10 Ways to Reduce Your Fuel Costs
- Maintain your tyre pressure
To improve fuel efficiency, check your tyre pressure regularly. Underinflated tyres can be dangerous and affect fuel usage, costing you more at the fuel pump and in the premature wear of the tyre.
- Purchase the correct tyres for your vehicle and replace them as needed
Badly worn tyres are unsafe and cause uneven traction on the road, causing inefficient fuel usage. According to specialists, tyres account for up to 20% of your fuel consumption, so choosing the correct tyres for the vehicle is essential.
- Remove unnecessary weight from your car boot
Carrying around excessive weight in the boot causes you to consume more fuel. Check what items you have in the boot or back of your vehicle that you may have forgotten to remove. E.g. charity donations, sports equipment etc.
- Remove the roof box
Similar to the excess weight in the boot, it is worth considering removing your roof box when it’s not needed. The wind resistance generated by a roof box affects the vehicle’s aerodynamics, thus causing it to use more fuel.
- Be wise with your choice of petrol stations
It is smart to watch out for the best price to fill your tank; certain days are cheaper than others. Only fill up on the most affordable days or if you desperately need fuel, just do a top-up until the prices drop. APW will always endeavour to give you the lowest price, unlike some larger providers.
- Managing the balance between air conditioning and windows
Switching on the air conditioning in your car can increase fuel consumption – but so can opening windows so it’s essential to get the balance right.
On short trips around town when travelling under 50kmh it is more fuel efficient to keep your air conditioning off and have your windows down. However, once on the highway and travelling at higher speeds it is far more fuel efficient to have the air conditioning on due to the increased drag caused by open windows.
- Keep your vehicle properly maintained
It is important to have your vehicle serviced in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines, keeping your car in a good state of repair is important for safety reasons but will ultimately save you money at the fuel pump. According to motor vehicle specialists “An untuned engine can increase fuel consumption by up to 50%. Keeping your car in good condition is beneficial for several reasons, with saving fuel just one of them”.
- Have your wheel alignment and tyre balance checked
An annual wheel alignment check helps your tyres to wear evenly and last longer, adding up to 19,000 km to the life of your tyre.
To increase your fuel efficiency, watch for signs of an unbalanced tyre, as uneven wear around the circumference of the tyre reduces the rolling resistance with the road and stops it from spinning evenly around the axle.
If the vehicle is pulling to the left or right when braking this may indicate a wheel mis alignment and has the potential to add up to 19,000kms to the life of your tyre. Both issues will significantly contribute to an increase in fuel usage.
- Don’t forget to tighten the petrol cap or close the petrol flap
Petrol when it gets too hot, like all liquids, will evaporate, so by simply not forgetting to keep the fuel cap tight and/or keeping the petrol flap closed will help fuel efficiency. It may not make a massive difference to your fuel bill but every little bit helps these days.
- Correct engine oil usage
Check the manufacturer’s handbook to see the correct engine oil to be used in your vehicle. Importantly, not only could you improve fuel efficiency, but you can prolong your vehicle’s lifespan.
References:
https://www.goodto.com/money/how-to-save-money-fuel-652780
Author:
Fatima Rama
Marketing Specialist
Review:
Jacqueline Shaw
Officer Assistant
