ADVICE Do your patriotic duty: Drive slowly

Driving efficiently saves fuel, which means less of your money is going to those in the Middle East who fund terrorism.
By BOB SIKORSKY
NEW YORK TIMES
Since the horrific events of Sept. 11, many aspects of life have looked different. From airport security to the morning newspaper to the day's mail, life has changed and we have changed with it.
It's time that the way we drive changed as well. It's always made sense to drive more conservatively and save fuel, and since 1984 I've used this newspaper column to encourage drivers to do so. My column "Drive It Forever" is all about ways to extend the life of your car -- and, not coincidentally, most of the things I've suggested over the years also lend themselves to safe and fuel-efficient driving.
But after the Sept. 11 attacks -- attacks financed by Middle Eastern elements whose money ultimately derives from oil sales and, therefore, from the pockets of American drivers -- driving smart isn't merely the economically and environmentally sensible thing to do, it's the most substantial contribution many of us can make to our country and the struggle against terrorism.
For every drop of oil we don't have to import and for every gallon of gasoline we don't burn, some deep-pocketed backer of terrorism will feel his wallet grow a bit thinner. He may not give up terrorism, but he'll have that little bit less money to devote to it.
Need one more clincher? Oil that we don't use here will surely be needed wherever our troops, God bless them, find themselves in days to come. Think of it as your oil that you personally are sending to our troops. Don't waste it here, when there is no doubt that it will be needed there, all too soon.
The beauty of economical driving and maintenance is that we can all begin doing something meaningful the very next time we get into our vehicles. Here are 12 ideas to put you on the road to becoming a smart, environmentally conscious, money-saving and patriotic driver.
1. DRIVE LIKE 40.
City driving consumes more gasoline than highway driving, but city driving offers opportunities to squeeze maximum mileage from your vehicle. Most vehicles get top fuel economy somewhere in the 35-mph-to-45-mph range, and though you can't drive that slowly on the interstate, you can in the city. Whenever you can, keep your vehicle in this speed range and enjoy maximal fuel economy.
2. SLOW INTO STOPS.
A vehicle gets its best gas mileage when it is decelerating -- that is, foot off the gas, car in gear. Some vehicles can get as much as 100 mpg when decelerating! Take advantage of this super gas-saver whenever you can by decelerating into all mandatory stops, instead of speeding up to a stop sign or red light and then slamming on the brakes. Begin to decelerate as far away as practical, and savor the great mileage you'll get.
3. DON'T IDLE IDLY.
All you accomplish by "warming up" your engine with extensive idling is to waste fuel -- you get zero mpg while idling! After about 15 seconds of cold-engine idling, or a bit more if temperatures are below freezing, put the car in gear and get moving. Go slowly at first, then gradually increase to your desired speed. This method warms the engine faster and more efficiently than idling, and the sooner the engine warms, the better your overall fuel economy.
4. SLOW DOWN.
Keep highway speeds sensible. Remember that, for every five-mph increase in speed over 55 mph, most cars pay a mileage penalty of about 1.5 miles per gallon.
5. PUMP IT UP.
Keep tires inflated to the maximum pressure printed on the sidewall of the tire, usually between 30 pounds and 35 pounds per square inch. Soft tires are dangerous -- witness the Ford Explorer/Firestone tire debacle -- and they wear out sooner, not to mention costing you fuel. This is one of the easiest ways to increase fuel economy, and it's one I have advocated for many years.
6. WARM THINGS UP.
If you live in an area with cold winters, consider some type of engine/oil heater. By turning your cold starts into warm ones, they help eliminate one of the most aggressive fuel-consumption modes of engine operation, those few minutes immediately after a cold engine is started. During that period, some engines get as little as one -- you read that right, one! -- mile per gallon.
Installing an engine heater or oil heater will not only improve your gas mileage, but also shorten the period of highest engine wear. It will also reduce tailpipe pollutants, which also peak during this cold time.
7. DRIVE THE RIGHT CAR.
If yours is a two-car family, always use the car with the warmest engine for any short trip you need to make. Short trips are wear-intensive, gulp gas prodigiously and produce pollutants galore, but a warm car cuts the cost considerably. This is as simple as it could be -- all you have to do is do it!
8. LEAVE THE CAR AT HOME.
Not driving is the greatest fuel-saver of all. Public transportation, car or van pools, bicycles and walking are very, very smart alternatives. Start by giving up your vehicle for a single day a week -- it's easier than you think.
9. CHECK IT OUT.
On newer cars a malfunctioning EGR valve or O2 sensor -- that's an exhaust-gas-recirculation valve and an oxygen sensor, for those who don't like abbreviations -- can be a vicious gas robber. A sudden, dramatic loss of fuel economy can often be traced to one or the other. Make certain that yours are serviced and operating properly. vOn older and newer cars alike, the PCV valve -- positive-crankcase-ventilation valve -- must be clean and working. A stuck or clogged PCV will reduce fuel economy, sometimes significantly.
10. PICK THE RIGHT OIL.
An energy-conserving SAE 5W-30 motor oil will bring you a fuel-economy increase of 2.7 percent or greater compared to non-energy-conserving oils. Thinner-viscosity oils mean more miles per gallon.
11. TUNE IN AND TUNE UP.
The average car's gas mileage could be increased by 6 percent with a minor tuneup. A neglected car could realize an improvement of 20 percent or more. Although newer cars rarely require tuneups, they still should be serviced according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Trying to stretch the period between tuneups is false economy.
12. WATCH YOUR WEIGHT.
A vehicle in the 5,000-pound class gets approximately half the gas mileage of a vehicle of 2,500 pounds. For every 100 pounds you can remove from your vehicle, gas mileage should increase by 1 percent to 4 percent, depending on the size of your car and its engine. Imagine what it costs to haul around a camper weighing 500 pounds or more that is used only occasionally!
XBob Sikorsky, an automotive consultant, is the best-selling author of "How to Get More Miles Per Gallon" and "Drive It Forever," now in its 15th edition. Since 1984 he has written a weekly column on car maintenance, "Drive It Forever." He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.