Tips and Tricks To Improve Fuel Efficiency of Your Vehicle
Hundreds of individual factors affect the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. While addressing one issue could lead to minor improvement, tackling the majority is the only way to make substantial changes. There are literally hundreds of ways to reduce your fuel consumption. From changing poor driving habits to investing in full-scale upgrades, here are 20 tips that will help you to improve fuel efficiency of your vehicle.
Slow Down: This is probably the most important tip of all. Driving a heavy vehicle at 56mph will consume 22% more fuel than if you drive at 50mph, so keep a watchful eye on your speed at all times.
Pump Up Your Tyres: Having the right psi in your tyres can improve your fuel economy by up to 10%. Check them regularly and amend the pressure to your load capacity.
Be a Smooth Driver: If you're a harsh gear changer, tone it down a little. Being a smooth operator will significantly reduce your fuel consumption - change gears slowly at low speeds and faster at high speeds.
Close Your Windows: Open windows will significantly increase drag, especially if you're driving at high speeds. If you're moving slowly, it's fine, but when you hit the motorway use the air con instead.
Remain Vigilant: Pre-empting the road conditions is crucial. Watch out for traffic, hills and anything else that will require you to change speed or lower your gears.
Check the Weather: Before you leave your home check the weather forecast so you can prepare yourself for certain conditions.
Use a GPS: A GPS system will not only calculate the fastest route, but also the most fuel efficient. Use a GPS if you want to limit your mileage, especially if you’re heading somewhere new.
Turn Off the Air Conditioning: Having air conditioning switched on means your engine must work harder. If you're driving at slow speeds open a window instead.
Upgrade Your Vehicle: Sometimes all it takes is a minor upgrade to drastically reduce your fuel consumption. Next time you give your vehicle a service ask the mechanic what can be done to boost efficiency.
Use Alternative Fuels: Petrol and diesel are not your only options. There are plenty of alternative fuel sources out there that are not only cheaper, but also better for the environment.
Downgrade Your Vehicle: That's right, downgrade, not upgrade. Lose any unnecessary items that do nothing but add weight.
Buy a Topographical Sat Nav: Unlike ordinary satellite navigation systems a topographical sat nav will inform you of elevations in the road so you can prepare in advance.
Monitor Your Fuel Usage: This is one of the most overlooked elements of reducing fuel consumption. Take a note of your total expenditure whenever you fill up your tank and cross reference it with your fuel usage to find out where you're going wrong.
Reduce Idle Time: Just because you're not moving it doesn’t mean that you’re not burning fuel. When you're stationary make sure you switch off your engine, even if it’s just for short periods of time.
Clean Your Spark Plugs: Your spark plugs will tell you a lot about the state of your engine. Give them a regular clean and monitor their activity. Discoloration could mean that your vehicle is burning too much fuel.
Replace Old Air Filters: Check your air filters at least once per month. If they're clogged up with dust and debris you could be burning 10% more fuel than necessary.
Overcompensate Oil Changes: Purchase synthetic oil and perform more oil changes than usual to adequately maintain your engine and ensure it remains in tip-top shape.
Warm Up Your Vehicle: If the temperature outside is below zero it's a good idea to let your vehicle warm up so it doesn't get off to a strenuous start.
Reduce Your Load: The less weight the better. Remove any unneeded items before you start your journey.
Buy a Fuel Mizer: A fuel mizer will sound an alarm if you are not abiding by certain fuel efficient driving habits. If you've built up bad habits over the years they're definitely worth the investment.
