What most people don’t know about tires is that they have a huge impact on fuel economy. Your car tires type and their care, can impact significantly how much gas you can save.

What kind of tires you have, will impact how much resistance your car is creating against the road and thus reducing the car mpg. With new technology, you can now buy lower rolling resistance tires-LRR. LRR tires are designed to improve fuel efficiency by minimizing the energy wasted as heat as the tire rolls down the road Fuel efficient tires are made with materials that heat less during a drive. Heat deforms that shape of a tire making it harder to roll. Heavier tires are less efficient, as are those with deeper treads. If you live in a climate that requires snow tires, take them off as early as feasible.

New car owners are not the only people who can benefit from LRR tires. In fact, Consumer Reports publishes a rolling resistance score when rating new tires. So as a consumer you do not necessarily have to pay more for this benefit. Many LRR tires cost the same as their standard brothers, moreover theses LRR tires have about the same tread wear rating and do not sacrifice grip. Just be sure to do your homework when buying new tires.

Tires with a good LRR rating can save upwards of $100 in gas a year at the very least! That is just the savings that one individual can accrue. The California Energy Commission has been thinking about LRR tires at the state-wide level. “California could save approximately 300 million gallons of gasoline annually by using low-rolling resistant tires.

Another factor which affects the mpg is the tire inflation. Lower pressure causes increased side wall flexing. Under inflated tires can add 6% to your fuel consumption, which could easily translate into burning an extra gallon of gas with every fill up if you’re getting around 20 MPG. Tires tend to lose air pressure more in the winter, 1 pound of pressure for every drop of 10 degrees Fahrenheit so check them more frequently when the air chills.

According to Mark Chung, director of strategic marketing for Yokohama Tire Corporation, which manufactures everything from ultra-high performance tires for passenger cars and SUVs to tires for buses, trucks and airplanes, “Tires that are under-inflated by just four to 12 psi (pounds per square inch) can reduce gas mileage by five percent or more and tire life by as much as 40 percent”.

“When a tire is under-inflated, the car’s weight rests more on the tire’s shoulders than its center, causing poor fuel economy, uneven wear and a less-than-firm ride, which can significantly reduce driver control.”

The tire’s proper inflation level, which is usually between 20 and 36 psi, can be found on a placard in the glove box or on the car door.

Follow following two simple steps to ensure that you always have right inflated tires:

Once a month, when the tires are cold, or at least three to four hours after the vehicle has been driven, check tire pressure with a reliable tire gauge. (Normal driving causes tires to heat, raising air pressure. Releasing air when tires are hot may dangerously under-inflate the tires.) And be sure that the valve stems have a plastic or metal cap to keep out dirt and seal against leakage.

Tires should be rotated at least every 5,000 miles and the Wheel alignment should be checked once a year. Misaligned tires can cause the car to drag, which lowers mileage and causes unnecessary tire wear.

As you can see from the above information, taking good care of yoru tires can save you money.