Before Your Leave

(ARA) – With the summer travel season upon us, people are looking for ways to have fun and get the most out of their trip, while staying within budget.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car and co-owner of the Kevin Harvick Inc. race teams, spends a lot of his time traveling from racetrack to racetrack. Throughout the years, he’s gained a lot of knowledge and experience in managing his travel budget.

“We are on the road at least 34 weeks out of the year, so keeping travel costs down is imperative to keeping a balanced budget, but it’s not always just about finding the lowest price,” said Harvick. “There are a lot of different things we do to get the most out of every dollar, from planning travel routes and fuel stops ahead of time, to performing regular maintenance on the haulers and using payment options that help save money.”

One example is the Shell Saver Card(SM), where drivers can save five cents per gallon on Shell fuel purchases through June 30 and two cents after that. Plus, the card links directly to a checking account so it doesn’t impact consumer credit scores.

Another thing to keep in mind when traveling is that using high-quality gasoline helps protect and clean critical engine parts, which helps drivers get the most out of every drop. Harvick also recommends using the Shell FuelStretch tips.

“Practicing the FuelStretch tips helps conserve fuel, save money and stay within budget without sacrificing quality,” said Harvick.

* Drive smoothly
Avoid heavy acceleration or braking. Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking can lower your gasoline mileage by 5 percent at lower speeds around town and by 33 percent at highway speeds.

* Keep your engine well-tuned and repair any problems immediately
If your car has failed an emissions test or is noticeably out of tune, repairing the problem could improve your gasoline mileage by 4 percent on average.

* Make sure tires are not over or under-inflated
Proper air pressure cuts down on fuel used while driving. Keeping tires at the correct pressure can improve gasoline mileage by more than 3 percent.

* Minimize vehicle drag
Keep your trunk and back seat clear of unnecessary items that only add weight. Removing excess weight can improve your gasoline mileage.

* Use the recommended grade of oil in your engine
Following your manufacturer’s motor oil recommendation can improve gasoline mileage by up to 2 percent.

* Choose a high-quality gasoline
Top automakers say that carbon deposits can build up on critical engine parts, which can decrease the power, performance and fuel efficiency of your vehicle and recommend using TOP Tier Detergent Gasolines. All Shell gasolines meet TOP Tier standards and stop gunky build-up on critical engine parts to help vehicles perform at their best.

* Use cruise control on major roads and in free-flowing traffic
Maintaining a constant speed can improve gasoline mileage.

* Avoid idling
When you idle, you get zero miles per gallon.

* Avoid higher speeds
Gasoline mileage usually decreases when driving at speeds over 60 miles per hour.

* Plan your outings to avoid separate trips
Combine your errands into one outing to avoid short separate trips.

* Use payment options that save money
Payment cards offer a simple way to pay for things quickly, but they can also save you money.

For more information on the FuelStretch tips and saving money with a Shell branded card, visit www.shell.com/us.

Courtesy of ARAcontent