While the average price of gas in Georgia has gone down in recent weeks and is lower than most of the rest of the country, the statewide average of $3.70 per gallon is still more than a dollar higher than this time a year ago.
That means there can be a lot of money to be saved by making sure your vehicle's fuel efficiency is as high as possible. Host of WDUN's "Bud's Garage" Bud Hughes said doing the little things in regards to driving habits and vehicle maintenance can add up to saving drivers trips to the pump.
"You can be talking six to seven miles to the gallon depending on your vehicle," Hughes said. "You can save a lot of money."
He said making sure tire pressure and alignment are good can be the most important thing to keep good milage on a car or truck and that can be done with routine vehicle maintenance during an oil change. He also said you should keep your windows and convertible tops up to reduce wind resistence.
"Now, cars are designed aerodynamically to meet the fuel economy numbers the government is looking for. As soon as you open those windows, you're sucking the air in there," Hughes said.
Huhges said driving conservatively and avoiding idling for long periods of times are other ways to save gas. One thing he advised against, however, is waiting until the fuel light comes on to fill up. He said that can cause damage to your vehicle over time.
"It's hard on the fuel pump. All of our vehicles now, for the most part, are fuel injected. That pump has to be submerged in liquid to keep it cool," Hughes said. "Any trash that's in your fuel tank is in the bottom of the fuel tank and you risk getting trash into your fuel system, you get it into your fuel injectors, your engine is running less efficiently and it just compounds."
To hear more from WDUN's Bud Hughes on improving gas milage, click play on the video above.
