Fuel prices are still continuing to increase, and we are now close to a record high price. With no sign of the price reducing it is important to use other methods to reduce the cost of motoring, and there are methods that everyone can use. First start with your car insurance; whether it is normal car insurance or commercial vehicle insurance, you have nothing to lose by seeing if it is possible to save money by switching insurance companies.
One of the best ways to save on petrol consumption is to drive slower. Clearly this does not mean driving at10mph, as this will just annoy everybody else, but also do not speed excessively either. As a general rule as your speed increases, you will use more fuel to travel the same distance – this is due to the exponential increase in air resistance. Switching off your engine if you’re going to be stood in traffic for more than a minute will also help save fuel; it may sound like a drastic measure but if you are in a traffic jam and going nowhere, why waste fuel. Check your tyre pressure regularly, if you have under-inflated tyres you can increase your fuel usage by a massive 3% and it is also dangerous.
Often the simpler measures can give some of most impressive results – give your vehicle a clear out and remove everything you don’t need. If a vehicle is lighter it will use less fuel. Keep all the windows and sunroofs shut, as it will increase the air resistance and your fuel consumption. Your air conditioning will increase your fuel consumption when driving at low speeds; at higher speeds the effects are less noticeable. If it’s a hot day (not applicable very much in the UK) it will be more economical to open the windows around town and save the air conditioning for when you are driving at a faster speed. Try and make sure you do not leave the aircon on all the time, driving is meant to be a pleasure so you should enjoy the air-con but at the right times. Turning the air-con off a few minutes before reaching your destination will also save you some fuel.
While it’s true that any of these ideas on there own will not really save you a great deal, when added together over a year, they will add up to a decent amount.