Everyone wants to get the best out of their car. Be able to run around for errands without using your entire budget on fuel. That is however difficult to achieve considering fuel prices going up almost on a daily. Saving on fuel money isn’t as easy as trading your fuel guzzler for a fuel efficient one. You still have to play a part in getting the most of what’s in your gas tank. It is not a mission impossible. Apart from lower carbon vehicles and cutting down on emissions, here are other tips on how to maximize the fuel mileage without running your wallet dry.
Track your fuel usage
Getting to know how much fuel you use on daily errands is the first step to saving on its usage. Tracking your fuel usage helps in knowing what changes to make to get the best out of what is available. You will know how to accelerate and at what speed does your car get the most without using everything up.
Perform maintenance on your car
Making sure your car is always in a good condition helps a little with fuel usage, but it is that little that counts at the end of the day. Good spark plugs, proper wheel alignment and clean filters ensure efficient combustion of fuel and gives your car a smooth ride. Always keep the tires properly inflated too. The more cranked up your car is, the more fuel it is likely to consume especially uphill. View Oil Price changes and the cost of additional car services.
Lighten your load
Too much weight makes the car burn more fuel especially when accelerating. Lose the weight that you don’t need to carry around. If there’s stuff in your boot that you don’t need to drive around with, leave them behind. Newer models of cars are being made lighter to enhance efficiency.
Avoid being a drag
While driving on a highway, your car should be as aerodynamic as possible. When driving at higher speeds with the sunroof or windows open, the car uses more energy in overcoming wind resistance. It increases the drag and waste on fuel. Don’t also carry stuff on the roof of the car if you don’t have to.
Accelerate smoothly
You should never accelerate either too fast or too slowly. Accelerating too fast puts a strain on your feet and on the car. Accelerating too slow on the other hand keeps you in the lower gears for too long and wastes fuel. Once you reach an optimal speed, maintain the pace to avoid having to decelerate or accelerate. Use the breaks as minimally as you can.
Work with nature
While driving on a hill, work with gravity if you want to save on fuel. Go slower when driving uphill and engage free gear when downhill. However, always remember that safety comes first and do this only when it is absolutely safe to.
Turn the engine off when not in use
If you are going to be static for more than 30 seconds, then turn the engine off. While in traffic, only do this when it is safe and your car doesn’t take up much time warming up.
