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  • Fuel economy: Stop idling and start saving

    Posted Jun 09 2008, 09:13 AM by Donna Freedman
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    When I got to the bank last Friday, a pickup and a sedan were in the drive-through lane. I didn't pull in behind them because I'd read that one way to save gas is to avoid drive-throughs. Just for fun, I decided to figure out how long I would have waited.

    The owner of the pickup must have had some pretty complicated banking, because the vehicle sat there for six minutes -- and I don't know how long it had been there before I arrived. The sedan owner's transaction took four minutes. In other words, if I'd gotten in that line I would have spent 10 minutes idling plus whatever time my own deposit would have taken.   Read More...

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  • Why neighborhood mechanics rock

    Posted May 23 2008, 08:42 AM by Donna Freedman
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    Recently I used a coupon to get a $17.95 oil change and tire rotation at a local auto-repair chain. Along with the bill came -- surprise! -- a warning that more work was needed. They suggested a tune-up plus a flush of both the coolant and brake fluids because the former was "dirty" and the latter was "dark and dirty." Horrors.

    This may have sounded like a scam -- come in for cheap work, pay for additional work -- but I believed them. It's been a long time since those chores were done. I'm not sure how long. According to an MSN Money article, I should have been keeping a service log instead of (usually) tossing receipts into a folder. Oops.   Read More...

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  • Make every drop of gas work for you

    Posted May 07 2008, 10:59 AM by Donna Freedman
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    If only there were a magic pill that would give us 100 miles per gallon. Well, there isn't. "Frustrated Monk" uses a mix of strategies to get the most bang for the four bucks.

    He drives 60 mph even if the speed limit is higher. The reader says that doing this earns him an extra three or four miles per gallon in his three different vehicles. Monk also keeps the car tuned up, checks the tire inflation, uses cruise control (except in hilly areas) and has removed any the junk from the trunk.   Read More...

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  • Why I love public transit

    Posted Mar 17 2008, 07:36 AM by Donna Freedman
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    The price of a Seattle bus ride just went up a quarter, the first increase in seven years. The price of a gallon of gas changes almost daily, and it's rarely in our favor. I wasn't surprised to read that ridership of King County Metro went up 7% last year.

    I was part of that increase in "boardings," because a three-month Metro pass is just $44 for students. Since it currently costs $40 to fill my 2001 Chevy Cavalier, and about $14 a week to park on campus, I think $44 is a steal. Also, the less I drive the more I save on auto insurance.

    I won't give up my car, for work and family reasons. But I sure love leaving it at home.   Read More...

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