Hello Summer: Hello Open Road!

June 21 marked the day we’ve all been waiting for given the long and harsh 2010/11 winter. It’s hard to believe just a mere four months ago we were shoveling snow off our roofs so they wouldn’t collapse under the weight of massive quantities of snow and ice that Mother Nature so graciously dumped on us.

But enough snow talk. Summer is officially here and when we think Solstice, we tend to think road trip, too. Hallejhiah! The time is here to load up the trunk, pile in the kids, and head for the beaches off the New England coast, to the White Mountains, or even further.

Summer is a time to explore the open road, kick back, and relax, and regardless of your destination, your Toyota can get you where you want to go. Here are some tips we at Westboro Toyota recommend to make summer drive time as fun and relaxing as it should be.

Travel at non-peak hours if possible. Summer is the time for roadway construction, so you’re bound to hit some bottlenecks in your travels, but if you on traveling before or after the morning and afternoon rush, you’ll be more likely to sail through those construction zones without all that much idling.

Speaking of idling, it wastes fuel—something given the current price of gas, none of us want to do! If you find yourself stuck in traffic—and we certainly hope you don’t—it’s better to turn the engine off if you’re not going to be moving forward anytime soon. Also, don’t rev the engine, as this, too, is a gas guzzler.

Turning the engine off isn’t the only way to conserve gas. For instance, you also can improve fuel economy by following these simple steps:

Drive the speed limit. If the maximum posted speed is 65 mph, don’t go over that. Driving the speed limit is safer than speeding, which we do not recommend. Plus, it allows you to drive without the worry that you’ll be tagged by a state trooper’s radar gun and pulled over—talk about a summer road trip bummer). And, driving no more than 65 mph can save you about 20 percent in amount of fuel used.

Clean out that trunk. Toyotas have great cargo space, but the added weight of anything you put there means lower fuel economy because the engine has to exert more power to pull the extra load.

Cruise when you can. Cruise control allows your Toyota to consistently deliver fuel to the engine. Giving the engine a steady flow of gas is far better than the alternative.

Don’t over-accelerate. Gunning the gas pedal can lower your miles per gallon by more than 30 percent—ouch!

Maintain ideal tire pressure. If your tires aren’t inflated to the proper psi, this presents a danger to you as the driver, your passengers, and other vehicles on the road. Tires and brakes are a vehicle’s crucial safety mechanisms. Poor tire pressure adversely affects your car, truck, or SUV’s ability to corner and brake, as well as its overall stability on the road. Under-inflated tires also may cause additional fuel loss—you can wave bye to about 3 percent of gas as the result of poor tire pressure.

Before embarking on your summer jaunts, come on in to Westboro Toyota for a quick filter oil change. We’ll rotate your tires and perform a 21-point inspection, both complimentary with the oil change, for the low price of $34.95 plus tax. Visit http://westborotoyota.com/Specials.aspx and scroll down to the offer to print your coupon today.

Above all, have a safe, sun-filled, and fantastic summer. After this past winter, we all for sure deserve it!