METAIRIE, La. (WGNO) — With gas prices on the rise, drivers are trying to figure out how to squeeze every mile out of a gallon of gas.
Greg Roberts has owned G Automotive in Metairie for more than thirty years.
Roberts says this isn’t the first time he’s seen gas prices climb.
“Generally, what we’ve done [in the past] is educate our customers on their vehicles, [like] air filters, servicing those, air pressure in their tires,” said Roberts.
The business owner recommends using mid-grade or premium gas because you get better mileage.
“I know a lot of people like using the regular gas because of the price of regular gas, but it doesn’t burn as clean, and it doesn’t burn as long,” explained Roberts.
The auto repair shop owner is also debunking a couple of myths.
“[Vehicle manufacturers] pretty much got that down to a science where you don’t really affect the gas mileage anymore by running your air conditioner,” said Roberts.
According to the expert, it doesn’t matter how much stuff you pack into your trunk.
“Put it this way, I don’t know if that’s going to make too much of a difference because the car only weighs so much anyway, but I would say even accelerating, the way you accelerate, using your cruise control on the interstate, things of that sort, where you don’t have to use the throttle as much will also definitely help in gas mileage,” said the business owner.
Roberts says general maintenance of your vehicle improves its gas mileage.
He also sees prices going down eventually.
“Well, I think that life is a roller coaster, and regardless of it’s gas or prices, whether it might be, it all goes up and down and up and down, and you just have to go along with the wave,” said Roberts.
Another helpful tip is AAA’s online gas cost calculator.
You plug in your starting location and destination, followed by your vehicle’s information, and AAA will tell you how much your trip will cost.