Cars With Best Gas Mileage

By Dick Clay 

With the current state of our economy and the constant rising of gasoline prices, many individuals and businesses alike have decided to trade in or sell their current vehicles that consume a ridiculous amount of gas each day for more fuel efficient car models that will help them to save hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars annually on transportation costs.

Even with recent economic improvements, many car owners all over the country are still struggling to make ends meet when it comes to filling up at the tank. And with unemployment rates still being high in the U.S., it can be very difficult to look for a new or used vehicle with a good gas mileage rate even if you were able to sell your older car for a reasonable price and saved the money that you received from your sale to go on your new car purchase.

While it may be difficult, it is definitely not impossible to find a vehicle that will not break your budget when it comes to the purchase price or the price for regular fill-ups. These cars have great safety features and lots of flexibility on the interior, and still boast a low price tag. Here are the top five recommendations when it comes to the top vehicles for great gas mileage and lower sticker prices. These cars are also some of the top rated motor vehicles when it comes to safety features as well so you can be rest assured that you will be buying a safe car that is inexpensive to use.

The Toyota Prius

This may be the most expensive out of the five cars mentioned here, but when you compare the Toyota Prius to other cars that are cheap on gas, it is still considered to be an inexpensive choice. The Prius will cost you around $22,000 dollars however you may be able to find a used model or trade in at your local dealership for much less. No one can match the Prius as far as mpg goes for a car of its size, like I said it gets 51 mpg hwy and approx 30 mpg city. For those who are style conscious, this may be the best choice for you its sleek, eco-friendly and boasts low emissions.

The Hyundai Accent GS

This entry-level car manufactured by Hyundai can provide you with the outstanding performance that you would expect from this high quality brand by running on 35 miles per gallon on the highway and an impressive 33 mpg in the city. The price for the Hyundai Accent GS has gone up in recent years; you can no longer get the 3-door model. However with the great gas mileage that you can get out of this car, a starting price of around $13,000 is very affordable considering how much you will save in the long run.

The Chevrolet Aveo

The Aveo is less expensive than the Prius and Hyundai Accent, priced at around $12,500. This popular car by Chevrolet gets 35 mpg on the highway, which calculates to a full tank of gas allowing you to drive at least an impressive 420 miles on the highway before stopping to refuel.

The Toyota Yaris

The Toyota Yaris is another popular low mileage vehicle that has surfaced over the past few years. It is an exceptional buy at a reasonable price with some lease offers for the car being set at around $79 per month with approved credit. A new Yaris will run you around $12,000. The vehicle gets 36 mpg on the highway and up to 29 mpg in the city and is also a low emissions vehicle.

The Nissan Versa Sedan

The Nissan Versa is an excellent car that can provide you with 34 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city. The 1.6 model of the Nissan Versa Sedan costs around $9,999 with various upgrades available.
With the need for more fuel efficient vehicles continuing to rise, car manufacturers are now working harder than ever to provider motorists with an inexpensive option to their vehicle choice as well as when they fill up at the tank. This is a brand new era for many motor vehicle companies which open up new marketing opportunities as well since fuel efficient cars are also a better option for the environment.

Of course carpooling or choosing other forms of transportation such as riding a bike or public transit can also help you save money on rising gas prices, this option is not always available to everyone to who needs to get from home to work or other important locations. That is why more vehicles that offer better gas mileage rates need to be manufactured and sold at a more reasonable price so that we can all have a safer, cleaner and more affordable alternative when it comes to our everyday transportation needs.

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Essential Tips For Car Care

By Gagan Avi Modi

Buying a car is everyone dream. It is also essential to maintain car appropriately so as to ensure long life of the car. Regular usage causes wear and tear of the car. Car that is not maintained properly will show a reduction in the mileage. It is, therefore, essential that one needs to service the car and undertake regular maintenance for sustained performance. Here, are few essential tips that will help the car owners in maintaining the car.

If the car is used regularly, then it is vital that the car owner checks the oil filter and oil levels after every 3000 miles. Clogged oil filter will reduce the performance of the car. Reduced oil levels affect the engine performance. One can check the engine oil level by showing the car to a local mechanic. Car owners can also check the oil level at home by using a dip-stick. One must check the engine oil level and the color of the engine oil. Dark colored oil suggests a need for replacement.

One must also check the brake systems to ensure safety levels. Major accidents and road mishaps happen due to failure in brake systems. One must check the wiring systems and must replace any loose wires. Faulty braking system is one of the major reasons of road mishaps.

There are different kinds of fluids that are used in the car. One must check the coolant level, brake oil and other fluids at regular intervals. These fluids must be replenished regularly. One must always use the fluids recommended by the car manufacturer for best results. Inadequate fluid levels impact the car's performance. They also reduce the life of the automobile.

Battery is one of the most vital parts of any automobile. One must always ensure that the battery is in an up to date condition. One must beware of any signs of corrosion or loose wirings. Corroded battery will reduce the performance of the battery. Loose wirings will impact the voltage generation capabilities of the battery.

Last but not the least; one must check that there is an appropriate level of air pressure in the tires. Tires should be properly aligned to avoid road mishaps. One should make it a habit to check the air pressure in the tires, every time he or she is at the fuel station for refueling. One must always use the tires recommended by the car manufacturer to avoid any mishaps. When in doubt, it is best to check with a local mechanic.

