There are a few things you can count on as a driver this summer.
Oil prices are going to go up as the mercury rises, and even cars that don't have (or drivers that don't use) air conditioning will be doling out more green than usual to drive the same distances.
Take a few minutes and get your auto insurance quotes online, then use the time and money you save to fight the gas price hikes until the end of this sweltering season.
Keep your car cool.
In your home, as long as your pets are okay with it, even letting your house get just 3 degrees hotter while you're out can save you big over the course of a long summer.
Did you know that the same is NOT true for your car? It can take your car's AC a really long time to cool down a super hot car, which can waste a lot of gas.
Check the insulation on your doors and windows- replace any holes that you find.
Mind the thermostat- Once you are comfortable, turn down the AC.
Many people forget, blast the AC too cool the car down, and leave it on until they start to feel a chill.
You've just wasted money! For your wallet's sake, either be patient and don't blast the AC to begin with or be aware and turn it down as soon as you can bear to do so! Keep things dark- Light equals heat! People use everything from white towels to designer sun shades to reflective "space blankets" to block light from getting into vehicles and heating seats.
It will save you time and money cooling your car to block as much light as possible, especially if you have a dark interior.
Many people block the front windows and cover the steering wheel, but you can keep your car much cooler by taking a few extra minutes to cover each window with as light a material as possible.
This is all a moot point for you if you forget to close the shade on your sunroof! The window cracking debate- some people say that leaving your windows cracked while you park will keep a car from getting too hot.
Unless there's a huge breeze blowing, this usually isn't the case, and leaving the windows open, even a little, will usually violate one or more of the security provisions of your auto insurance policy.
Also, bugs love to hide in cars.
What's the point in saving time and money keeping your car nice and cool if you can't get into it because of the wasps and/or spiders in your seat? You CAN drive 55- end aggressive driving! Some sources say that you can save more than 30% by driving gently and calmly.
Why accelerate to a red light? Why speed? Easy does it, and enjoy the savings.
Really, that extra little push on the pedal is costing you big- won't you get where you're going faster if you don't have to stop at the gas station as often? Also, less aggressive driving tends to mean less tickets, which will help when getting your insurance quotes.
Avoid idling- again, debates have raged over whether idling or restarting a car uses more gas.
Vehicles vary, but idling for more than two minutes will cost you.
This definitely includes the wait with the AC running to try to cool your car.
A lot of these tips kind of sound like common sense, but it can be hard to remember to take the time to consider all of this when you feel like you're walking around in an oven.
Relax, get your auto insurance quotes online, then use the time you saved to get window covers and think about car cooling measures.
When you're driving past the gas station (because you don't need to stop as often) in your nice, cool car, you'll have that peace of mind needed to enjoy the rest of your day...
and maybe consider moving to a cooler climate.