Fact checking fuel-saving myths

Everyone is looking to make the most of their petrol spend, but some commonly held fuel-saving tips are simply untrue.

We have all heard the old wives’ tales of ways to get your own back over the fuel companies, but many of these tips were never true or have since become outdated with modern technology.

According to research done by MotorHappy, there are four myths that are most commonly believed by South African motorists.

Premium fuel is best
As the belief goes, buying high-octane fuel improves the engine’s power, with some motorists thinking it also helps to get better mileage and run ‘cleaner’.

“That is not necessarily true. If your car manufacturer recommends premium fuel, then stick to it – but this is usually the case with high performance cars,” said MotorHappy marketing director, Barend Smit.

“If you drive a ‘regular’ car, you can use regular fuel. Paying for premium fuel offers no benefit to your car, it will only benefit petrol companies.”

Warm up your car before taking off
It is commonly held that motorists should warm up their engines when driving in cold weather conditions.

While this used to be accurate with older cars that took a while to warm up, modern cars do so in 20-30 seconds and allow you to drive immediately.

It is recommended that you do not heavily accelerate within the first few minutes of your drive however.

“Rather save petrol by minimising the time you spend idling. The engine will warm up faster once you’re driving anyway,” said Smit.

A morning fill-up is more efficient
This may be the most common myth of all, where penny-pinching motorists believe it is best to fill up in the morning when it is colder.

In theory, the petrol should expand at higher temperatures and be denser in the mornings, giving you more bang for your buck and getting more litres into your tank for the same price.

But in practice, fuel reservoirs at the petrol station are covered and insulated to avoid heat fluctuations, so any variation is negligible.

No matter the outside temperature, you will be getting the same quantity of fuel.

Rather idle than turn off and on again
Many motorists believe that it is more fuel efficient to idle for a few minutes than it is to turn your car off and on again for short stops.

“This was true in the case of engines that used carburetors, but is unlikely to be the case in any car manufactured after 1980, which will probably not have carburetors,” said Smit.

Most carburetors have been replaced by fuel injection systems.

In this case, it will be more efficient to turn your car off than waste petrol by idling.

The best way to increase fuel efficiency is to properly maintain your car.

Even a simple issue like a dirty air filter can increase you fuel cost by up to 13% – look after your car and it will look after you.

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