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The Cheapest Way to Maintain Your Car's Suspension System

By Eric L. Yang 

The suspension system in a car is often considered to be one of the most critical systems in the car. This makes a lot of sense, as the suspension is predominantly involved in making sure that the car is stable and comfortable when driving. This means that if you have a car of any kind, it would be a good idea to try to make sure that the car's suspension is always in good shape. There are times when the system may develop problems that are hard to know of, especially if you spend most of your driving life on urban roads and do not drive fast.

The only way to make sure that such problems never exist is by making sure that you service your suspension according to the schedule set forth by the manufacturer. When you read your car's user manual, you will find that the manufacturer will always provide suggested intervals of service or replacement of such parts. If you cannot get hold of such information, you can simply contact the manufacturer and ask them to provide the information that you need. Most of them can be reached through email or by phone call, so this is something that should not present much of a problem to you.

In many cases, you will find that it costs a lot to do major suspension changes to your car. Fortunately, there are many ways round this. You could decide to buy the spare parts you need online instead of from a brick and mortar store. There are many online stores that usually stock such items, and most of them are usually very cheap for various reasons. The only thing you would need to do is make sure that you buy products that are of high quality. This can be done by always making sure that you only buy from high quality stores.

In addition to that, you can also replace the parts on your own. For instance, if you own a Dodge, you can go online and buy a Dodge service manual. You can then use this to figure out what kind of tools and spare parts you need, and then go about the process of repairing the suspension on your own. This way, you are going to save on the cost of labor, and you can also ensure that you do a thorough job. This is just one of the ways of making sure that your car's suspension is always in good condition.

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Using Service Manuals To Make It Easier To Fix Electrical Issues In Modern Cars

By Eric L. Yang 

These days, cars normally come with a huge array of electronic driver aids. For instance, most cars these days have equipment such as satellite navigation, electronic seats and in car entertainment facilities that make it very easy to connect devices such as iPods. These things all make it much easier to use the car from the perspectives of both the driver and the passengers. However, this is also a recipe for disaster, especially when it comes to the issue of maintenance. The fact that cars have many different electronic components in them means that there is much more that can go wrong. Of course, many car manufacturers place a premium on build quality, and therefore try to make sure that such systems are as fool proof as possible. However, there are many instances when such electronics can malfunction.

The problem with such a scenario is that with so many different components in one car, it can become very difficult for one to isolate the problem. For instance, water going into a fuse box in the engine could cause the GPS system to malfunction. If a mechanic is not keen enough, they could spend a lot of time trying to do things such as debugging the GPS software. This often costs quite a lot, and could take time since the measures that they take may not necessarily get rid of the problem. If you are in charge of running a garage and you get such problems, you will find that making sure that you isolate and fix the problems as fast as possible will enable you to get more customers.

Fortunately, such complexities can easily be surmounted. If you have the manual that provides information about the electronic components in a car, you will find that it is very easy for you to isolate problems that arise. This means that when you are in charge of running a garage, it is always a good idea to keep a database of such factory service manuals so that you can always refer to them when customers bring cars with strange electrical problems. You can easily download a factory service manual from the internet very easily. The easiest way of doing this is by finding a site that charges for such downloads. Since you would be paying for the service, you will find that such sites often keep very well organized databases, so it will be much easier to find what you are looking for.

 

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8 Tools That Every Car Owner Needs

By Luke Hirst 
Co-Author: Darren Hirst

Every car owner needs tools to carry out things such as maintenance, repairs and cleaning of their car. Every car owner should always have certain tools on them to ensure they're ready for anything that happens.

1. A jack and jack stands are always handy tools that every car owner should have. These are essential for when changing tyres at home or at road side as well as carrying out other repairs or changes to the car where you may have to raise it.


2. A spare tyre is always a good thing for a car owner to have, especially when travelling far as you never know when you might get a punctured tyre. Make sure that it's safe and legal with 1.6mm of tread depth across 75% of the tyre and has no cuts or bulges in the tyre wall. On your driving lessons you will notice that your instructor always carries a road worthy spare tyre with them in case of an emergency.


3. A pump always comes in handy as a car owner. There is normally one at your local petrol station however you may be better investing in one as it will last you a lifetime and save you having to pay to use it. You also have the advantage of always having one with you and not having to run to the garage to pump your tyres up.


4. If you're going to change a tyre you will need something to take the bolts off with won't you? A tyre iron will do this and it's a practical tool that every car owner should have in the boot of their car.


5. Another practical tool is a socket set which will help you when trying to get into those hard to reach places under your bonnet. A socket set is another must have tool for a car owner and it's advised that you always carry it around with you.


6. De-icer spray and a window scraper will be much appreciated by you on those icy mornings. With these tools you will no longer have to sit in your car on a morning and waste 10 minutes de-icing the window before you go to work.


7. To help when maintaining and repairing your car every car owner needs a good pair of vice grips. These are useful when it comes to holding things in place, like an extra pair of hands and they fit many car parts!


8. Finally every car owner should have a funnel as they prove very useful when topping up your engine fluids. On your driving lessons you might be shown by your instructor where all the engine fluids go to prepare you for your show me tell me questions, if you aren't but you would like them to run through it just ask them!

If you don't already have the 8 tools above for your car then go out and buy them as you will find them very useful throughout your driving life to carry out various tasks. Some of these tools are carried around in the car you take your driving lessons in.

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