Fluctuating fuel prices baffle everybody, even the experts whose job it is to find a correlation between the price of oil at the source and what we end up paying for petrol at the bowser. If you have a car then it is going to be your driving habits that provide good fuel efficiency and save you money on petrol, not the oil companies.
The good news is that there is plenty that you can do to ease the burden and reduce car fuel consumption. The first step is to buy a car with a high rating for fuel efficiency. If you’ve ever owned a gas guzzler you’ll know what it feels like to be constantly at the bowser emptying your wallet. A car with great fuel efficiency will save you money and reduce emissions and that’s good for all of us.
Travel light
It might seem too insignificant to bother with, but what you lug about in the boot of your car makes a big difference. The car might seem like the best place to store that heavy set of golf clubs and your fold up buggy or the kids scooters and skateboards. But add them to the spare tyre, a jack and a few additional tools and you’ve got quite a bit of weight back there. That weight is unnecessarily costing you money.
There’s a bit of a contradiction here because we should be sharing rides to ease congestion and reduce emissions. But too many people in your car is extra weight and increased fuel consumption so you’ll have to answer your conscience where that ones concerned. The bottom line is: the more weight you carry the more petrol you consume.
Try not to idle and use your air conditioning in moderation
If you are serious about fuel economy then turning off your engine after you’ve been sitting for 30 seconds or longer will help. And there is a misconception that turning on your engine before you drive will ‘warm it up’. That’s not the case, it will just burn fuel unnecessarily.
The same applies to air conditioning. You’ll be surprised by how much fuel it burns up. If you can get the car cool and then just use the fans then that’s a far more economical option. If you want to be really economical you could always wind down the windows and rely on some good old fashioned fresh air.
Tyres are important
Properly inflated and maintained tyres are not only imperatives for safety, they are really important for fuel consumption. The role of the tyre is to support the vehicle. If they are worn or not inflated properly then your vehicle will have to work that much harder and that means it uses up more petrol to get the job done. A smooth ride on well maintained tyres is not only a great safety measure, it’s saving you money. The same applies when it comes to regular car servicing. You never know what might be going on with your vehicle. If your car is running smoothly then it’s probably able to economise on fuel. The rest is up to you and the way you drive.
Respect the speed limit and drive sensibly
Speeding not only attracts police and fines for infringements, it wastes fuel unnecessarily. Speeding, when it comes to fuel consumption, doesn’t just mean that you are exceeding the speed limits although an increase in speed definitely affects fuel consumption. It also means speeding or ‘jackrabbiting’ at traffic lights and braking hard to stop at the last moment. Driving to the speed limit will remove any likelihood of attracting speeding fines and keep your fuel costs down.
Shift into a higher gear as soon as possible
This advice applies to vehicles with manual transmission rather than automatics and there’s not too many of those on the road these days. However, if you do drive a manual you might like to use the advantage you have of getting in front of other road users in low gear. If you want to save petrol it’s best to watch your revs and move into a high, coasting gear as quickly as you can.
If you are looking for a mechanic that can advise on fuel consumption or if you want a fantastic mechanic who is centrally located for all auto repairs in Sydney contact Southern Cross Auto Repairs. We believe your safety, and that of your family is our primary responsibility.
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