Top ten fuel-saving tips!

1. Check your tyres

Driving on over- or under-inflated tyres can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by three per cent. Check your tyres every week, and make sure they’re inflated to the manufacturer’s requirements. Also check their tread depth is at least 1.6mm deep.

For more information read our guide on how to check your tyres.

2. Lighten the load

More weight equals higher fuel consumption, especially in stop/start traffic. Remove any unnecessary items from your car - like unused sports kit in the boot or CDs in the glove box.

3. Warming up

Don’t leave the engine running for five minutes before driving to ‘warm it up’. It’s a big waste of fuel. Instead, drive gently for the first few minutes of your journey.

4. Avoid unnecessary engine use

Switch your engine on after you’ve put on your seatbelt, checked your mirrors and tuned the radio. Fuel used while you’re carrying out these actions is wasted.

Only use your car’s air conditioning system when necessary – it can knock up to 3mpg off your fuel consumption

5. Drive smoothly

You’ll use less fuel if you maintain a steady speed, and avoid sudden stop-start movements by braking or accelerating sharply.

Travelling at 65mph rather than 70mph can reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 25 per cent.

Anticipate hazards so that you can avoid heavy braking and unnecessarily sharp acceleration.

6. Make you car more aerodynamic

Close your windows and sunroof when driving - the less resistance your car has, the less fuel it will consume.

Only fit roof racks and boxes when absolutely necessary – they can increase your fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent. (If you don’t know how to remove your roof rack, get a professional to help.)

7. Avoid short journeys

Travelling short distances of around ten to twenty minutes results in poor fuel consumption.

Minimise small journeys by walking or using public transport if possible. If you do have to drive short distances, combine a number of outings into one longer drive.

Always remember to plan your journey: going the long way round, getting lost and running into road works can increase your journey time considerably.

8. Change gears efficiently

Change gear at around 2,000rpm in a diesel car or around 2,500rpm in a petrol car to put less strain on your engine. This reduces fuel use and CO2 emissions.

9. Car maintenance

A regularly serviced vehicle will be more fuel efficient, as well as safer. A dirty engine with lots of sooty deposits can also worsen fuel economy.

Checking your oil once month and before long journeys can help. Ensure you top up with the correct type of oil for your car – check your vehicle handbook for more details.

10. Find cheaper petrol

Use petrolprices.com to find your cheapest local petrol station. Updated 8,000 times a day, the simple website searches the UK’s 11,900 petrol stations to find cheaper petrol near you.

nice one

We try

Thanks Rislar.....top man........

I see they are starting to sell Hybrid trucks over here now. Iam not sure if you have them yet, Some run on batteries when they are up to speed, others have cylinders shut off when your up to speed, taking a v8 to a v4 . I cant guess on the reliability of these trucks but they say that they get about the same fuel economy that your trucks get only they are much larger trucks. I believe the 1st ones on the market is the Cadillac Escalade. Iam not sure of the comparable s on fuel between here and Europe, Currently we pay about $3.15 a gallon for fuel. ( i think there is about 2.5 liters to a gallon. ) Before the fuel prices went up we were paying about 1.75 to 2.00 dollars a gallon

No Hybrids yet but VW has just released the Amorak with a bi turbo diesel engine that does 40+ MPG !!
There are 4.5 UK ltrs to a gallon and a Ltr is now £1.40 so £6.30 per gallon around 9.87 USD

Rislar wrote:No Hybrids yet but VW has just released the Amorak with a bi turbo diesel engine that does 40+ MPG !!
There are 4.5 UK ltrs to a gallon and a Ltr is now £1.40 so £6.30 per gallon around 9.87 USD

I knew you had it bad over there but that is ridicules! 1/3 of what we pay is for tax, that must mean your fuel tax is huge. !!

Myteathor................you better believe it......if you work in this country you pay pay pay....

80% is tax

Down my part of the world Diesel is NZ$1.59 a litre and petrol is NZ$2.07 - NZ$2.20 a litre depending on grade.

US$5.44 per gallon Diesel or US$7.06 - US$7.51 per for Petrol.