Improve Your American Pickup Truck's Mileage!

With gas prices steadily rising over the past 10 years and now spiking due to international issues, Americans are more often looking for ways to get better fuel mileage. Whether you drive a large SUV or a small sedan, your fuel costs have doubled in the past few years and for many that increase has made their budget even tighter.

The good news is that there are some simple ways everyone can boost their gas mileage. Although some of these tips on saving gas do include purchasing certain additives or replacing certain parts, most of them focus on changes that you can make in your driving style. For most people, whether it be a change in driving or the addition of a part or additive, any MPG improver is a welcome site.

Utilize these fuel mileage tips to get more mileage out of your vehicle and save money on your gas bill today!

1.  Cut Out All Idling For Better Mileage

It may seem like a no-brainer that cutting out any moment you average zero miles per gallon would help your overale mileage, but some just cannot grasp the idea. How often do you sit in line at a drive-through? Are you in traffic that often waits a minute or more at a stop light? Do you leave your vehicle running while you run inside a business or house? If so, do not be surprised by poor mileage.

By simply cutting out all idling, you can boost your overall mileage by more than 10 percent. A savings of 10 percent can add up quickly when gasoline is so costly. Obviously you would not want to cut your engine off every time you come to a stop, since restarting the engine can burn slightly more gasoline. However, any time you are stationary for more than a minute, you are giving up some easy savings.

2.  Optimize Your Vehicle Performance For Better Mileage

Anytime a vehicle is not running at top shape, it is highly likely that some of the energy the motor generates is wasted. By making some simple updates and keeping up with repairs, much of that energy can be saved, thereby saving gas and money.

One of the biggest gains you can make with vehicle upkeep is by replacing or cleaning your air filter on a timely basis. If you have a basic, stock air filter, be sure to replace it as recommended by the auto manufacturer. Any clogging of the filter can slow your air intake, which means you don't get the best mixture of gas and air in your combustion. That equals wasted gas and wasted money. If you want to get the most out of this area, get a K&N or another high performance filter that gets better airflow. You can also save money over time by cleaning these filters rather than buying new ones.

Other areas to save by good upkeep are to properly inflate your tires, regular oil changes, and timely replacements of spark plugs and plug wires. These changes may seem simple, especially if done by manufacturer specifications, but can add up to as much as another 10 percent of added mileage.

3.  Change Your Driving Habbits For Better Mileage

Are you an aggressive driver? Do you like to feel your car or truck push you back into your seat? If so, a change in your driving habits could make for a huge increase in fuel mileage.

A.  You need to change how you take off. If your car has a tachometer (shows your RPM) then find out how little you can use your accelerator when getting up to speed. Your 0-60 speed should be a memory of the past.

B.  Use a little brake as possible. Instead, find out just how far your car will coast when approaching turns or stop signs.

C.  Don't speed. Most automobiles are made to make their most efficient power at about 50 mph, not 65. Give yourself a few more minutes and take your time.

4.  Remove Extra Weight Or Drag For Better Mileage

Few people think about removing added weight as a mileage booster, but few things drain your fuel mileage as much as weight. Think about it! The heavier the vehicle is, its mileage suffers. Car makers often make up deficits for fuel mileage standards by lowering the overall weight of the vehicle.

What do you have in your vehicle that you can do without? Clutter in your trunk? Third row seats in your SUV? Some people will even remove their jack and spare tire and replace them with a can or two of "Fix-a-Flat". Take a look through your vehicle and remove everything unnecessary.

If you drive a pickup truck, you may want to reduce your drag and your weight by removing your tailgate. Try replacing it with a netted tailgate.

5.  Use Of Chemical Or Mechanical Mileage Boosters For Better Mileage

If you are looking to use fuel additives or special devices to boost your gas mileage, be sure to do your research. For every site that says a particular additive works there are three that deny it. I would definitely recommend that you not use any additive that is not from a well known company with some sort of guarantee.

You should, however, consider using additives such as injector cleaners that could boost the overall performance of the vehicle. Check with your local mechanic or a dealership to find out which additives they recommend.

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Things To Know When Buying Your Next American Pickup

Millions of Americans buy new and used pickup trucks every year.  Sadly, most of them do so with no idea what kind of people they are dealing with. Anyone who would go into a car dealership intent on buying a new or used car or truck, with no preparation whatsoever, might as well add 10-20% to what they would like to pay for a new or used truck.  With a little bit of time, preparation, and some great car buying tips, the bottom line price, and, if financing, the monthly payment can by greatly lowered.

For anyone who is looking to make a car purchase, below are some car buying tips that can help you make the best purchase for you and receive a deal that you can be proud of, and not have to hide. These car buying tips can change your car buying experience from a huge headache to a simple exercise in frugality.

First, you need to do your homework.  Before buying a home, or making an investment, almost all Americans do a good bit of research regarding the neighborhood, the construction, and even whether the house is in a flood zone. However, when most people begin looking for a vehicle, they may look at who has the lowest list prices, but their investigation goes no further. People in auto sales know this fact and take advantage of it every day. Do sales staff know these car buying tips are out there? Of course, but they assume you are too lazy to learn them.

To get the best buy when looking to purchase a new or used vehicle, you must do your homework! Read online car or truck reviews. You need to know the average sales price, the Blue Book value, the MSRP and any other figure you can find about the particular vehicle you are looking to buy. You should also know what the standard costs are for any added amenities to the vehicle above the standard package.

