Every penny saved is every penny earned, they say. If you invest in smart every day practises and indulge in proper upkeep of your vehicle, you’ll be surprised at the fuel economy you can achieve. Even though you might not be able to avoid some things, such as actually combining your routine tasks so you don’t take your vehicle out multiple times, there are small measures that you can consciously adopt so you aren’t burning excess fuel – and mounting on running costs. Here’s how to optimise consumption without developing big, ambitious plans.
Avoid rush hour drives: Not only does constant clutch-brake tire you out, it takes a toll on the wellbeing of your vehicle. Every time you turn the engine on, it needs a huge amount of fuel to kick start your car. Driving in first and second gear are equally bad because it wastes a lot of fuel. In this sense, you can also bring about less wear and tear by keeping at a low but steady pace. The jerks to your car when you accelerate and halt suddenly burn excess fuel. So, if you can’t avoid going out when traffic jams are unavoidable, keep the drive slow and smooth – maintain a safe distance from the car in front so you’re covered in stop/start traffic conditions too.
Shut those windows at high speeds: The law of aerodynamics claims that every time your car witnesses the wind sound is when it’s struggling. Even though car engineers invest a lot in designing a car so it can withstand pressure, it’s possible that you might be stretching it beyond the limits. For instance, if the car feels a “drag” when running on high speeds, it’s time to roll up the windows to keep the running expense on your vehicle low.
Check the tyre pressure: Make sure that your tyre pressure is in line with what’s recommended by the manufacturer – anything lower can exert additional pressure on the car to trudge along and fuel economy can take a serious hit. It also pays to ensure that the tyres are well-aligned.
Switch gears on time: Driving your car up an inclined plane or on corners on a high gear is a sureshot recipe for fuel wastage. In an ideal scenario, switch to a higher gear much before your engine starts to labour. The key is to upgrade as soon as the car is comfortable in a higher gear without having to accelerate too much.
The aircon rule: In general, you can save up to 10% fuel when the A/C is turned off. This, however, changes if the car is driving at more than 80kmph. Rolling the windows down at this speed will cause an aerodynamic drag and actually make it more efficient to run the car with the air-conditioning on.