One of the biggest concerns of motorists all over the world is the price of fuel and having a fuel efficient car. So, if there are a few ways that you reduce costs for yourself, you should be looking to use them. Many of the most effective methods of doing this simply require some common sense solutions while you are driving. Here in this article, we will talk in more detail about a few of the most effective techniques that you can use.
Monitor Your Tyre Pressure Regularly
A huge proportion of motorists are driving around on tyres that are over or underinflated. That is why you should make a habit of checking the pressure every time you go to the fuel station. Better still, you could invest in a tyre pressure monitoring system so you can check them from wherever you are. And you certainly need to test them before you are heading out on long journeys or if a lot of people will be travelling in the vehicle. If you are running a fleet of cars, it is vital that you look into a wide variety of fleet fuel management strategies. This way, you have the opportunity to conserve as much of your fuel as you possibly can.
Don’t Let the Vehicle Idle
This doesn’t tend to be such a problem with modern cars that are built with a system that stops the car from idling for an extended period of time. But if you are driving an older car and you get stuck in traffic, you should switch off the engine if you are stopped for 30 seconds or more. When you are trying to warm the engine back up again, don’t rev it as you will needlessly be pumping CO2 into the atmosphere.
Drive Smoothly
Learning to read the road ahead is your best way of anticipating times when you need to stop or slow down. Harsh acceleration and braking should be avoided wherever possible. And when you are out on the motorway, you should make use of the cruise control function whenever possible. Research has shown that smooth driving is one of the most effective ways of increasing fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.
Lighten Your Load
Rather than driving around with a whole load of unnecessary things all the time, you should instead be aiming to lighten your load and therefore increase how fuel efficient your car is. Roof racks that aren’t needed create wind drag so it is also worth removing these. Of course, there are a few essentials that you should be carrying around in your trunk at all times, but other than these, lightening your vehicle is always a good thing.
Choose the Best Type of Fuel
What you are actually putting in your car on a regular basis makes a big difference to its performance. Consult with the owner’s manual if you are looking for some more information on what is best for your car. The higher the octane, the higher the price but only a few cars perform best when using premium fuel all the time.
Take Care of Your Car
The first thing that you should do to save money is get yourself the best deal on car or van insurance. The old saying that prevention is far better than the cure still rings true, and there is plenty that you can do yourself to prevent your car from breaking down. You should actually read the car manual as this gives you plenty of useful information about how to properly maintain your vehicle. Replace your engine oil and other car fluids on a regular basis to start off with. If you notice any issues with your car, you should react quickly as minor faults can quickly build up over time and result in a hefty bill.
Optimize Your Vehicle
The best way that you can save money on your car is to use it less! Avoid using it for any short journeys and try to optimise your trips out so you complete all your errands in one go rather than going out several times in a single day. If you can arrange a carpooling situation for your commute to work, this is a great way to give yourself some extra fuel money. Carpooling websites like BlaBlaCar put you in contact with people who need a ride, so this is something else that you could try out. None of these techniques is overly complicated, but they are all worthwhile in your quest to drive a more fuel efficient vehicle.  Â
