Five top fuel-saving tips

Fuel prices may have been on somewhat of a downward trajectory over the last two months, but that is not set to last, with prospects for May looking much more gloomy.

With an increase in petrol on the cards, motorists will have to dig deeper once again.

But there are ways you can make your fuel tank last a bit longer. Here are our top five tips to saving fuel

Don’t ride the clutch when stationary

In an effort to not waste more time than necessary at traffic lights, a staggering number of people ride the clutch as they wait for the light to turn from red to green.

Riding the clutch not only wears out your car’s clutch, it also uses fuel. Rather, bring your car to a complete stop, in neutral, with the handbrake on.

Switch off your air con

Sometimes this is simply not an option, especially in summer in Zululand. But temperatures are starting to dip, especially in the mornings and evenings. That noticeable change in vehicle power when you switch on your air con decreases your vehicle’s fuel efficiency by 10%.

While there are some schools of thought that say driving with open windows also increases fuel consumption because of the increased drag, it reportedly affects fuel efficiency less than an air con does.

Drive at a reasonable speed

Speeding can increase your car’s fuel consumption by up to 45% compared with driving at the average 60km/h. Driving at high speeds in lower gears, for instance driving at 60km/h in third gear, uses 25% more fuel than in fifth gear. Lower gears labour your car’s engine, causing it to use more fuel.

Don’t rest your foot on the brake while driving

Every slight tap to your brake pedal puts a small amount of drag on the car. This drag causes premature wearing of your car’s components and increases fuel consumption.

Check tyre pressure

Be careful of both over- and under-inflating your car’s tyres. Tyres that are too flat create more resistance when driving, which increases fuel consumption. Similarly, driving on over-inflated tyres creates more wear on the tyre walls and sides, and means less grip on the road. Refer to your owner manual for your car’s optimum tyre pressure.

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