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PRESS & DAKOTAN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2013
PAGE 13
SPRING
Road trip tips for spring drivers Octane rating
Spring is a season of rebirth
for many people, who welcome the warm weather with
open arms, especially those
who just endured a harsh winter. Spending time outdoors
when the weather warms up
is a popular pastime for many
people each spring.
Road trips taken by college
kids or high schoolers hitting
the road for spring break or
professionals and parents
packing up the car for a weekend getaway have become
synonymous with spring. A
road trip is a great way to get
outdoors and make the most
of a warm day, but there are a
few tricks of the trade drivers
can employ to ensure their
road trips are as enjoyable as
possible.
* Give your car a good
wash. Drivers who live in
areas with heavy snowfall
should give their vehicles a
thorough cleaning before hitting the road for a spring road
trip. Salt and sand can build
up on a vehicle over the
course of a snowy winter, so a
power washing will help remove excess salt, sand or dirt
and help the car run more
smoothly.
* Get the vehicle a tune-up.
A tune-up, including an oil
change, should be part of your
pre-trip planning. Make sure
winter hasn't caused any damage to the vehicle's body and
ask your mechanic to perform
a thorough inspection of the
vehicle's suspension and
brakes. If any problems arise,
address them before embarking on your road trip.
* Subscribe to a roadside assistance program. Roadside assistance programs, whether it's
AAA or a program offered
through your insurance company, provide a measure of security to road-trippers. Many
roadside assistance programs
provide variety of emergency
assistance for members, including:
- towing service if your vehicle cannot start or operate
safely,
- battery service if your car's
battery needs a jump,
- flat tire service if you get a
flat tire and don't have a spare
or cannot change the tire
yourself,
- fuel delivery service if
your car runs out of gas, and
- lockout service if you lock
your keys in the car.
affects car costs
These services can act as a
safety net should an issue arise
when you're on the road and
far away from home or far
away from a service station.
Keep your membership card in
your wallet and store their
customer service number in
your cellular phone should
you accidentally lose your
membership card or lock it inside your car.
* Bring cash as well as credit
cards on the trip. When embarking on a road trip, don't
assume you will have ready
access to an ATM on your trip
or at your destination. This
means you may reach a point
when you have no cash on
hand. While it's a good idea to
A variety of factors come into
play when a person is deciding
which new or previously
owned vehicle to purchase.
While body type, model year
and make all are considered,
shoppers should also look into
what type of fuel the vehicle
needs.
Save money by fueling your car
Many drivers are aware of
with the right gasoline.
the different grades of gasoline
particular vehicle. If you are
available at the pump. Unleaded versions come in regular, looking to save money, it is important to consider just how
plus and premium varieties,
which coordinates to the octane much of your budget will be
devoted to fuel costs. A vehicle
of the gasoline. The octane ratthat requires premium gasoline
ing of gasoline tells a driver
how much the fuel can be com- instead of regular gasoline may
end up costing a few hundred
pressed before it spontaneously
ignites, rather than igniting nor- dollars more per year based on
the size of the fuel tank.
mally from a spark plug in the
It is important to note that
vehicle engine. Lower-octane
using a higher octane fuel in a
gasoline can withstand less
vehicle that is not rated for it
compression than higher-ocwill not increase performance -tane gasoline.
it only will end up costing you
Gas that ignites on its own
more. That's because the octane
rather than from a spark from
rating refers to how much enthe spark plug causes knocking
and pinging, which can damage ergy it takes to ignite the gasoline and at what point in the
the engine. Therefore it is imcompression cycle, not how
portant to use the right octane
much power the gasoline will
level of gasoline for a vehicle,
put out. Premium gas will not
based on the car's compression
improve gas mileage or give the
ratio for the engine. Car engines that are rated in a particu- vehicle more "oomph" if the
engine is not designed to aclar way will benefit from the
commodate a higher-octane
correct octane in gasoline.
fuel. In fact, engines that are
Higher-performance engines
not designed for high-octane
commonly found in race cars
gas may actually lose power beand sporty, luxury vehicles will
cause it burns so much slower
generally require a premium,
and the ignition timing is not
high-octane gasoline to run at
tuned for it.
their optimal performance.
It is always wise to consult
Most cars on the market are
with the owner's manual to debuilt to take regular 87-octane
termine the type of fuel that
gasoline.
will offer the best performance
A visit to the gas station
clearly indicates that higher-oc- in the car. Those shopping for a
new vehicle should pay attentane fuel costs more per gallon
tion to octane ratings and not
than the lowest octane. Over
assume that every car they test
time, filling up with premium
gas can be a significant factor in drive is best when running on
regular octane.
how much it costs to own a
bring some cash along on the
trip, bring a credit card or
cards as well should you find
yourself with no cash. A major
credit card, such as a Mastercard, American Express or
Visa, is likely to be accepted at
most filling stations.
* Invest in a road navigation
system. A road navigation system can be your best friend,
helping you find your way in
places with which you are unfamiliar. Road navigation systems can alert you to traffic
conditions while providing directions and alternate routes.
Some systems will even alert
you to nearby filling stations,
lodging or restaurants.
Get the best deal on auto insurance
Owning a motor vehicle is
not cheap. In addition to the
purchase price of the vehicle,
owners must also pay for
routine maintenance as well
as fuel. Insuring the vehicle
likely won't come cheap either, especially for those
drivers with less than perfect
driving histories.
But even drivers with poor
track records behind the
wheel can find ways to reduce the cost of insuring
their vehicles. The following
are a few ways to avoid overspending on auto insurance.
* Choose the right vehicle.
The vehicle you drive goes a
long way toward determining
the cost of your auto insur-
ance. According to
Insure.com, minivans had
long had a stranglehold atop
the list of the least expensive
vehicles to insure until the
model year 2013, when
crossovers and sport utility
vehicles took control of the
list. The 2013 Ford Edge SE
was the least expensive vehicle to insure at just over
$1,100 per year, while other
crossovers and SUVs from
manufacturers including
Jeep, Subaru and Kia each
cracked the top 10 as well.
Drivers hoping to save on
insurance costs might want
to avoid buying a MercedesBenz, as the top eight spots
on the most expensive 2013
vehicles to insure list were all
products of the German luxury auto manufacturer.
When choosing your next
vehicle, keep the make and
model of the vehicle in mind
if you're looking to minimize
the cost of your auto insurance.
* Fix your credit. Drivers
with average or below-average credit, regardless of their
driver history, are likely to
pay more for auto insurance
than those with above-average credit. That's because insurance agencies take credit
history into account when
determining their rates. A
suspect credit history or a
history of paying bills late
will be a red flag to prospective insurers. So before buying a new car, address any
issues on your credit report
so your insurance application
is as glowing as possible.
* Consolidate your coverage. Oftentimes, consolidating coverage is a great way to
lower your insurance costs.
Homeowners who consolidate their homeowners insurance with their auto
INSURANCE, Page 14
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1509 E Hwy 50 Yankton 605-665-3693
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Justra s
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(605) 665-3929
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605-665-9012
toll free 1-877-ferdigs (337-3447)
CHRIS & LIBBY FERDIG
220 East 3rd St., Yankton, SD 57078 (Former Expert Tire Building)
Fred Haar Company:
Freeman (605) 925-4241 Wagner (605) 384-4580 Yankton (605) 665-3762
Davison County Implement: Mitchell (605) 996-6633
