Honda Gas Mileage

Thinking of getting a smaller car? Wait until fall

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Thinking of trading in the clunker in your garage for something that gets better gas mileage? Wait a little longer.

Small car prices, which have set record highs this year, are expected to come down this fall.

Lower gas prices will make people comfortable driving something bigger. Honda and Toyota, which were hurt by the Japan earthquake, will crank up production of small cars. And Japan and Detroit will offer big discounts on smaller models as their lots fill up.

The average new compact car, which cost a record $20,500 in June, should fall to about $19,300 by the end of the year. The average used compact car should fall from a record $11,300 to about $9,600 over the same time, according figures compiled by the Kelley Blue Book auto pricing service.

Small-car prices should start falling in September and accelerate through the end of the year.

"Values for these vehicles just rose too quickly and got to a level that was really unsustainable," says Alec Gutierrez, manager of vehicle valuation for the Kelley Blue Book car pricing service.

Here are factors pushing down small-car prices:

— Small-car surplus: Carmakers such as Honda and Toyota are boosting production following Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The disaster essentially shut down that nation's auto industry and slowed Japanese-brand factories in North America. With factories returning to normal, American dealers will have more Civics, Corollas and Priuses. And they won't have to put small-car buyers on waiting lists, like they did this spring.

In fact, some will have more small cars than they need says George Davis, general manager of a Honda dealership in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"One minute they're going to look out the window and see 50 cars. Two weeks later they'll see 300. Panic sets in," he says. "They pay interest on these cars and they'll have to discount."

— Deals: Honda and Toyota dealers will increase rebates, low-interest financing and other promotions, Gutierrez predicts. "GM and Ford will be right behind them, and Hyundai as well," he says.

Automakers say they won't cut prices even if Toyota and Honda come out with bigger incentives. Instead, they want to sell cars on quality, styling and features.

Dealers and analysts are skeptical, though, saying that once Honda and Toyota restock, prices will fall as rivals try to win customers who have to replace their clunkers. The average age of a car in the U.S. is now 10.6 years, up more than a full year from 2008, according to the Polk research firm.

Auto Parts Fast Features High Quality Parts to Improve Your ...

We can not deny it, we must live all the cars to normal for us in everyday life. Even if we go back to the roots in order to reduce the cost of living, we can not really do without a car. They have the necessities of life over the years. But some vehicles are more difficult to manage and consume more fuel, so that for some, they are a pain in the neck and the pocket than helpful driving machines. But do not worry, there are many ways to improve gas mileage, you may need to replace some of your stock auto parts.

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The first thing you can do to improve the fuel consumption is to check on the engine. Make sure your engine is enough air for combustion and cooling. If it is not able to breathe more air, replace the filter or larger throttle, high quality performance intake manifold. Also about how you breathe through your engine to check the exhaust system. You need a muffler to increase the broadband performance of the car and improve fuel consumption.

Like other parts of the exhaust system of your Honda, Honda improved the catalyst performance and fuel economy, as it converts gaseous wastes produced after the combustion into less harmful substances. A clogged cat prevents exhaust gases from the engine, so it is really not able to clean it. This effect would be the engine to work harder, so more fuel is consumed. When you begin to smell something like rotten eggs, you already need to replace your Honda catalytic converter.

Improving the aerodynamics of your vehicle, you can also help reduce fuel consumption. Race cars are built usually with spoilers and ground effects to improve aerodynamics and thus its acceleration and fuel economy. You can also add a Honda spoiler on your car to help reduce drag, but it is more effective when they used race car. However, you can also replace your Honda wheels, mirrors, Honda and other body parts with lighter auto parts. In addition to give your car a new look, swapping hoods and other body can help your vehicle run more parts smoothly and quickly. A Honda hood with rear-facing scoop would be a good alternative, too.

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