ALT-1 Gas Mileage and Tires
Tires have more affect on fuel consumption than most people would think. In fact most people don't think ! Hey don't hang up. I am saying that most people do not think about their tires at all, let alone what they might do to the cost of running their car.I have three daughters, all grown and flown but still regular visitors, except the one in New York.That's because I live in Sydney Australia, a long way from the USA but in exactly the same position when it comes to tires,they still wear out and they still cost money in ways that can be hard to see. As the girls learned to drive I insisted that they learn about the running of a car, along with the driving of the car. You can imagine how popular that made me with each of them and their mother as wellat the time.We spent time on all the basics of essential car maintenance just to ensure their safety as far as possible. I may have had some well disguised good fortune along the way with the girls all being what their mother called self assured and independent types. I was able to maintain their interest when they realized that to be uninformed is to be a the mercy of the dreaded male 'Know it all'. The strategy was successful to the point that the second girl did the trade and became an auto parts interpretor on her way to her teaching and psychology degrees.Anyway, back to tires. If you inspect your tires regularly for any signs of damage or uneven wear and point it out to your friendly mechanic (or father)you will not only be saving money on fuel costs, you will be much less likely to be in need of rescue on a dark lonely road in the rain. That is when poorly maintained tires get their revenge. As young tires they learn to be trouble free and charming on suburban streets when there are people everywhere and the sun shines brightly. Even though they are costing you money if they are low on air pressure or out of balance. They are taught that if they are ignored long enough then it is their right to wait for the worst possible moment to end their own miserable lives, often taking the guilty party with them. The smallest cost in that case is having to replace a tire prematurely, not a cheap exercise at best.The technical experts have all the deep and involved explanations but it boils down to this. The right tire on the right wheel at the right pressure in good condition will return the best fuel performance possible. Over time the savings will not be seen but they are substantial and they are there, however it is better to ignore the savings than to ignore your tires. Yes Dad.!
