Car buyers are more concerned with fuel efficiency than ever, but for thrifty consumers, sticker prices on used cars are sometimes too high to consider. Even though there are some great financing deals out there, people are cautious about adding the payments to their monthly balance sheet. That drives many people to look for fuel efficient used cars, and it leads to some tough decisions. Newer models are generally more fuel efficient for their weight and power, so a buyer needs to strike a balance between features and fuel. Used car buyers should take heart, however: Buying used is an environmentally friendly choice, since it saves the energy that would be used to produce a new vehicle.
The staff at Del Mastro Motors has years of experience catering to people buying preowned cars in Peterborough and as a result, know how to steer clients to fuel efficient used cars. Here are four tips from Del Mastro on how to pick a used car that saves you money at the pumps.
Get the Car You Need: One of the biggest mistakes people make when they’re trying to be thrifty is buying a car that doesn’t really fit their needs. “We do business in Peterborough the Kawarthas, where icy country roads are a fact of life,” says Mike Del Mastro. “Every once and a while you get somebody who wants to save by buying a compact car with a small engine, but the fact is that any fuel they save from the vehicle they’ll lose whenever they get stuck in snow or can’t manage the traction to take a rough road.” He recommends taking a hard look at the road conditions you’ll face all year round and turning them into minimum requirements for the type of vehicle you’re willing to walk away with.
Choose Manual if You Can: If you can drive a car with a manual transmission properly, choose one that has a tachometer or shift indicator. According to Natural Resources Canada, driving standard with these features can save five to ten percent over automatic. If you need an automatic transmission, the more speeds, the better. A five speed saves three percent over a four speed, and a four speed saves about five percent over a three speed.
Save Weight – Lose Features: Weight and engine characteristics are the twin pillars of fuel efficiency. Engine efficiency is largely indicated by the vehicle’s listed liters per 100 kilometers (or miles per gallon). Posted tests usually apply just to the base model; weight-adding features will reduce the listed range. For example, power windows and seats add a surprising amount of weight. Pick the lightest car you can, but not at the expense of safety.
Two Wheel Drive: Unless road conditions or the vehicle’s intended use demand four wheel or all-wheel drive, a two wheel drive car should be your first choice for fuel efficiency. These days there’s not much difference in fuel consumption between front and rear wheel drive, but in older models front wheel drive is generally more efficient – and safer, too.
Del Mastro Motors is one of the leading auto dealerships in Central Ontario. Serving all the Kawarthas, Del Mastro is a
Peterborough used car dealer as well as a
Peterborough’s Suzuki dealership.
