TAMPA, Fla. — A local mechanic is offering tips to save fuel and help fight high gas prices.
The work never seems to stop at Greg Bailey Automotive.
“Oh, we’ve definitely got customers!” said Greg Bailey, the owner and shop's namesake.
Bailey, whose shop is in Tampa Heights, said his steady stream of clients shows that people are still driving, even though gas prices are making that tough for a lot of people lately.
According to AAA, the price of gas is decreasing in Florida. Tuesday morning, the state averaged $4.14 a gallon, which was about a dime below the national average.
However, filling up currently costs Floridians more than it did a month ago and especially a year ago, when regular unleaded gasoline averaged $2.90 a gallon statewide.
“Unbelievable. I saw the gas crisis in the seventies — ‘73. To me, that was worse. You couldn’t get gas, but now, the price is just disabling, almost," Bailey said.
Bailey, however, said there are several small, inexpensive steps drivers can take that could potentially save them gas and money in the long run.
“I would say you want to keep your car in good maintenance,” he said. “You know, I mean, if the engine light’s on, get it looked at because that’s going to be costing you fuel.”
He said other steps are even cheaper and quicker:
- Make sure your tires are inflated to the pressure recommended by your auto manufacturer
- Make sure you or your mechanic is replacing your car's dirty air filters when appropriate
- Get the right kind of oil during your next oil change
“As far as oil change, make sure you’ve got the proper weight of oil in the car. Change it regularly,” Bailey explained. “That always helps.”
Bailey said better driving habits also help. Less speeding and less sudden braking and accelerating could all increase your gas mileage.
“Take off from the lights a little slower,” he said. “Don’t floorboard it to get to the next red light.”
Additionally, if you’re storing a lot of heavy stuff in your trunk or truck-bed, Bailey said removing that extra weight could potentially save a little more gas.
Altogether, they’re small steps that he said could make a big difference.
“It’s not going to be hundreds of dollars, but you know, if you save $5 or $8 or $10, in today’s world, that’s another gallon!” he said with a laugh.
