7. Use the A/C sparingly. The air conditioner puts extra load on the engine, forcing more fuel to be used. On average, a car operating with the air conditioning engaged uses about 20 percent more fuel. If it's just too hot to bear without A/C, try to keep it set at around 75 degrees.
8. Keep your windows closed. Wide-open windows, especially at highway speeds, increase aerodynamic drag and the result is as much as a 10 percent decrease in fuel economy. If you want to have fresh air coming into the vehicle, run your climate system on outside air and vent, and crack the window for additional ventilation.
9. If you own a pickup truck, leave the tailgate up. Believe it or not, lowering the tailgate creates turbulence, which makes for more wind drag, and that makes your truck less fuel efficient at highway speeds. By leaving the tailgate up, you create a smooth bubble of air in the bed. Air coming over the cab of the truck sees this as a cover-and passes over it, thus improving fuel efficiency.
10. Avoid long idling. If you anticipate being stopped for more than one minute, shut off the car. Contrary to popular belief, restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle.
A Warm Treat for the Winter Chills:
The '06 Bring the Noize ShowHeats Up the Slow Season
During the wintertime, the truck scene seems to die down quite a bit, mostly because everyone is recovering from the last show season and needs time to regroup and come back to the new season refreshed. Another drawback is the weather in the winter is usually cold. That applies to the majority of the country, but down in Tempe, Arizona, the weather becomes more pleasant than ever. The Art of Noize club in nearby Phoenix has used this time to their advantage, as it is when they put on their annual Bring the Noize show. With every passing year, the show develops into an even bigger event than the last. Its success was easy to recognize as the show filled up the grassy fields in the Kiwanis Park. For more information on next year's event, visit www.artofnoize.com.
U.S. Military Goes to War Armed With Rhino LiningIt's no secret that Rhino Linings USA has made a name for itself with its tough, long-lasting truck bedlinings, but now those linings can be found protecting the lives of the men and women of our U.S. Military.
For more than 10 years, Rhino Linings USA and its dealers have applied Rexar, the company's polyurethane lining solution for protecting composite armor for vehicles and structures, to hundreds of surfaces domestically and around the world. Rexar can currently be seen in battle zones on Humvees, helicopters, fleet vehicles, radar towers, bridges, airports, helicopter pads, tank skins, and more.
"It is our goal to engineer the toughest products on the market," said Pierre Gagnon, president of Rhino Linings USA. "Clearly, we have achieved this goal, since the military is looking to Rhino Linings for protection of its vehicles, structures, and ultimately the lives of their personnel. I can't think of a better compliment than the trust of the U.S. Military."
In a recent test conducted by New Mexico Tech's Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC) near Socorro, New Mexico, Rhino Linings Rexar successfully passed with flying colors in proving blast mitigating capabilities for commercial and government facilities.
EMRTC's testing involved a reaction structure made up of two walls: one lined with Rexar and one without. The blast was produced by explosives at a standoff consistent with that of a typical terrorist car bomb. During the blast, the Rexar was successful in preventing the lined wall from becoming shrapnel within the reaction structure. The blast completely demolished the unprotected wall, sending potentially lethal shrapnel everywhere within the interior of that respective chamber. The protected wall flexed approximately 13 inches when exposed to the blast and returned to vertical, remaining intact and standing firm.
Due to increased measures by the government to find effective ways to combat terrorism, domestically and globally, Rhino Linings is proud to present a solution that protects American soldiers, citizens, and structural assets in the United States and worldwide.
"This is a giant leap forward in efforts to improve safety and security at home and abroad," said Gagnon. "People are contacting us to help protect newly constructed and in-service embassies, courthouses, and other buildings where inhabitant protection is of primary concern. You really feel like you are part of something special when you are saving lives."