Perhaps you get that sinking feeling when the fuel gauge of your car tells you it’s time again to go to the garage. Well, we can’t control the fuel price, but we can manage how much fuel we use by watching our driving style. If we can make the car’s fuel stretch, then we should end up at the garage fewer times. Let’s see how we can accomplish that.
TUNING YOUR CAR WITH SOFTWARE
Modern cars have their own CPU or central processing unit that minimises the amount of fuel used for maximum power output. Older cars, however, need to be tuned using specific software. There is always a trade-off between various factors – a car running too lean will not have much power. If your new car is still under warranty, be careful to confirm with your maintenance plan and insurance, if certain computer parameters are changed.
WHY AVOID THE RUSH HOUR?
Standing still in traffic and idling for prolonged periods of time causes your car’s fuel consumption to sky-rocket. Thus, avoid rush-hour traffic if possible by travelling either earlier or later. To save fuel, some modern cars automatically switch off after idling for a short while in traffic.
DRIVING GENTLY DOES IT
Our driving style is perhaps an expression of our attitude. We can so easily slip into the ‘rush’ mode, and race to the next traffic light as if our lives depended on it. Some call it the tyranny of the urgency. The EPA estimates that fast driving can push up fuel consumption by as much as 33%. It is much better to accelerate slowly on take-off, and not let the engine’s revs go too high. However, avoid staying too long in lower gears, where fuel economy is poor. One motorist’s advice is to pretend you are driving with a fresh egg stuck onto the accelerator pedal. Not only does this gentle driving style safe fuel, but your car suffers less wear and tear in the long run.
KEEP ENGINE REVS LOW
Excessive acceleration of the engine wastes fuel. Keep an eye on the rev counter and change gears before reaching 2,500 rpm. Optimal rpm for some cars may be well be less than this.
WHAT TOP SPEED ARE YOU DOING?
Sure it’s great to cruise at 120 km/hour, but did you know that optimal fuel efficiency of most car makes occurs between 60 to 90 km/hour? After this, fuel efficiency begins to drop. Fuel consumption increases by 36% as you increase speed between 80 and 120 km/hour. So, if you are not in a particular hurry, why not cruise between 90 – 100 km/hour? You’ll be surprised how pleasant it is not to be in the fast lane.
DON’T BRAKE TOO HARD
Braking hard is sometimes unavoidable, but as a routine, coasting towards a stop sign is more economical.
WHY USE CRUISE CONTROL?
If your car has cruise control, use it, especially on long trips. This saves you having to worry about accelerating or decelerating smoothly to maintain the same speed. As mentioned before, gentle driving saves fuel.
MEASURING FUEL CONSUMPTION
By measuring fuel consumption, you will get an idea of the impact of your driving style. Also, such measurements may reveal fuel consumption that may be excessive compared to the handbook’s specifications.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOUR CAR BE SERVICED?
Take your car for a regular service according to the handbook. What you put into your car, is what you get out. Good maintenance of your car means it should operate close to maximum performance at all times. Furthermore, your car will last longer.
CHECK THE TYRE PRESSURES REGULARLY
Deflated tyres, or tyres below the recommended tyre pressure, cause greater friction on the road, thereby creating a greater drag on the car. This, in turn, causes the engine to strain that much harder to maintain the same speed. Heat build-up in softer tyres, especially at higher speeds, can be detrimental to them. Furthermore, greater wear will occur on the shoulders of under-inflated tyres.
KEEP YOU CAR LIGHT
Remove any unnecessary, heavy loads lying in your car, seeing they can cause increased fuel consumption. However, this doesn’t mean you must remove the spare wheel. Getting rid of a 45-kg load will improve the fuel economy by 2%. In fact, this is precisely what new car models aim for – the lighter, the less fuel they’ll consume. That is why the bodies of supercars and hypercars are often constructed of carbon fibre, making them very light.
By following all these great tips, it is quite feasible for your car’s fuel economy to improve by 15 – 25%. This would be a saving of R450 – R750 on a monthly fuel bill of R3000. However, it is not only fuel that you save when driving slower, but you’ll also experience greater peace.
Disclaimer:
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views and opinions of Prime Meridian Direct (Pty) Ltd, FSP41040 (car insurance and life cover products). The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.