WITH the price of petrol sky-rocketing, it’s worth giving some thought to ways of using less of it.
* Plan your outings and errands so that you can do all of those which are in
the same vicinity at the same time rather than taking your car out to
travel the same route on different days.
* Don’t speed. The faster you drive the more petrol you use.
* Avoid stop-start driving. This wastes petrol.
* Accelerate slowly. ‘Flooring it’ guzzles petrol.
* Use your vehicle’s air conditioner sparingly as it substantially increases fuel consumption.
* Make sure that there are no holes in your car’s exhaust system.
* Use cruise control if possible.
* Don’t ride the clutch or brakes because it increases fuel consumption and will also wear them down faster.
* Keep a manual transmission in the highest gear possible without
straining the engine.
* Close the car’s windows when driving. An open window creates a drag that increases fuel consumption by as much
as 20 percent.
* Do not carry unnecessary weight in your car
because the heavier the load, the more petrol your car uses.
* Optimise the efficiency of your car by carrying out regular services
and ensuring that tyres are appropriately inflated.
(Information from Budget Insurance.)
