Fuel Consumption and your Car tires...

When was  the last time you checked your tire pressure YOURSELF? This is another often-overlooked item, and one that should always be on the list. Your tires are everything when it comes to your vehicle, and gas mileage is no exception. The rolling resistance of your vehicle has a direct effect on your fuel economy. The type of tire you use has a direct effect on fuel economy. Some tires are better than others; some have less rolling resistance. You might spend more for better tires, but in the end, you will likely come out on top based on your fuel savings alone.

As for what you should set the pressure at, check your owner’s manual or the tire sticker that should be located somewhere on your vehicle. There are a lot of places they put these things. Mostly I see them around the inside of the driver's door, or sometimes on a sticker in the glove box. Occasionally I find them under the hood. The important thing is to find it and set your tires to that spec.

If your tire pressures are low, your vehicle will have to work harder to get itself down the road. The harder your vehicle works, the more fuel it will use. It really is that simple.
Many people make the mistake that the pressure indicated on the outside of the tire is where you want to set the pressure. This could not be further from the truth. That listing is the MAXIMUM tire pressure for that tire, NOT what you should set your tire pressures at. I also often see that people want to inflate their tires till they look round, with no bulge at the bottom. In Nigeria, there's this common saying by vulcanizers "the one wey dem write for the car body na oyinbo own, here na 40" that is 40 psi. Funny enough most of these guys have faulty tools while others are plain mischievous because the want you to cough out some money so they tell you that its is under inflated so they can pump your tires. A lot of times when I ask that they pump it 35 psi, on checking with my own tool, I realize its about 53 psi. Once again, this is wrong. That bulge at the bottom of the tire is important. It’s called the “foot” or “contact patch.” The name implies its purpose, and it is an important one. After all, you wouldn’t walk very well without your feet, or even feet that didn’t have the proper shape. Over-inflated tires have the same effect. Plus, over-inflated tires can be dangerous. Sure, you’ll get great fuel economy with over-inflated tires, but the safety risk just isn’t worth it. Vehicles with over-inflated tires are unstable and difficult to control. So please, don’t go by appearances when it comes to inflating your tires. Inflate them to the proper pressure and move on.  

I recommend that every car owner should have a Digital tire pressure gauge. It doesn't cost much and would save you a lot. Contact us for availability