Fuel Economy

Most Redmond car owners are all talking gas mileage right now. Better gas mileage. Fewer emissions. Oregon folks want to save the environment and our pocketbooks.

And we Redmond drivers all know — or should know — that preventive maintenance will help maintain maximum gas mileage. But is there something more we can do? After all, some of us Redmond motorists can’t cut back on our driving, and others would like to do more to economize.

Weight is one major enemy of gas mileage. The more you lug around in your vehicle, the more fuel you have to burn to get from Redmond to Bend to Prineville. And that means buying more gas and producing more emissions.

Of course, your vehicle’s weight isn’t negotiable. And you can’t do much about the weight of your passengers. And this isn’t an article about diet and exercise.

But look around your car. Are you hauling a bunch of unnecessary weight around Redmond? Do you really need your golf clubs every time you leave your Redmond neighborhood? Store sports equipment in the garage. Load it when you need it and store it when you don’t. Who knows? The extra exercise just might reduce the other type of weight in your vehicle.

The same goes for anything else in your vehicle: make-up kits, music collections, extra electronics, spare clothing; whatever your particular extras may be. Pack it when you need it; store it when you don’t.

Clean out your vehicle. You’d be surprised how much weight you’re lugging around in plain old junk. Toss old papers, leftover food, and regular old dirt. Even if it’s not a lot of weight, you’ll feel better when you get into your car. A good cleaning is also part of good car care.

Now, don’t toss stuff you really do need. You do need that spare tire — the one in your trunk. And a kit of emergency essentials is not a bad idea. But just carry around the day-to-day essentials. You can pack a more extensive kit and store it in your garage, then toss it in the car when you go on a longer trip, but you don’t have to lug it around Redmond all the time.

After all, are you a driver? Or are you a junk chauffeur?