Belle Tire Blog

Not exactly, but these big names in the tire industry, along with a few others, played a significant role in the development of the tires we ride on today.

In 1844 Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber. This was later used ...

All car and truck owners want better gas mileage. Prices at the pump remain very high and there is little sign of relief for consumers.

Buying a more fuel efficient car isn’t the only solution. There are a variety of simple ways to improve a car’s gas mileage and get a more value from a single tank of gas.

Drive Carefully

High speeds and aggressive driving have a big impact on how quickly a car uses its fuel. Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking burns through gas. For every five miles per hour over 60, fuel consumption increases significantly. 

According to a study done by the federal government, the fuel benefit to driving slower is between 5 and 33 percent. Depending on the type of vehicle, driving with caution and not speeding can equal savings between 18 cents and $1.18 per gallon, based on the current national gas average of $3.60 per gallon (for regular gasoline.)

Limiting excess weight can also improve a vehicle’s fuel economy. Smaller cars are more adversely effected by this, but taking out golf clubs or camping equipment that aren’t being used is simple way to improve gas mileage by around 2% for every 100 pounds.

Don’t Get “Tired…”

Consumer Reports recently did a study on fuel economy and it found that tires should not be ignored when it comes to improving gas mileage.

Tires are responsible for up to 25 percent of fuel consumption. The key factors are what kind of tires a vehicle has and if they are properly inflated.

In the Consumer Reports study, they found their test vehicle lost nearly a mile and a half per gallon when the tires were underinflated by 10 psi. They also found that a tire's rolling resistance can make the different of up to two miles per gallon. The key for car owners is looking for tires with low rolling resistance. Tires that get high ratings in that category get the best gas mileage.
 
Simple Maintenance, Simply Solution

A well-maintained vehicle is generally a vehicle that gets the most miles per gallon. Keeping up with oil changes, cleaning the air filter, checking the engine and regularly scheduling tune-ups are cost effective ways to save on gas over the long run.

Car owners will see savings just by keeping up on oil changes. When oil gets older, it breaks down and disturbs the efficiency of a car’s engine. The engine can heat up and there is more friction between the moving parts. More energy and fueled used when the engine’s performance decreases.

Proactive steps like following a vehicle's maintenance schedule and changing gas-guzzling driving habits can be taken to improve fuel efficiency. Improved gas mileage is good for your car, your wallet and the environment.

What are some ways you try to improve your car's gas mileage?  

Are you sick of having to fill that slow leak in your tire? Would you like to get more mileage out of a tank of gas? You might want to consider Nitro-Nizing® your tires! Filling your tires with nitrogen rather ...

Driving in the rain can obviously be more dangerous, but if you take these proper precautions you can decrease your risk of incident. 

1. Check your tires to make sure they’re in good condition and are not in need of replacement and keep them properly inflated.
2. Replace your windshield wipers regularly, once a year or so.
3. Treat your windshield with a rain dispersant.
4. Turn on your headlights when driving in the rain.
5. Slow down to avoid hydroplaning.
6. Leave more space between you and other cars. Stopping distance increases on wet surfaces.

Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be driving safer rain or shine.

Car and truck owners don’t have to be mechanics to diagnose their vehicle’s problems. Troubleshooting car trouble symptoms can be quick and easy.

Using basic senses like sight, smell and hearing can help owners detect things like defective components, low fluid levels and engine trouble. These observations can help owners streamline repairs. Having a list of symptoms ready to give to professional ASE certified mechanics can also help them quickly verify the problem and fix it.

Here are some common examples of sounds, odors, sights and the related problems.

The Nose Knows – A strange odor is an easy indicator of a problem like a leak or a damaged piece of equipment. If a car owner smells something similar to burned toast that often means an electrical short.  A smell comparable to rotten eggs can come from a problem with emission control devices. Chemical smells can mean a flooded engine (if it smells like gasoline) or overheated brakes (burning resin).

Keep An Eye On It – Monitoring the space a vehicle is kept and regularly checking a car’s fluid levels are simple ways to troubleshoot. Stains and puddles on the floor of a garage or a driveway beyond normal condensation from a car or truck’s air conditioner, generally indicates there is a problem.

The color and consistency of the fluid (and where the stain is located) can reveal the car part that is having a problem.

• A reddish stain with thin consistency can indicate a power steering leak.
• A coolant leak will be yellow or green fluid that is slimy.
• Light brown stains with medium consistency can mean an oil leak.
• Light yellow can indicate brake fluid, which can become a dark muddy brown.
• Windshield washer fluid can be blue but winter washer fluids can be orange, pink or yellow.
• Gasoline can be amber, but there will be a distinctive odor.

Of course, don't forget to check the cars owner's manual for an accurate auto repair guides and automobile documentation when noting where the location of the stain was found.

Even if an owner can’t identify the fluid by color or location, writing the information down is an easy way to point professional mechanics in the right direction when it comes to repairs.

Making Sound Judgments – Car problems manifest in many ways and there are a wide variety of noises that can signal the need for maintenance. And sometimes a specific type of sound can potentially indicate a few different types of problems. 
But telling a professional mechanic the car is squealing versus clicking can be a help when they are trying to find out what is wrong with the vehicle.

A sharp squeal can indicate a problem like a worn belt in the power steering, fan or air conditioning. A clicking noise can mean low engine oil. A low-pitched rumble sound can mean a defective exhaust pipe.

One other way to help with troubleshooting is to head off problems before they arise is to visit a local tire store. Drivers who schedule regular maintenance checks, especially with vehicles that have higher mileage, can avoid having to deal with larger problems down the line. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines for recommendations about how best to maintain the car or truck.

What sights, smells and sounds have your cars made before that helped you know there was a problem?  

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