Four -size contact patches between the asphalt and your tires are the only things to keeping your used car is connected to the road in New York, so people who make the right choice in rubber may find they pay less in fuel costs.

Most of the companies have introduced more efficient tires, including Cooper's GFE model which is designed to reduce the rolling resistance of tire because the rubber contains more flexible compounds.

"With the recent instability in gasoline prices, customers are looking for ways to improve their vehicle’s fuel economy," said Chuck Yurkovich, Cooper vice president of global technology. "Tire rolling resistance has a major impact on vehicle fuel economy, so Cooper responded with a new tire specifically designed for fuel-efficient vehicles."

There is no need to replace the tires on their used cars in New York, but they can still improve the performance they have with good maintenance.

The Department of Energy says that drivers could save the equivalence of 7 cents on every gallon of gas by ensuring that under-inflated tires are at the proper air pressure recommended by the car manufacturer, generally 30-32 PSI.