It Is Not Easy Being Green: Bob Penkhus Motors Has Tips on Being Enviro-Friendly

Technological advances have made for better, more fuel-efficient vehicles but the challenge remains: fuel economy and the environmental impact. It is still in the hearts and minds of the consumer. With gas prices creeping upward and stricter government emissions curbs on the horizon, the choice in selecting an environmentally friendly vehicle becomes even more of a challenge.

Bob Penkhus Motors of Colorado Springs would like to offer the following pointers on making your current - or next - purchase more ecologically agreeable while being fuel conscious:

· Emissions Ratings. Look at the sales sticker on the vehicle or the back of the sales collateral and make note of emissions ratings that indicate cleaner-running engines. Those ratings will be labeled LEV (low-emission vehicles), ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) and super ultra-low emissions (SULEV). In order to get a better understanding of these emissions ratings and the differences between the three, GreenCars.org has a rundown.

· Bigger Doesn't Equal Safer. Obviously, a bigger and taller vehicle means less fuel efficiency. These vehicles tend to have a higher center of gravity, lending to the possibility that rollovers may occur. To combat the myth, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts car safety tests on an annual basis to determine a vehicle's "crashworthiness," i.e. its ability to protect the passengers inside.

· Don't Sit Idle - Turn It Off. Leaving your car idle = 0 miles per gallon. Should your current or next purchase have a large engine, that engine will waste a significantly more amount of gas than a vehicle with a smaller one when you leave it running idle.

· Get in Control: Cruise On Down the Road. Whether driving in your city or on the highways and byways during a road trip, use your cruise in control in non-traffic situations. Using cruise control helps your vehicle maintain a constant rate of speed, limiting the chances of engine fluctuations and wasting gas.

· Under (Tire) Pressure. Routinely check the pressure in your vehicle's tires. Low pressure can cause higher fuel consumption; it can also increase wear on your vehicle and cause it to handle erratically in emergency driving situations. Proper tire pressure levels are usually listed in either your owner's manual or inside the doorjamb.

Lastly, keep this note in mind: The difference between a car that gets 20 MPG and one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $683 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $2.73).

At Bob Penkhus Motors, we're dedicated to protecting the environment and providing relevant information pertaining to your automobile. It's important to be mindful of how your vehicle impacts the environment and you can help make it environmentally friendly.  At our dealership, you will find several eco-friendly vehicles like the Volkswagen Jetta and the Mazda 2.