New Aveo owner - doing OK, looking to improve

[DifferentPointofView]

what tire size are you running right now? One thing you can do to lower rpm's is get taller tires. short tires are good for cornering and autocross. But highway travel you could bump up from say, a 180/50R to a 175/60R. If it's skinnier, there's less drag (I think tires make up 14% of total drag) less rolling resistance because less tire meat is being pushed across the ground, and it's taller, so it spins less per mile. less drag from bearings then and less brake drag (there's usually always some brake drag in there).

Now I know you probably won't wanna go buy a new set of tires since yours are brand new. I know I wouldn't. But when you need to get new ones try that advice.

You could get a tech/repair manual and look at replacing gears. haynes makes good DIYourselfer repair/tech manuals and are designed for a complete rebuild using common DIY guy's tools. Great for dialing in tune-ups and the like too.

[homeworkhome53]

The tire size is 185 60R 14. But I don't know what would be taller and narrower or how much it would affect engine rpm for a given speed. If anyone has any insight on this subject Iwould be interested

homeworkhome53

[SVOboy]

Sorry for being a little late! Welcome to the site! Don't forget your fuel log!

[DifferentPointofView]

I'll look up tire sizes for ya, I've got all spring break I don't know either.

Does anyone have a thing that calculates rpms and the rotations per mile thing? or something like it? maybe even a speedo to tire size in order to calibrate stuff?

[DifferentPointofView]

well, I found some 185/75R14's (75% tall vs. your current 60%) and theres surprisingly a whole BUNCH of choices, ranging from some $35 bridgestone studless ice+snow, $47 kumho touring tires, and to the most expensive at $63 for some good year touring tires.

I'll look up some taller ones. this is better than I thought. Tires for mine are like $60 for the crappy generics, and 74ish for the decent tires.

Since you live in the northern regions like me, these snow tires/ice tires would be great, and they're really cheap too, and bridgestone! amazing traction ratings for snow. These are stud less as well.
Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50

These Tires are rated best in category, as well as being cheap. 8/12 of the ratings were in the "SUPERIOR" ratings, including the would you buy again rating. They are good in wet traction, decent in snow, and great with cornering stability, and dry traction.
Kumho Solus KR21

Rated second in their category, these tires do great in the snow, and are excellent rated all across the board, and have superior ratings for snow traction in both deep and light snow applications. They are snow/ice tires as well, and are branded under the Michelin name. Studless.

I'm looking up taller sizes as we speak, while staying with the same amount of tread width.

[bestmapman]

Welcome to the site. My son has an Aveo. I think it is a great little car. He gets about 30-35 MPG.