subject: A Guide To Economic Driving [print this page] A Guide To Economic Driving A Guide To Economic Driving
Check the label carefully to make sure you are using the correct engine oil and not necessarily the cheapest. Check tyre pressures before all long journeys as under inflated tyres will provide more resistance. If your tyres are 20% under inflated, you use up to 10% more fuel.
Before You Depart
Travel light. Avoid carrying any unnecessary weight in the car, such as boxes or golf clubs and remove roof boxes if you are not using them. The aerodynamic resistance caused by an empty roof box adds 10% to fuel consumption.
Plan ahead, especially at the weekend. Think about making one long journey instead of two or three short ones. Plan your route carefully. Whilst the shortest route is usually the best, driving an extra 10-15 miles on a ring road or motorway will be more economical than crawling between traffic lights through congested towns.
On The Journey
Don't start the engine until you are ready to leave. Drive smoothly, accelerate gently and maintain a steady speed. When queuing in heavy traffic or waiting for a vehicle to be removed from the road, turn off the engine.
Read the road and anticipate what may happen to avoid harsh braking or acceleration. Change gear early.
Keeping below 2,500 rpm for petrol engines and 2,000 rpm for diesel engines will help maximise your fuel efficiency. Once you have reached your cruising speed, ease your foot gently off the accelerator. Avoid using the air conditioning unless necessary. It can increase fuel consumption by up to 11% on slower roads.
Keep windows and sunroofs closed to minimise drag. An open window increases fuel consumption by 3-6%.
Watch your speed. At 80 mph you could be using 25% more fuel than if driving at the 70 mph speed limit. And at 70 mph you are likely to be using nearly 10% more fuel than when driving at 60 mph.
With fuel prices recently hitting new highs and uncertainty about oil prices, it's perhaps time to think about how to save fuel as we take to the roads.
Luke Carter is part of a car resale team whose online focus is to keep road users and car buyers in-the-know about getting the best from the cars they own or are looking to buy. Find out more motoring tips and guidelines and how to find and run a car at Carmony.co.uk
