Tips to make your petrol last longer?
With the ever-rising prices of petrol and diesel, it is important that you aim to reduce your fuel consumption when driving. The simple reason for this being that if you use less fuel, it will mean that you will be able to last a longer period of time before refuelling your car. Reducing fuel consumption is an important consideration for all UK drivers- it is even a question on your driving theory test.
What's most likely to increase fuel consumption?
There are a number of reasons why you could be experiencing an increased fuel consumption. Making the below changes will help improve your fuel consumption.
- Engine Oil - You should change your engine oil and regular intervals to make sure your vehicle keeps running to its optimum level. As well as improving fuel economy, a regular oil change can help keep the engine clean and running smoothly. As well as increased fuel consumption, you may notice an increased engine noise.
- Tyre Pressures - If your tyres are under inflated, this can greatly affect your fuel consumption. You need to make sure that your tyres are inflated to the correct tyre pressure.
- Air Conditioning - Air conditioning, can put a lot of strain on the vehicle's engine. This will result in using more fuel when driving with the A/C on compared to opening a window.
- Harsh Braking - If you are looking to save money and you are wanting to reduce your vehicle's fuel consumption, it would be a good idea to limit the amount of harsh braking. Aggressive driving, such as driving too fast, braking harshly and accelerating too quickly lead to higher fuel consumption. Easing off the accelerator and making sure that you anticipate hazards early will ensure that the engine uses less fuel.
- Driving in the wrong gear - If you own a manual vehicle, you need to make sure that you are driving in the correct gear. If you are driving at higher speeds, you need to use a higher gear. Generally, you will be able to hear that your engine does not sound correct if you are driving in the wrong gear. Multiple gear changes and harsh acceleration increase fuel consumption.
- Accelerating too often - When driving, especially on motorways look at travelling at a constant speed instead of regular gear changes and overusing the accelerator. This will make your vehicle more fuel efficient. If your vehicle has cruise control, this is perfect for long distance driving. Car manufacturer Kia found that cruise control can save on average 14% on fuel when travelling.
- Tyres - Your tyres can help improve fuel efficiency. By law, all tyres when sold, need to be sold with the EU tyre label present. The EU Tyre Label ranks the tyres fuel efficiency/rolling resistance from A (Best) to E (Worst). This is an important thing to look out for if you are unsure what tyres you need for your vehicle. Here at National, to help our customers, we have produced The Complete Guide To Tyre Labelling. When purchasing a tyre on our website, you will clearly be able to see the fuel efficiency rating for the respective tyre.
What will improve fuel consumption?
Small changes in the way you drive and maintain your vehicle can help improve fuel consumption. Regularly changing your engine oil, as well as ensuring your tyres are at the correct tyre pressures are two important car checks to undertake.
You should also look to reduce the amount of time you use air conditioning, where appropriate. In terms of driving style, if you drive more smoothly, at a more constant speed and in the highest gear where possible, this will help fuel consumption.
Finally, if you are looking for fuel efficient and energy saving tyres, then make sure you pay special attention to the EU Tyre Label when purchasing new tyres for your vehicle.
Did you enjoy this blog post? |
6 people found this review helpful
Sign up for SPECIAL OFFERS
