With fuel prices seemingly rising on a weekly basis any way that we can make our fuel use more efficient has got to be worth a try. There are a few tips here that are very easy to implement and that will save you both fuel and money. The first one is to choose your route in advance by checking out the latest traffic reports from the Highways Agency as this will help you avoid traffic jams and long delays where you have to change gear even at low speed.
Where you aware that by travelling 10 miles faster it is costing you an extra 4p for every mile and the faster you go the more this increases? Think about this when you are on the motorway as you may end up spending pounds just to save a few minutes.
While it may seem like common sense to always drive in the right gear, there are still thousands who don’t and this is one of the easiest ways to waste fuel, especially when you are driving in a lower gear than you actually need. Less strain is put on the engine by changing gear at the correct point and try not to allow your engine to be needlessly idle and if you are stationary for long periods switch it off.
Sudden accelerating and braking can add as much as 30% to your fuel bill, so drive as smoothly as you can, try to anticipate the road ahead and slow down gradually when approaching traffic lights. If you have cruise control on your car use it whenever you can as this will help your vehicle to maintain a steady speed.
By opening the air vents instead of turning on your air conditioning you can avoid the 10% extra that this cooling system adds to your fuel bill. Don’t open your windows unless it is absolutely necessary as causes the car to drag and use more fuel. On hot days always try and park in the shade as this reduces the need for air conditioning or open windows, saving fuel and money in the process.
As it takes an average of 1 ½ minutes for the engine in a typical 5 year old to warm up and reach its maximum fuel efficiency, avoid reversing out of a parking space as you use between 20 and 30 times more fuel by reversing when the engine is still cool as opposed to when it has warmed up. This can add up to several pounds a week and well over £100 a year, just by going backwards instead of forwards.
