$$$ Upfront?

Q: The mechanic told me what was wrong with the car, how much it would cost to fix and then demanded 100 percent of the payment upfront. Would you have paid him? A: No. Never. That’s not acceptable. The exception: if you’ve stiffed him in the past, he has to protect his own interests. Q: You once wrote that when it comes to trying to spend less on fuel, you don’t do “excessive things,” like constantly monitoring gas prices or ripping out the back seat to reduce weight, but you do reasonable, common sense things. How about sharing what those things are? A: Sure. It’s important to know this: I telecommute, so I don’t do very much daily in-town driving. I put only about 8,000 miles a year on my car; 12,000 is average. And I have flexibility in deciding what time I drive. So some of my practices aren’t universally applicable, but most will work for nearly everyone. Here’s what I do: • I use a supermarket loyalty card. I don’t buy everything at that grocery chain, because their prices aren’t the best on some things and I can’t see paying $30 more a week for groceries in order to get 10 cents off per gallon of gas. But I buy enough there each month that I normally get one fill-up every month for 20 cents off per gallon. • I don’t fill up until I’m down to about 1/8th of a tank. Fuel weighs a lot, and you’ll get much better mileage at the end of the tank than you did in the beginning. But I don’t advise going too close to the bottom of the tank. It’s bad for the car and it’s high-risk behavior if you drive in ways different from my routine. • I don’t indulge in the quick starts and stops of jackrabbit driving, which can be a huge fuel suck. • I cluster errands and do them when it’s not rush hour or a weekend at the mall, so I don’t spend a lot of time in stop-and-go traffic or idling at lights. • I check tires at least once a week and do routine maintenance on schedule. Clogged up filters, for one, can cut mpgs. • I don’t carry around gear, bags of mulch or other weighty items. • I don’t usually drive 75 miles per hour on the interstate just because that’s the speed limit in my state. I mostly hang at about 65 (and even that is not as fuel efficient as a somewhat slower speed would be), and hundreds of drivers are joining me there these days. What’s your question? Sharon Peters would like to hear about what’s on your mind when it comes to caring for, driving and repairing your vehicle. Email Sharon@ctwfeatures.com.