Fuel Saving Tips

Well-looked-after vehicles generally use fuel more efficiently, so it’s worth keeping your vehicle in good condition.

 

Your car uses more fuel if it’s heavy. Don’t hoard stuff in the boot, take anything out of the car that you’re not using. Even remove clutter like footballs, school bags and the roof rack when you’re not using it.

 

If you don’t know whether you have the correct tyre pressure your fuel consumption should tip you off. Checkout our guide. 

The surface area that’s in contact with the road increases when a tyre is under-inflated. The more surface area in contact with the road, the more drag on the wheel.

 

Only topping up with what you need and avoiding having a full tank means the fuel you do have goes slightly further. More fuel means more weight being carried.

There is undoubtedly an optimum level for each vehicle, but we'll let you investigate that one yourself.

 

Your driving style might have a big impact on how much petrol or diesel you use.

Try to keep your driving smooth. Gentle acceleration and using the highest safe gear should use less fuel.

What’s more, when you're approaching a build up of traffic or traffic lights, ease off the accelerator early if its safe to do so.

 

Keeping the engine running while you’re stopped - otherwise known as idling - consumes roughly half a gallon to about a gallon of fuel every hour. You’ll also be pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

 

If your car has a stop-start engine, use it. Keeping your foot on the clutch when you stop at traffic lights could waste fuel.

But if you take your foot off while the car is in neutral, the car's stop-start system should kick in, saving you fuel and money.

 

Every time you go to cool down your car with the air conditioning, you’re reducing your fuel. It’s the same for your heating.

So, only use both of these if you really need to.* Both use engine power to work properly and therefore increase your fuel consumption.

*Its is worth occasionally firing up the Air-Con periodically to keep it in good mechanical health.

 

One way to save fuel is to drive at a constant speed. Cruise control can help with this.

If you're on the motorway or on a long constant flat surface, try activating cruise control. You might find that using it reduces your fuel consumption

 

If you find your local fuel station is costing the earth, you might find that there's one a few miles down the road that's a little cheaper. There are many good apps now that give up-to-date information of the latest prices.

Bear in mind any accompanying promotions offered by your regular garage such as 'points cards' etc... and if the pro's of staying with them outway the cons.

 

 

Its worth remembering that the above tips will definitely not save you hundreds of pounds, an probably not even the difference in the cost of your rising full tank cost. What it does do is help you understand more that almost everything you do in your vehicle has a knock on effect on it's fuel economy, and that, for most, is value enough.