| Robert Sikorskys little book Drive It Forever | | | | your car out periodically for a good drive on the |
| offers invaluable tips to keep your car going the | | | | highway now and again, and thats good advice. |
| extra mile. His stellar advice could save you a | | | | This allows your engine to get fully warmed up |
| years worth of car payments or more! | | | | and helps get rid of some deposits built up by |
| The smoother you drive, the longer your car will | | | | short trips. |
| run. Stopping and starting, fast lane changes, | | | | If it is below freezing, try not to take your car |
| scratching off all lead to shorter life for your car. | | | | out on short trips of less than five miles. Sikorsky |
| Naturally, you can not drive at all without stopping | | | | says this is one of the worst possible conditions |
| and starting. But your goal is to keep moving | | | | for your car. |
| smoothly any time that you can. Does it look like | | | | Do not cruise around a parking lot forever, trying |
| a stoplight is about to turn green? Then slow | | | | to find a spot. Go ahead and park further away |
| down and if possible, gently keep moving until the | | | | and get in a little exercise. |
| light changes. | | | | Avoid accelerating suddenly unless there is an |
| Less engine idle means less engine wear, says | | | | emergency situation. Putting the pedal to the |
| Sikorsky. If you have to idle longer than 30 | | | | metal may get you someplace today, but |
| seconds, you may as well turn the engine off and | | | | tomorrow you may end up hitching a ride from a |
| start it when you are ready to roll. So turn off | | | | neighbor. |
| the car if you are waiting in parking lots, waiting | | | | If possible, do not park your car headed uphill. |
| on others to ready themselves for travel, if you | | | | When you are ready to start it later, the engine |
| have to go back in the house for something, etc. | | | | will have to use extra power to pull itself. It is |
| And never rev up the car while it is not moving. | | | | better to park headed downhill than uphill. |
| If you are driving in bumper to bumper barely | | | | Driving on dusty roads cuts your gas mileage |
| moving traffic, it is wise to turn your air | | | | considerably as well as adds to engine wear. |
| conditioner off. This saves a lot of wear on your | | | | I have found Drive It Forever a valuable read! It |
| car. The engine has to work overtime if the air is | | | | is personal, and easy to read, even if you are |
| on and you are stopping and starting frequently. | | | | mechanically challenged. |
| You have probably heard that it is good to take | | | | |