In today’s financial climate, car owners are looking wherever they can to save on vehicle costs. As well as purchasing cheaper cars, and looking out for cheaper car insurance, there are things drivers can do to better their fuel economy too. Follow our simple tips to get more mileage for your buck and you’ll start making savings straight away.
Maintain a regular speed.
Accelerating and decelerating heavily wastes fuel. By maintaining a constant driving speed and by accelerating gently away from traffic lights you could use up to 60% less fuel.
Be gear-savvy
Using your gear stick correctly can make you fuel savings of up to 15%. To make this kind of difference, avoid driving in lower gears all of the time – as soon as it’s possible and safe to do so, change up to a higher gear.
Warming-up the car is a myth
On cold mornings many drivers leave their car running to ‘warm-up’ before setting off. Not only does this waste your fuel, it causes unnecessary engine wear. So when the weather turns, avoid this wasteful practice and de-ice your windows with a good de-icer or a bucket of warm water instead.
Revving is a no-no
You might think it impresses the ladies to rev your engine at the traffic lights, but doing so only wastes fuel – and your hard earned cash.
Don’t speed
As well as being illegal, and dangerous in the extreme, driving at high speeds burns valuable fuel. Travelling on the motorway at 80mph instead of the legal 70mph burns 10% – 20% more fuel. While travelling at 50mph instead of 70mph will save you between 20% and 30% on fuel usage. So take your time on the road!
Tyre maintenance
When was the last time you checked your car’s tyre pressure? The tyre pressure level has a real bearing on fuel consumption. Under-inflated tyres can increase consumption by up to 3% and could lead to early tyre wear. So check your owner’s manual for your car maker’s recommended tyre pressures and measure them at least every two weeks. Tyre pressure gauges can be bought inexpensively and stored in the car.
Shop online for Insurance
It’s generally much cheaper to use the internet as a search tool for car insurance. Use a comparison site or two to get a feel for the market. Check exactly what you get as part of your policy that might benefit you in the long run. Always go with reputable firm. Kwik Fit Insurance are currently offering up to 20% off for buying online; visit their site for competitive quotes on car insurance.
