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Avoid high speeds. The average car consumes 38% more fuel at 70mph than it does at 50mph. Motorists driving at 90mph are wasting up to £1.20 every eight minutes as opposed to driving at 70mph. Acceleration and deceleration is what uses most fuel. You will improve your fuel consumption with smooth driving.
Shop around for petrol. Across the UK for unleaded petrol the price can actually range up to 25p / litre!
Don't carry what you don't need. On average every 50kg extra will increase your petrol consumption by 2%.
Keep your oil clean. Having clean oil in your car reduces the wear caused by friction of moving engine parts and also helps improve fuel consumption. Keep track of when you last changed oil. Ideally on a petrol car you should change the oil at least once a year or every 8000 miles. For a diesel engine change the oil at least every 9 months or 5000 miles.
Check your tyres. If your tyres appear to be unevenly worn get your car checked out by a mechanic because wheels need to be correctly aligned. Improper alignment affects the handling of your car and increases fuel consumption. Under inflated tyres increase resistance which harms your fuel consumption. It is estimated that 50% of tyres on the road are under inflated. Check your car manual for the recommended pressure then go to your local petrol station and use their pump for free. If your tyres are under inflated by 20% this will result in a 3% fuel consumption increase and reduce the tyre life by 30%.
Service your vehicle regularly. A poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption. Petrol engines tend to be more powerful, smoother and more refined than their diesel counterparts, however they suffer in comparison compared to fuel economy - If you are not doing many miles a year this may not be of huge concern.
Check your Car Tax Band. Check your proposed purchases figure and compare it to its rivals - just because it has the same sized engine does NOT mean the CO2 rate will be the same, differing manufactures vary at how adept they are at producing clean engines. Buy annual tax rather than a six-month tax disc and save a maximum of £40. Buy a car registered before 1 January 1974 and you're exempt from paying road tax. Bear in mind it will be unlikely to have power steering, electric windows and other in-car comforts. Buy a car that emits less than 100g/km of CO2 and you won't have to pay any car tax at all.
Avoid the London congestion charge. Drive an electric car or a car listed on the Powershift register managed by the Energy Saving Trust and you will avoid the London Congestion Charge.
Convert to LPG. Switch your engine to run on liquid petroleum gas (LPG), a fuel which costs less than unleaded and diesel. LPG costs 53 pence per litre on average and engine conversion rates range from £1,000 to £1,500.
Slow Down! Speeding tickets add an average of 13% to insurance premiums.
Don't crash! Accident-free motorists can be rewarded with no-claims discounts on insurance of up to 70%.
17 July 2008 © Moneyextra.com
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