It's all getting too much!
I don’t know about you, but for me, going to the petrol station has become a traumatic experience. The price keeps going up and when it comes down, it is never enough to make me feel like I will be able to cope better.
To combat my far too regular hyperventilation-filled meltdowns and avoid getting into debt, just to be able to get around, I decided to investigate the 15 Best petrol-saving tips and share them with you.
First, let’s list the petrol-saving tips for you and then go into a bit more detail and give you the reasons behind these tips!
Time for your car to lose some weight
Under pressure
Planning is key
TLC for your car
Use your heater without the aircon
Keep your revs low
Make sure you use the correct oil
Do not idle too long
Take it easy when stopping and accelerating
Open windows or aircon?
Make sure your battery is in optimum health
Always choose a high-quality petrol
Speed can kill more than just YOU
Carpooling is not when you take your car for a wash
Avoid driving where possible
Petrol Saving Tip 1
Time for your car to lose some weight
When your engine has to work hard it will use more petrol. Yes, we all want to feel like we have prepared for every eventuality and have everything we need at hand but this habit will cost you. To avoid using more petrol than you need to:
Make sure your boot is clear of unnecessary clutter – yes, this includes golf clubs
Ensure that your back seat is for bums only
Remove bicycle and roof racks when you are not using them
Petrol Saving Tip 2
Under pressure
Tyre pressure baby! If your tyres are under-inflated, they use a larger piece of the road, increasing resistance and fuel consumption. Remember, your tyre pressure can change over time by something as basic as temperature so to ensure your car is as fuel efficient as possible:
Regularly pump up your tyres to your manufacturer’s recommended pressure
Petrol Saving Tip 3
Planning is key
If my father could see me now! He always told me that no matter what, I must always plan my trips. Mostly, to avoid wasting time and not backtracking too much as well as to stay safe by not getting lost, however, he was right for another reason too – fuel economy.
Minimise distance by pooling your destinations and planning the shortest route. This can be done easy enough by using Google Maps:
Add your stops
Re-arrange your stops to find the shortest route
Ta-da!
You can also:
Listen to traffic reports to avoid roadworks, accidents and general hectic traffic
Avoid roads that are dotted with traffic lights (robots for us South Africans), intersections and pedestrians
Try to use the highway as much as possible
If possible – try to avoid rush hours as much as humanly possible – this will not only help with your petrol consumption but your mental health too
Petrol Saving Tip 4
TLC for your car
Routine servicing and maintenance will ensure that your engine is well-tuned and save you a surprising amount of petrol. Maintaining your oil filters and air filters and ensuring that your spark plugs are replaced when needed, are only a few of the fuel-efficient actions you can be in control of.
Petrol Saving Tip 5
Use your heater without the aircon
Huh? Well, at least that was my first reaction until I read a bit more about this. Apparently, a car with a regular internal combustion engine can heat your car without the aircon turned on. When you are not running the aircon compressor, you use less petrol. Moral of the story… Turn off your aircon if you only need to heat up a bit.
Petrol Saving Tip 6
Keep your revs low
When changing gears on your manual car, make sure you do so with fuel economy in mind. Every time you change your gears, and rev the hell out of your car, you will absolutely increase your petrol consumption.
Try to remember the following when changing gears:
Try to keep to 1 500 to 2 000 RPMs while cruising
Try to keep your RPMs below 3 0000 when you accelerate
Always change up a gear when your car can do so comfortably
Petrol Saving Tip 7
Make sure you use the right oil
I understand if the ins and outs of oil are not your jam. It ain’t mine. However, when you use a high-quality oil with low viscosity, you will reduce engine friction and improve your consumption.
Find out what the recommended oil is for your car in your maintenance manual or at the very least ask someone who has knowledg. It can make a difference of up to 3% on your fuel consumption.
Petrol Saving Tip 8
Do not idle too long
I am guilty of this… or at least… I was. If your car is hot from standing in the sun, open the windows and drive for a bit before you switch on the aircon rather than switching on your aircon and waiting for your car to cool down inside. Likewise, if you know you will not be moving for more than 60 seconds, rather switch off your engine, except when you are in traffic.
Applying these two, very basic changes will increase your car’s fuel economy. Actually, to be precise, the average car with a 3-litre engine will waste over 1 cup of petrol for every 10 minutes that it idles.
