Car X6 Concept

You can save money and energy-and wear and tear on your vehicle-with proper care and maintenance. Here are the items that most affect fuel economy.

Motor oil. Top off and change oil as necessary with KIA Motors recommended grade, "energy conserving" motor oils. Doing so can improve fuel economy by up to 2 percent, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Replacing conventional oils with synthetics may offer even greater fuel economy benefits. Check with your Service Advisor for more details on the difference in your oil.

Air filters. Make sure you change your air filter at the end of its recommended lifespan. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve a vehicle's gas mileage by up to 10 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Engine performance. Enhance fuel economy performance by having engines tuned and spark plugs replaced according to KIA Motors recommended schedule. A single misfiring spark plug can cut fuel economy by up to 4 percent, according to the EPA.

Brakes. Improperly maintained brakes can result in unwanted drag. This unnecessary resistance can have the same effect as driving with a foot on the brake pedal: a dramatic drop in fuel economy.

Warning lights for Service Engine Soon or Check Engine. Ignoring these indicators may result in poor fuel economy performance and require expensive repairs. For example, a warning light may indicate a faulty oxygen sensor is sending more fuel to the engine than necessary, which can result in a 40 percent fuel economy decline. A warning light could also indicate a faulty thermostat, which can prevent a cold engine from reaching its normal operating temperature resulting in the unnecessary injection of fuel.

Tire wear. Replacing worn tires with a KIA Motors recommended size and style can save hundreds of dollars a year. To improve fuel economy performance, consider low rolling-resistance replacement tires.

Tire inflation pressure. Keeping tires inflated to at least the KIA Motors recommended pressure can improve fuel economy by up to 3 percent, according to the EPA. Under-inflated tires require more energy to roll, meaning more fill-ups.

Unnecessary items that add weight to the vehicle. Unnecessary weight lowers fuel economy; remove heavy items from your trunk and back seat.

Evaporative emission controls. Poorly operating evaporative emission controls can fail to capture gasoline vapors and recycle them to the fuel tank. Faulty controls waste gas and degrade air quality.

Transmission. Properly operating modern transmissions and drive components are critical to vehicle fuel economy performance. Routinely check proper fluid levels and system operation.

Call 850-576-2116 to schedule your green maintenace check-up with us today and start saving money on fuel cost.

This weekend only we are taking up to $8,000 off select new 2009 KIA's! In addition to our huge savings we will have 3 radio stations out here today giving away food, drinks, and prizes. Stop by and browse our inventory and take advantage our big summer savings!

Great news Tallahassee the all new 2010 KIA Forte has arrived in our showroom! We are extremely excited for you to see the newest addition to the KIA product line.

The all new Forte is loaded with new standard technology features like blue tooth, Sirius satellite radio, IPod and USB port. In addition to class leading technology the Forte is loaded with standard safety features you won't find on any vehicle in it's class. These standard features include Anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and traction control not to mention the Forte comes standard with 6 airbags.

The best thing about the Forte is that you can have all this for a starting price of $13,648! With a price like that the Forte is sure to be one of our best sellers. We invite you to come on by and take one for a spin. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Little Soul is the newest member of our family here at KIA AutoSport. Little Soul is a hamster with some attitude just like the newest addition to our product line up the all new 2010 KIA Soul.

If you have seen the new KIA ad on television you can understand why we felt compelled to make this addition to our family. Visit the YouTube link on our website to check out the ad if you haven't seen the head bobbing hamsters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFHCfwF87_o

Little Soul lives in a very stylish habitat in our showroom. In addition to his habitat we also have a hamster track where you will often find him speeding around on in his yellow hamster vehicle for some exercise. You can often find Little Soul speeding around the office in his vehicle.

We invite everyone to visit Little Soul while visiting our dealership. Little Soul will be here like we are 7 days a week!

This weekend we have a huge inventory clearance event happening for Memorial Day. Come in and receive $5000 off* any new 2009 in stock.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend!

At KIA AutoSport we care about you and your vehicle.

With the price of gas on the rise we wanted to provide you with a few Green Driving Tips that if used will increase your gas mileage.

1) Avoid quick starts and aggressive driving. A smooth, steady speed saves gasoline and reduces wear and tear on the engine, tires, transmission and brakes.

2) Slow down! Fuel economy decreases about 1% for each mph over 55. Driving 65 mph vs. 75 miles mph, for example, increases fuel economy by about 10%.

3) Use overdrive and cruise control. Overdrive gears slow engine speeds, saving gasoline and reducing wear. By helping to maintain a constant speed, cruise control reduces gasoline consumption. Use both features only when safe and appropriate.

4) Combine trips when possible. Your engine runs more efficiently once it's warmed up, so avoid making multiple short trips. Stop-and-go driving also burns more gasoline. Avoid driving during rush hour whenever you can.

5) Reduce drag. Remove roof racks and other items from your vehicle when you're not using them.

6) Avoid unnecessary idling. In addition to contributing to engine wear and tear and air pollution, consider that when your vehicle is idling, you are getting 0 miles per gallon of gasoline you use.

Those tips should get you a little further on a tank of gas. Check our blog regularly and we'll have our Green Maintenance Tips posted later on this week and remember at KIA AutoSport we're always having a great day!

KIA AutoSport Employees are getting ready for the big game this Sunday May 17th. The Parts and Service All Stars will take on the Sales Department Stankey Legs in our first ever employee softball game. Employees from both teams have been optimistic about a win.

The Parts and Service All Stars will be lead by long time Softball and Baseball Player Doug Hughes our Parts Manager. Doug feels extremely confident with his leadership he can pull his team to victory. Playing for the Parts and Service All Stars will be; Doug Hughes Parts Manager, Co-Captain Kelly Facer Service Manager, Ron Angelotti, Adam Perry, Danny Campbell, Brandon Thomas, Doug "Fresh" Cook, Daniel McKeithen, Dwayne Griffin, and John Wayne Cassidy. Doug said today, "We are playing with the right attitude and we are not afraid of the competition. They all eat too much and are out of shape."

The Sales Stankey Legs will be lead by the main man himself, Mr. Monroe Lee. The Sales team completed 2 team practices in the past weeks and have made steady progress. The team captains have stated that the All Stars are coming into this game underestimating the strength, skill and speed of the Stankey Leg's. Playing for the Stankey Leg's will be; Melanie Lee, Omar George, Nicky Jones, John Cray, Steven Clemens, Mike "Boom" Champion, Ron "Stankey Leg" Murray, Kristin Sirmon, Kenroy Johnson, Katrina McAphin, and Colleen Harp. Kelly Facer from the Parts and Service All Stars attended the Stankey Legs team practice Saturday evening. After witnessing the Stankey Leg practice Kelly admitted to Melanie that he was a little more concerned than he and Doug were letting on.

Also joining in will be the Stankey Leg cheer squad lead by Susan Schrier. Joining the cheer squad will be Sharon Davis, Christa McCarthy and our newest cheerleader Ella McCarthy. They have prepared a wonderful array of theme music that is sure to entertain everyone in attendance.

We inivite anyone who would like to attend and watch as these bitter work rivals take it out on the field.

Stankey Leg's vs. Parts and Service All Stars Sunday May 17th at Messer Field. We hope to begin around 5:30 pm and no later than 6 pm depending on how business is on Sunday afternoon.