The economy continues to struggle and gas prices remain high. The cost to fill up the gas tank in an average car is over $60. If that is breaking your budget, there are two things you can do about it. You can try to improve the gas mileage in your car or you can replace it with a more fuel efficient one.
To improve the gas mileage in your car, make sure your tires are properly inflated. Under inflated tires will waste as much as 2 miles per gallon. Also, put in new spark plugs in every 30,000 miles and replace your air filter regularly. A tune up will also help. The smoother your car runs, the better its gas mileage will be. You should remove anything from your car you do not really need. The more weight there is in your car, the more gas it will use. Also, remove your roof rack when you are not using it and if you have a pickup truck put a bed cover on. These changes will reduce drag and give you 2 or 3 more mpg.
Of course, the ultimate gas saver is to slow down. The faster you drive the more gas your car will use. If you drive the speed limit, accelerate gradually and avoid sudden stops you can save 3 mpg or more. If you do buy a fuel efficient car, you have to figure out what to do with your gas guzzler. The car dealership will probably not want it as a trade in because there is no demand for them. For the same reason, it will be difficult to sell it privately. You can sell it for parts at a junk yard for a couple hundred dollars, or you can donate your car to charity. When you donate car, you get a tax deduction of the amount the charity sells your car for or $500, whichever is more. You only need to itemize on your federal tax return to claim your tax deduction.
Cars4Charities will gladly take your gas guzzler for donation. You car will be picked up for free too! You just need to provide them with a valid title for your car. And, Cars4Charities has hundreds of charities that can be helped by your car donation. For details, please go to http://www.cars4charities.org/ or call 866.448.3487.
