Seven Ways To Save Fuel

Any motorist knows how expensive fuel can be, so it is good to know that there are a number of tips you can use to save on fuel. From considering whether you may be carrying unnecessary items in the boot to altering the way you drive, this blog outlines seven ways to save fuel.

Don’t Carry Unnecessary Weight and Reduce Drag

The simplest way to save fuel is by reducing the amount of unnecessary weight your car is carrying. Do you store things in your car so you don’t have to look for them before leaving the house or risk forgetting them altogether? If you go to the gym several times a week, it might be tempting to leave your gym bag in the car. If you’re a student, you might find yourself leaving books and folders in the car to save you having to hunt for them before a lecture.

Extra weight increases fuel consumption, so taking unnecessary items out of the car will help you save fuel. It is also a good idea to consider how aerodynamic your vehicle is. Roof racks and rooftop cargo boxes increase the drag on your vehicle, causing it to use more fuel, so removing these when they’re not in use could also save you money.

Drive Smoothly

Altering your driving style can also help you save fuel. Harsh accelerating in a low gear increases the revs, which uses more fuel than driving smoothly in a higher gear. Driving steadily in the highest safe gear will reduce the revs and save fuel.

Reading the road ahead and anticipating when you will need to slow down will also help you save fuel as you will brake and accelerate more smoothly. Driving steadily over speed bumps will also save more fuel than braking before and accelerating between the bumps.

Maintain Your Vehicle

A vehicle that is regularly serviced and working properly will be more economical than one that isn’t maintained properly. Book your car in for an annual service at Hook Xpress and choose one of our BOSCH-approved car service packages.

Combine Journeys

Doing one round trip instead of lots of separate trips could save you fuel as you are likely to do fewer miles and the engine of your car will stay warm, meaning it uses less fuel than when it is cold.

Inflate Your Tyres to the Correct Pressure

Under-inflated tyres increase fuel consumption because the surface area that is in contact with the road is greater. Regularly check that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure and be sure to inflate them as and when needed to save fuel and improve the handling.

Plan Your Trip Ahead

Planning long journeys can help you save fuel as you can avoid busy times, heavy traffic, road works and other obstacles that may require you to sit in traffic for extended periods of time. Avoiding stop-start traffic can save you fuel as your car will be running at a more constant speed instead of having to brake and accelerate frequently.

You can also save money on fuel if you plan to refuel at cheaper garages instead of having to use an expensive garage because you are running low on fuel and need to stop at the first garage you come across.

Avoid Prolonged Idling

Idling your engine for prolonged periods of time uses more fuel than you might think. If you’re in a situation where your engine is idling and it is safe to do so (e.g. you are parked) then switch your engine off to save fuel. Some cars now have stop/start technology, which means that the engine switches off when you are waiting in traffic and then switches on again when you go into first gear to move off.