Our goal at Central Avenue Automotive is to make sure your car stays running safely and at the best fuel mileage you can get.  Here are some tips that will help to insure you stay on top on things:

Fill up with a lower-octane gasoline.  Buy the lowest grade or octane of gasoline that is appropriate for your car.  Unless your car requires premium gasoline, filling up your car with high-octane fuel is a waste of money.  Pricey premium fuel won't boost your car's fuel economy or performance in the least, so skip it.

If you're not sure what grade of fuel works best for your car, open up your owner's manual and take a look. As long as your engine doesn't knock or ping when you fuel up with regular unleaded, you're good to drive on this much cheaper gas.  Passing on pricey premium gasoline could save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Don't top off.  Don't bother topping off when filling your car's gas tank.  Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out.  Why waste your money paying for gas your car won't use?  Stop pumping at the first indication that your tank is full, when the automatic nozzle clicks off.

Tighten up that gas cap.  Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year, according to the Car Care Council.  So be sure to tighten up that gas cap each time you fill up your car.

Check your tire pressure once a month.  Buy a digital gauge and keep it in your glove box.  Compare the pressure in your tires with the recommended pressure listed in your owner's manual or on the placard on the inside of your car door.  Then inflate your tires as needed.  Be sure to check the tire pressure when your tires are cold.  A good time is early in the morning, after your car's been idle overnight.

Keep your engine in tune.  Fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can boost gas mileage by about four percent.  So, be sure to give your car regular tune-ups. You'll also want to watch out for worn spark plugs.  A misfiring spark plug can reduce a car's fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.

Replace air filters.  Keep a close eye on your engine's air filter.  When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust, and bugs it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient.  Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent and save you 15 cents a gallon.  It's a good idea to have your engine air filter checked at each oil change.  The Car Care Council recommends changing your car's air and oil filters every three months or 3,000 miles, or as specified in your owner's manual.