BALTIMORE — The high price of gas isn’t stopping many people from making plans to hit the road Memorial Day weekend. However, mechanics have a few tips on how to save
After all, gas prices are still high, and the last thing any one wants to do is waste their gas.
Memorial Day is a little more than three weeks away and according to the website The Vacationer, in a survey of more than a thousand adults nationwide, about 60 percent said they have travel plans for the holiday weekend.
More than 50% said they will travel by car.
About 54% said high gas prices are affecting their holiday travel plans.
About 40% said prices are a concern because they want to drive, while about 13% said it’s affecting them because they want to fly but high gas prices also are increasing airfare.
Despite high gas prices, nearly 57% say they will take some sort of road trip over the Memorial Day weekend.
With so many still planning to fill up their gas tank and drive during the holiday weekend, mechanics have a few tips to help lower your own gas prices.
First, pop the hood and see what kind of motor oil your car will take.
Synthetic oil can help your car's engine run better and make it longer lasting.
The Department of Energy advises drivers can save from 4 to 7 cents a gallon by using the right motor oil.
Second, drivers will want to keep a steady foot on the gas.
Third-generation owner of Hi-Tech Car Care Jim Garnand said "really what you want to do is get up to speed as rapidly as you can then hold it. So, when you're stepping on that gas pedal pretend like you're stepping on a raw egg. You want to step on it hard, but you don't want to break the egg."
Third, once out on the road, drivers should get up to speed as rapidly as possible, then hold that speed. Drivers also should give themselves some pad and some space between the cars in front of them so they’re not always breaking and re-accelerating.
Drivers also will want to check for any excess junk in the trunk. Getting rid of any unnecessary extra weight in the car can help drivers get better gas mileage, which saves money.
