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The Car Care Council suggests you “green your routine” when it comes to your car and offers five ways you and your vehicle can help protect the environment and save at the pump.

October is Fall Car Care Month, and the Car Care Council recommends the following ways to fight rising gas prices:

Now’s the time to get your car ready for the demands placed on it in the coming winter months. Especially in rain, sleet, freezing rain, and maybe snow, you’ll want your vehicle to start and run reliably. And you’ll want your driving experience to be as safe and comfortable as possible. Here are some things to check to make your winter driving safer and more secure.

A simple driveway inspection can give motorists peace of mind and save them from the inconvenience of a roadside breakdown, according to the Car Care Council. 

Sluggish performance, hard starting? Could be a worn out or sluggish oxygen sensor. The automotive gasoline engine uses a mixture of air mixed with gasoline to create a combustible mixture. It is the burning of this mixture that operates the engine, and after the combustion process a small amount of oxygen remains in the exhaust.

Being green doesn’t have to mean you have to spend a lot of green.  According to the Car Care Council, by properly maintaining your vehicle’s fuel system, you will not only improve the performance of your vehicle, but lower its emissions and save money at the pump, too.

Moving into a new area, who’s the most important professional you seek out? Your family doctor, of course, a dentist, your pharmacist and, somewhere down the road… your auto mechanic.

The decision on your car care professional, while not a critical as selecting health care professionals, nevertheless is important. Further, that should be made when you’re in control of the situation, not when the car breaks down and can’t be driven.

(“Where do you want me to tow your car, ma’am?” “Gosh, I don’t know?!”)

Motorists traveling on Memorial Day weekend can’t do much about the high price of gas, but they can pay less at the pump by making sure their vehicles get maximum fuel economy. According to the Car Care Council, fuel economy is directly related to vehicle care and driver behavior and both can have a significant impact on how much motorists pay at the pump.

Under-inflated tires can impact the vehicle’s fuel economy. When tires aren’t inflated properly, it’s similar to driving with the parking brake on and can cost a mile or two per gallon.

With National Car Care Month and Earth Day both being held in April, motorists now have the ideal occasion to make sure their vehicles are environmentally friendly and running efficiently to save money at the gas pumps, according to the Car Care Council.