Next, you and whomever is with you should expect to walk away. If your underlying expectation when you walk into a dealership is "I want this car or that truck", you will be easily taken advantage of by the sales staff. If, however, you expect to walk away without a new or used vehicle, it will be harder for the sales staff to sweep you up in the new car dream. This is one of the hardest car buying tips to master. It is way to easy to get caught up in car buying, especially when you are so close to the American pickup truck of your dreams.

You should especially expect to walk away while discussing the price of the truck or car. If the salesperson thinks they have you hooked, they will twist the numbers easily and have you in well above what you can afford.

Third, you will want to have your financing prior to arriving at the car lot, whether through a local bank or whatever.  One of the favorite places for car salespeople to make money comes with setting up financing for their prospective buyers. When your sales staff tells you the financing they have for you, it is generally a few percent higher than what you could secure at your own bank or credit union. Yet they will tell you that is the best financing available for you and will usually give you some speech about your credit.

One of the ways they make extra money through the financing is that banks and financing companies will give the dealer more money if they can secure the financing at a higher interest rate. Another way is to prepare you for say a 9% rate, then when they "find you a better deal", they don't actually pass all the savings back to you. Instead, they assume that the buyer does not know how to calculate what the payment should be. This assumption is usually correct.

The best way to bypass this shell game is to have your own financing when you enter the dealer's door. Instead of worrying about interst rates and monthly payments, you can focus on the bottom line and gain some actual savings, which leads me to the last tip...

The easiest way for salespeople to slide in extra costs and to get more for a vehicle than is fair, is to get your attention placed squarely on your anticipated monthly payment. One of the first things they will ask you is "where do you need to get your monthly payment?" The next task they tackle is to make you feel like your target payment is naive and impossible. Once they have accomplished this, the sky is the limit...for them, not you.

Car salesmen do all of this with the underlying knowledge that 1. most new buyers will spend much more than they want to get what they want, and 2. most new buyers have no idea how to calculate a monthly payment. By negotiating the bottom line price only, you will see any extra costs that are slipped in and just how much the salesperson is willing to give on the listed price of the truck or car.

To help you in this process, if monthly payment is important to you, use an online truck payment calculator to figure where you need the bottom line to be to get the payment you want. For smartphone users, there are also car payment calculator apps for each smartphone platform. Pulling your IPhone out and telling the sales staff that they are not quite calculating the payment right will definitely knock them off their game. If nothing else, they will know that you are looking at everything and will probably not try to slip as much "fluff" into the price.

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Accessorize Your Truck!!

If you have or are about to purchase a pickup truck, whether it is a half ton truck, a heavy duty diesel, or a midsize truck, you will want to make some changes or "upgrades" to your truck to make it truly yours.  Although many trucks can come with most options when purchased new from a dealer, there are often some options or accessories that cannot be included.  This is especially true if you are buying a used truck from a dealer, let a lone private party.

Today you can accessorize a vehicle from the front bumper to the tailpipe and all points in between.  There are things to stick on your car, things to improve performance, and items to make it more comfortable.  Below are some of the best and smartest accessories that you need to consider for your truck.

Two of the most bought interior truck accessories are floor mat systems and seat covers. More likely than not, if your truck came stock, you have the basic carpet floor mats that get dirty easily without containing the dirt that you track. Aftermarket floor mat systems are great at covering every area that needs to be covered while fitting together to give complete protection to the floor of your truck.  One of the best companies to make floor mat systems for trucks and SUV's today is WeatherTech.  Their floor mat systems are made specifically for every make, model, and model year.

Seat covers can be a very smart option if you have a very dirty job, or just like to play in the mud. There are also some seat covers that are extra strong to protect against accidental cuts and tears due to hopping in the truck with tools or knives in your pockets. Most of these covers can be bought in any color or pattern. Camouflage and designs of favorite teams can even be found.  I am sure, though, that your wife would not appreciate you putting these in her Camry, Accord or whatever.

Probably the most flashy of all truck accessories, accessories for the outside of your light truck range from purely superficial to mostly functional.  A very common accessory for the any truck exterior is a custom bumper, such as a Ranch Hand bumper. These bumpers give needed protection to the front of the truck providing extra knockdown power for wildlife and or thick brush. They also provide an area for winches or other tools that may be needed off road or on the job.

Another great accessory for the truck exterior is side steps. These can come in the form of running boards, nerf bars, or a simple step. Although some truck makers are considering making this a built in accessory that lowers down from the door frame when your truck parks, it is something that most of our trucks need if we aren't fortunate enough for them to have come with steps.  If your truck is a bit higher than the average truck, or you just like the look, any of these can make an excellent addition to any truck. They also generally add to the overall resail value of the truck.

Some truck accessories that are often overlooked are the ones you generally don't think to buy until you either see them on another truck or are in need of them yourself. One of these is a hitch platform or hitch extender. These devices slide into your hitch receiver and stand out behind the truck. Some of them are made to extend the ability of your bed to help carry long items and others are actual platforms that can be used to carry items. The latter configuration is very handy for SUV's.

Another often overlooked accessory is a set of emergency tools. By this I mean a chain or pull strap, a set of tools, jumper cables, and a small medical kit. Most everyone with a truck has one or two of these items, but for some reason few people have all of them. If you prepare your truck with each of these items, very few situations will catch you by surprise.

Lastly, if you do a good bit of driving in your truck, you may think about buying a computer programer to change some aspects of your shifting, etc. These are not for the mechanical newcomer, so learn how they work before buying one. You can definitely use one to help with hauling and even get some help get better fuel mileage.

Also, some other accessories you may consider include light guards, bed covers, plastic trimming, organizers, center consoles, cargo nets, electronics, and steering wheel covers.  Go out and get the best accessories to make your truck perfect for you so that you can get every bit of enjoyment and utility out of it.

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