GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — It's not officially winter yet, but Mother Nature doesn't seem to care here in West Michigan. GasBuddy says now is a good time to get your car in gear so you can save some extra cash this winter.
"A quick tune-up now can really save you an awful lot of money going forward into the winter months," said Matt McLain with GasBuddy.
So, what are the top four things you can do with your car to save money this winter season?
First, McLain suggests checking the PSI on your tires daily to make sure the cold isn't deflating them. Underinflated tires can lower your fuel efficiency by 3%.
Idling too long to warm up your car also wastes fuel. He suggests warming up your car for a maximum of 30 to 60 seconds, as cars actually warm up the most when driven.
McLain also suggests keeping your tank at least half full to prevent your tank from freezing or icing your fuel lines.
Finally, remove any accessories on your car that increase wind resistance, like roof racks.
While we don't love snowstorms this early in the season, McLain says sometimes they can actually lead to cheaper gas prices.
"You may see some folks who don't necessarily venture out into the cold, especially that first winter storm or two," McLain said. "So you see a little bit of a less on the local demand. And of course, the supply doesn't change a whole lot. So then you start seeing those wholesale prices at the gas stations pay slowly inch down regionally in an aspect as well those things."
The national average continues to fall as we head into the new year, now sitting at $2.90 as of Monday morning — a multi-year low for December according to GasBuddy.com.
The Grand Rapids area is seeing an average at just $2.78, reflecting the start of an uptick in prices during this price cycle.
Here's what we are paying county by county as of earlier this morning:
- Kent County: $2.69 per gallon
- Muskegon County: $2.65 per gallon
- Ottawa County: $2.60 per gallon
- Kalamazoo County: $2.85 per gallon
As for when to fill up, overall gas prices in the state have fallen nearly 10 cents in the last week, meaning we are at the bottom of this price cycle. Some stations have started raising prices, so fill up now if you can before most stations raise them by the end of the week.
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