April 24, 2008

Higher gas prices are affecting the way many people from the Coastal Bend live their lives. Gone are the days when a lot of people just went out for a drive, and bought new cars every couple of years. 

There's new trend that seems to be catching on, keeping those old cars, and fixing them up.

Meet Daphne Munoz from Mathis.

Mathis is a small town in the where, like everywhere else,  gas prices are nearing $3.50 a gallon. Mrs. Munoz says,  "I lived in Mathis all my life"

She is a single mother of three and the cost of gas has changed her life.

She bought a 1997 Ford Taurus four years ago. Then she could fill up her car with $25. Now it's the double that price.

Mrs. Munoz: "It has had a very very big impact on my family economic of how we live and the things we choose to do. Instead of eating out, we're eating at home because we have to put gas in the car."

Mrs. Munoz says she made a conscious decision to get as many odometer miles out of her car and avoid assuming another large debt from a new automobile. Her Taurus has over 200-thousand miles and it's still in good shape.

But she still has to gas it up. She works two jobs to cover that expense.

"The second job that I took, that essentially is my gas money. I work 12 to 16 hours on the weekends just to put gas in my car."

She can't afford to buy a new car. So she's banking on her old car.

 She emphasizes the importance of maintenance to give a vehicle a longer life. Things, like changing your oil and checking your transmission fluid. "If you don't have enough oil in your car, you're going to waste more gas and if it's not clean oil, you're going to do some serious damage to your motor.."

She also says don't forget about the tires. 

"Another thing is the tire pressure is very important and making sure you have the right tire pressure because you're wasting more gas than you need to be."

Mechanics agree maintenance of an older vehicle is crucial.

Owner of Bay Auto Jason Jaimes told Kiii-News, "We see a lot of vehicle auto repair, which are caused from neglect, sludge in the engine. A lot of neglect. So it's one of the key factors."

Mechanics say car owners are keeping older cars a lot longer.

Jaimes: "That's not uncommon nowadays to get more mileage out of a vehicle just starting with a simple service."

Mrs. Munoz is very proud of her 1997 Ford Taurus. She says she hopes this car will keep getting her around for awhile. She says she has no plans to buy a new or used car anytime soon."

"If I am wasting $200 on gas and I am wasting it on gas and not on a car payment. Knowing even if it's an old car and it has a lot of miles , it still gets me where I want to go."

That's all that counts for Mrs. Munoz and many others dealing with a whole new game: To survive higher gas prices.

Manuel de la Rosa 3 news

This is what mechanics tell you should do to keep your car running for many, many miles: 

They say you should change your oil every three thousand miles and to make sure the engine is hot when it's done.

They say when you change your oil, you should inspect your air filter every time.

Mechanics also say to keep your tires inflated properly because it could cost you a mile to a two per gallon.

You should also change your transmission fluid every three years or 40 thousand miles and your fuel filter every two years or 24 thousand miles.

They also say to tune up your car and replace spark plugs on a regular basis