to listen to an orchestra? The musicians take the stage early and tune their instruments. Each individual instrument must be in tune, but the critical thing is for the entire orchestra to be in tune with each other. That's why they tune up together.

Now this is no surprise; I'm going to relate the orchestra to your vehicle. Your engine has many component systems that each need to be working properly. And the components need to be working in sync, all timed up together in order for the engine to work efficiently.

We call this... (ta-da) a tune-up. When an orchestra's out of tune you get a bad concert. When your vehicle's out of tune you get bad performance and bad fuel economy.

So check your owner's manual for recommended tune-up intervals. Or ask your brandon service advisor at autoclinic of brandon what he thinks.

...Just be careful not to say you want to make beautiful music together – that kinda makes us uncomfortable.

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686



Get Where You're Going with Power Steering Service in brandon

Posted March 11, 2011 2:00 AM



Today we're going to talk about power steering service in brandon. If you took an informal poll around brandon you'd probably find that most vehicle owners have never heard of power steering service. That's not surprising. Even though power steering is standard on every vehicle, most people in brandon aren't aware that it needs periodic service.

If you're younger than a certain age, you've probably never driven a vehicle without power steering. To get an idea of the difference; if you've ever cut a board with a hand saw, you know it's a lot of work. Using a power saw is easy-peasy by comparison.

Without power steering, your arms have to do all the work to steer the wheels, and that's hard, especially around downtown brandon. That's why old cars had such big steering wheels: to get enough leverage to steer.

Most vehicles in brandon have a hydraulic power steering system. The serpentine belt from the engine powers a pump. The pump pressurizes the power steering fluid. This actuates a hydraulic cylinder that provides power to help steer.

Some vehicles in brandon use an electric pump to pressurize the fluid rather than a belt driven pump. We're also seeing vehicles with electric motors providing the power assist, not using power steering fluid at all. We'll see a lot more electric systems as more hybrids and electric vehicles hit the market.

At least for now, the vast majority of power steering systems use power steering fluid that needs to be serviced. The fluid needs to be changed for a couple of reasons. For one, it attracts moisture. Water has different hydraulic qualities than power steering fluid, and that makes a difference in steering performance. Water is also corrosive and can damage power steering components. The fluid also just gets dirty and needs to be changed. Removing the old fluid and flushing out the system gets rid of dirt and deposits. The clean, fresh fluid lubricates and provides better corrosion protection.

So ask your brandon service advisor at autoclinic of brandon or check your owner's manual to see when power steering service is recommended. It'll extend the life of your power steering components.

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686



Fuel Saving Tip: Gas Caps from Here to There

Posted March 3, 2011 2:00 AM



This fuel saving tip is so simple, no one will believe it. It has to do with your gas cap.

The first thing is to make sure it's screwed on tight. If it's loose, gas vapor will be constantly leaking out; wasted gas.

This could cause the Check Engine light to come on as well.

A worn gas cap can have the same effect. If you constantly smell gas when you walk by your tank, you might need a new gas cap.

So, twist your cap until it clicks three times – that means it's on tight. Have your brandon area service advisor at autoclinic of brandon inspect the cap to see if it needs to be replaced.

See, I told you it was simple.

Don't forget to call autoclinic of brandon at 813-654-8686 for an appointment to optimize your vehicle for better fuel economy. 

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686



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