Don't race or gun your engine when you start it up. Accelerate slowly and smoothly when your engine is cold,

Stop and accelerate gradually avoiding jackrabbit starts and stops. Avoid burning rubber it places excessive wear on transmission and rear end, not to mention your tires.

An international tire company estimated that 33% of all tires on road are under-inflated (low air). Under-inflated tires wear out quicker and have a tendency to blow out easier. Keep front-end aligned, for longer tire life and better gas mileage. Tires driven at 70 mph. wear out almost twice as fast as those driven 50 mph.

Avoid tailgating, tire squealing turns, flying over speed bumps, pot holes and revving your engine.

When possible, avoid driving your car during rush hour stop and go traffic periods.

If your car has "Cruise Control" use it. Using cruise control will save you 5% to 10% of a gallon of gas on long trips.

Avoid constantly pressing and releasing accelerator when driving. This practice not only wastes fuel, but it puts excessive wear on drive train of your car.

Don't ride your brake pedal, this wears out your brake linings pre-maturely, and wastes fuel.

Driving with your windows all way down at higher speeds, will waste 10% more gallons of gasoline than driving with them closed. Research by a major car manufacturer has revealed that neglect of proper routine maintenance is number one reason for enormous increase in car repairs being required.

Tires purchased at department stores such as Sears, Montgomery Wards, K-Mart etc., can be an excellent value because many are made by leading tire manufacturers. When purchasing or changing tires, make sure you have them spin balanced. For a list of what manufacturer makes which tires for what department store, write to: Tire Information Centre, P.O. Box 677, Syosset, NY 11791

Avoid cleaning your windshield with a dry rag or towel. Always dampen with water or some other cleaning liquid. Dry towels grind and scratch your windshield hindering your visibility.

Avoid turning on car air-conditioning while running at highway speeds as this tends to put an immediate heavy load on your compressor and clutch. This could cause excessive wear and tear on these components. Instead turn your air conditioner on at car speeds below 25 to 30 mph. This helps to preserve your expensive compressor.

Try to avoid running your car with tank low on gas. Keeping a low tank of gas increases chance of dirt, water/moisture and rust forming in your fuel system. Keeping a full tank decreases chance of dirt and other foreign matter forming in your fuel system.

Regular oil changes are most important thing you can do to protect your engine and make it last longer. Each time you have your engine oil checked; have your transmission fluid checked also.

If you have a manual transmission it is better to down shift to slow your car down instead of using your brakes. This will save wear and tear on your braking system.

A garaged car lasts longer. A car port is next best, and a car cover is a distant third. Protect your car's interior and make it last longer - park your car in shade or place a windshield guard or cover in windshield. If you spill something inside your car, clean it up immediately before it dries. Delaying even 30 minutes can sometimes leave a permanent stain or spot. To better protect your car seats have them treated with scotch guard.

NOTE: According to current auto insurance statistics, average U.S. car's useful life is 10 years or 100,000 miles. By following proper preventative maintenance you can often double your car's useful life, and spend less

Pierre Schexneider is president of The Schexneider Group, LLC an E-commerce consulting business. As a consultant his research abilities have afforded him many opportunities to expand his knowledge base. For gas saving tips please visit: http://www.how2saveongas.com/gastips