[Nfbf-l] Fw: Thrifty Tips - Does you car get zero miles per gallon?

[Sherri]

Thought I would pass this along for those of you who have cars in your 
lives.

Sherri
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thrifty Tips" <ezine at gophercentral.com>
To: <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 2:23 PM
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP:


Greetings Thrifty Friends, Good Morning

Would you drive a car that gets zero miles to the gallon?
Of course not. Yet that is your mileage whenever your
engine idles. Idling wastes money and fuel, contributes
to air pollution.

* Unfortunately, many people believe that idling is necessary
or even beneficial--a false perception that has carried over
from the 1970s and 1980s, when engines needed time to warm up.

* Fuel-injection vehicles, which have been the norm since the
mid-1980s, can be restarted frequently without engine damage
and need no more than 30 seconds to warm up even on winter
days.

* In fact, idling longer than that could actually damage your
engine in the long term. Because an idling engine is not op-
erating at its peak temperature, the fuel does not completely
combust, leaving residues in the engine that can contaminate
engine oil and make spark plugs dirty. Excessive idling also
allows water to condense in the vehicle's exhaust, contributing
to corrosion of the exhaust system.

* When starting your car, idle for no more than 60 seconds.
BONUS TIP:

* Except when sitting in traffic, turn your engine off if you
must wait in your car for more than 30 or 40 seconds. You can
still operate the radio and windows without the engine running.


Sherri