How to save fuel in your car: money-saving tips for 2023
Rising petrol prices are hitting motorists hard, but these
cinch-verified tips can help you reduce your car petrol bills - and
improve your driving while you're at it
Drive more efficiently
Don’t worry, it’s not about driving at a snail’s pace – going slow
can often mean lower gears and higher revs. Instead, simply driving
smoothly is better for your fuel consumption.
In fact, most cars return the best economy at around 45-55mph.
Driving too fast or too slow on a road where it’s legal and safe to
travel at a higher speed can be detrimental to fuel efficiency.
Of course, it’s always best to drive at normal, legal speeds.
But try to time gear changes to perfection, never rev madly to
accelerate and avoid harsh braking by looking ahead and anticipating
traffic conditions. See congestion ahead? Ease off the accelerator
and slow naturally, rather than keeping the power on and braking
close to the queue. Choose the highest gear you can as often as you
can and take your foot off the accelerator as frequently as
possible.
Keep your car maintained
A car isn’t a living thing, so it won’t always tell you that
something’s not right.
For a car to operate as close to the peak of its efficiency as
possible, it’ll need to be serviced by a reputable mechanic
according to the manufacturer’s required schedule.
Even tackling mechanical jobs like cleaning spark plugs and
changing the engine oil can help fuel economy. Keeping on top of car
maintenance in general will help your car perform at its best.
Consider the weight of fuel
Here’s one to ponder: you could save perhaps 1% of your fuel
consumption by only half filling your car – because of the added
weight of carrying a full tank of fuel.
Of course, if you have to drive 20 miles to fill up that
saving may be undone by cost of the extra miles. Nevertheless, it’s
worth considering whether visiting twice as many times and half
filling will save you money overall.
Tracking your fuel costs and other car expenses is a good way
to decide which changes will be most beneficial for you. Give it
some trial and error until you see which tips suit your needs.
Does using the heating or aircon in my car use extra fuel?
Sadly, cranking up the heat in your car does use extra fuel, so you
may want to cut down on your usage if your aim is to increase your
mpg.
We don’t want to be one of those people, but layering up might
be a better choice than reaching for the heated seat button if you
really want to be efficient.
Turning on your air-conditioning can also use more fuel, but
opening a window can also increase drag on your vehicle and drive up
your fuel consumption. You might want to experiment between the two
and see which one offers a lower increase in fuel consumption.
Check your tyre pressures
Tyre pressure is easily one of the most common causes of poor fuel
economy in cars.
The wrong pressure in a car’s tyres can be unsafe, speed up
the rate at which they wear – and it can make your car use too much
fuel.
Ever pedalled a bicycle with nearly flat tyres? It’s a right
old workout. It’s the same thing when it comes to under-filled tyres
on a car. Best to keep an eye on pressures with a proper gauge, and
make sure they’re topped up correctly as per the car manufacturer’s
handbook.
Plan your route carefully
The most fuel-efficient roads aren’t slow city streets or quiet
country roads – they’re motorways. They give the best chance of
staying at a smooth constant speed in your highest gear, avoiding
harsh braking and hard revving. It’s why satnavs often suggest using
a motorway for a route even if it adds a few miles to the total
journey.
Also, consider that a warm engine is much more fuel-efficient
than one starting from cold. This means that one longer combined
journey is better for your pocket than lots of little ones.