Fuel prices can be extremely volatile, often fluctuating overnight. when it presently costs well over £1.60 per litre to fill your car, making sure you get the maximum miles out of every tank really matters. Improve fuel economy and save money can be achieved by changing your driving habits and learning a few new tricks and techniques.
In this article we’ll talk you through the most effective ways to help your miles per gallon and subsequently your money go further.
Maintain your car
Making sure your car is in tip top shape is a good starting point for improving fuel economy. Taking care of your car will ensure it performs at its best, allowing greater efficiency, more reliability, allowing it to be
cheaper to run in the long run.
Regular maintenance, replacing things like mucky air filters, worn out spark plugs, and replacing old engine oil will all help to improve your miles per gallon.
Keep your tyres at the correct pressure
The correct tyre pressure is critical. The incorrect pressure can be dangerous, but your fuel costs will also soon mount up too. If you are not sure what pressures your tyres should be then check the handbook.
Keep an eye on your wheel alignment too. Wheels that are out of line can negatively affect your fuel economy. Potholes in the road can be enough to mis-align them, so have them checked as regularly.
Get rid of unnecessary weight
When you car is packed with excess items, the increased load will cause it to use more fuel during your journeys. Even clearing out the boot and backseat of anything that might be weighing you down will improve your MPG.
Roof boxes and cycle racks can have a detrimental effect. These create wind resistance and cause your car to use more fuel from the ‘drag effect’. The faster you go, the more this drag will increase. If you’re not transporting bikes or extra cargo around then remove the racks and make your money go further instead.
Ease off the accelerator
If you like to put your foot down, then quite simply your fuel isn’t going to last very long. Increased speed drinks fuel, so a gentler approach on the throttle is needed if you want to improve fuel economy and save money.
Decelerating by lifting off the gas early and braking gently will also help your fuel economy too.
Fill up with only the fuel you need to.
If you drive around on a full tank, then you’re having to carry around this extra weight. Since some fuel tanks can carry up to 109 litres, that’s a lot of excess weight to haul about.
Just try filling up with only what you need. Keep a notebook in the glove box or use your phone to keep tabs on what fuel you use. As you fill up, write down the amount of fuel you need for a given journey (in litres, since the price of fuel is always changing).
Avoid idling
Many modern cars have stop/start technology that turns the engine off while the vehicle isn’t moving. If your car has this function, then make sure it’s always turned on.
If your car is idling at a standstill, then you’re using fuel without moving. In other words: you’re getting zero miles per gallon from your fuel!
Instead of letting your engine run, whether you’re waiting to pick someone up, stuck in a traffic jam, or waiting in line for fast food, then turn it off if you want your fuel to last longer.
Flick off the air con
Using the alternator to charge the battery (which is powered by the engine) will need fuel to work. Your car’s air conditioning uses fuel.
If you’re using to keep cool during slower journeys around town, then you’ll increase your fuel consumption by around 5-7%, better to open the window at low speeds instead.
Conversely if you’re driving fast on the motorway, close the window and turn the air con on. This reduces drag and improves the vehicle’s aerodynamics.
Stop coasting
It’s a misconception that putting the car in neutral while going downhill will reduce fuel consumption. While it may have done so in cars from the 80s and earlier, it’s not the case for modern vehicles.
Their electronic control units (ECUs) use less fuel when going downhill by cutting fuel injection to the engine, which instead relies on the drive line to turn itself over rather than any fuel.
From a safety point of view you have less control over your car and you’re likely to travel faster as you go downhill which is a lot less safe than leaving your car in gear.
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