How to save fuel (and of course money)

1. Keep your car tuned up. Cars in poor running condition use more fuel.
2. Plan trips well to avoid unnecessary driving.
3. When you run your air conditioner you get much worse fuel mileage. Use your air conditioner sparingly. If you have a lower setting, use it. Turn it on until the car gets cool, then turn it off and let the fan circulate the cool air. Never ever run your air conditioner with your windows open!
4. Keep your windows closed when travelling at high speeds. Open windows cause additional drag and lower your fuel mileage. At high speeds, an open window can use more fuel than many air conditioners (especially if they are on a low setting).
5. Check your tyres. Make sure you have proper size tyres on your vehicle, and that they are properly inflated. Also make sure your tyres are properly rotated and changed when worn or damaged.
Tyre size recommendations are found in your owner’s manual and tyre pressure recommendations are on the side of your tyre and on the label inside your vehicle door. Over-inflated tyres can actually reduce your fuel efficiency, so don’t overfill, whilst under- inflated tyres can cause poor handling, premature wear and increased fuel consumption.
6. If at all possible, change the time that you leave home for work to avoid gridlock. Stop and go traffic hurts your fuel mileage.
7. Take unneeded items out of the car. You don’t need to carry your heavy tow bars in the boot at all times. Invest in a light weight tow bar that will not drag your car down and consume more fuel.
8. Try not to idle your engine for long periods of time. If you are stuck in traffic and you don’t think you are going to go anywhere in the next five minutes, you may want to turn your car off.
9. You no longer need to warm your car up for long periods of time, especially new cars. New cars are made to run when cold.
10. Don’t travel at fast speeds in low gears unless you need the compression to slow down.
11. Try to stick to the speed limit.
12. Try to accelerate slowly when leaving the stop light. It’s not a competition with the driver in the lane next to you. The fastest person through the intersection just gets to spend more on fuel.
13. No need to buy the highest priced fuel. Most cars are built to run on regular unleaded. Check you owners manual or consult a mechanic. I have had many tell me that the more expensive fuel is a waste of money.
14. Revving the engine needlessly wastes fuel. There is no need to rev before you turn your vehicle off.
15. If at all possible, try to arrange car pools with co-workers to share the cost of commuting to work. (You also save the environment)
16. Walk, bike or run to your intended location whenever possible – you won’t just save money on fuel, you will also save your life.
17. Cruise control. If your vehicle has cruise control, use it. Cruise control is a way of letting the engine of your car run at its highest proficiency, and if you set it right, you won’t be caught speeding accidentally. However, do not use cruise control in rain as it increases the likelihood of hydroplaning.
18. Coolant. Make sure you use the proper coolant solution for your vehicle and the weather in your area. Especially hot areas increase the likelihood of your car overheating, which decreases its performance.
19. Accessories. Many cars now come with power outlets, refrigerators, etc. Avoid using these as they consume energy that your engine should be using to propel your vehicle.
And lastly, the biggest and most important step towards saving money on fuel is always try to purchase vehicles that get good fuel mileage. It might be stylish (only at the beginning) to buy a car that consumes a whole lot of fuel but in the long run your pocket will suffer more. Besides if you are buying a car for everyday use, be wise and buy one that will give you good value for money. The difference between five kilometres-per-litre and 10 kilometres-per-litre is huge.
l Ralph Magunje can be contacted on [email protected].