Dr. Mike Answers your SAAB Questions

Dr. Mike aka Michael Land, one of the two founders of Embarcadero Automotive, is renowned in SAAB circles for his ability to diagnose even the most obscure and counter-intuitive repair problems. Luckily for us, he has agreed to share his over 30 years of wisdom with us, by answering your questions.

If you have a question for Dr. Mike, email him at: info@embarcaderoauto.com

Dr. Mike: With gasoline heading toward $5, I feel my son's college fund is threatened by my SAAB's gasoline consumption. how do I reduce my fuel purchases, by increasing my gas mileage? Winston, S.F.

Great Question!! and timely given the current situation.

Let me point you to an interesting web site on fuel economy , sponsored by the federal government, and another by About.com that has interesting facts and graphs that could influence your driving habits.

Now, for some tips to help you.

First, make sure your tires are at the correct tire pressure, by checking them at least once a month. To find out the tire pressures for your SAAB, refer to your owner's manual. Additionally, by increasing tire pressure 5 to 10psi over MFG specs(do not exceed max pressure indicated on side of tire), you help your SAAB MPG with less rolling resistance.

Second, make sure you are using the correct grade of gasoline. Purchasing 89 or 91 grade, instead of 87 adds 20-30 cents per gallon to your bill. Consult your owner's manual to see what SAAB recommends for your vehicle. Generally, Turbo Charged engines need richer grades of fuel to run efficiently.

Third, make sure you have kept to regular service intervals for your SAAB at Embarcadero. According to the Dept of Energy , regular oil changes, tune ups, front-end alignment, etc. each increase the fuel mileage. Use the thinnest recommended engine oil(synthetic oils are better).

Fourth, wash your SAAB on a regular basis. accumulated dirt can increase the Coefficient of Drag, thus decreasing your SAAB's ability to slip through the wind. Additionally, broken lenses and damaged/bent body work causes increased drag, thus decreasing MPG.

Fifth, use your Air Conditioning as little as possible, or turn it down low. Using the AC pulls down your horsepower, thus burning more gas.

Sixth, weight is a significant drag on MPG. Make sure all unnecessary items are taken out of the trunk, such as dead bodies, bricks, and last summer's camping equipment.

Seventh, Take off roof racks and the like off your SAAB'sroof; Although convenient when on vacation, they increase the drag of your car, which cuts down on your gas mileage significantly.

Lastly, and i hate to say it, but, you could ride Muni, Golden Gate Ferry or Bart once in a while. Give your SAAB a rest.