How Can I Make My Petrol Last Longer?
We’re always looking for ways to make our fuel tanks last as long as possible, especially during the cost of living.
It can be hard knowing where is the right area to focus on when wanting to save your pounds, so Stockton Kia have put together this helpful guide to give you some tips and tricks on keeping your costs down.
Check Your Tyre Pressure
Your tyre pressure should be checked every 2-3 weeks, and by keeping them at the right pressure, you’ll be able to get a few more miles out of every tank you put in.
If you’re planning on checking your pressure, make sure that you only do this after a short journey, so that your tyres aren’t too hot. If you’ve had a lengthier drive, you should wait around 2 hours before starting the process!
De-Clutter Your Car
We’re all guilty of this, how full is your boot? If you have lots of heavier items sat in your car at all times, you might be weighing your car down, using more petrol as the car moves a heavier load.
Remember that you should always carry an emergency kit in the car to prepare for an accident, flat tyre or other fault.
You could potentially consider filling your car up half way, rather than filling the full tank, as this will mean that you’ll naturally be carrying more weight! Of course, this would depend on the length of your journey, but half filling could actually save you money on shorter trips!
Switch Off Your Engine When Still
Letting your car idle is another way that many of us unintentionally waste fuel. Not only can this reduce the lifespan of your engine by stripping oil from the vital pistons and cylinders, but idling can contribute to the wear of other components. Ideally, drive slowly as your car begins to warm up as your colder engine won’t be as efficient.
You can take full advantage of your car if it has start-stop technology! Restarting your engine will use up less fuel than you would burn whilst idling, as your engine will stay warm.
Brake and Accelerate Gently
Driving like you did when you passed your test is something that should be done normally, but we all know we can take better care with our driving. If you’re driving as though you’ve just completed your practical test, you can actually take better care of the critical components inside your car, such as your brakes.
Avoid excessive revving or acceleration by thinking ahead during your journey. Make sure you ease off your accelerator as you approach traffic congestion, instead of keeping your foot planted and braking only as you approach the queue.
Remain in Gear When Slowing Down
On average, most cars offer the best fuel economy when they’re travelling between 45 and 55mph. Both driving too fast and too slow can have a negative effect on your fuel efficiency, so you should only drive the legal speeds and time your gear changes correctly.
Try to choose the highest gear you can, and ease off the accelerator whenever possible. If you drive a manual car, you need to be in the right gear at all times. A strained engine noise could imply that you’re driving in the wrong gear, with 2000rpm being the best time to change up and 1000rpm being the best time to change down.
Did you know that changing to neutral before you’ve stopped moving actually uses up more fuel?
Staying in gear will activate the fuel cut-off switch, which stops the system from feeding fuel into the engine under braking. Whilst this is a small saving, it is a saving nonetheless.
Keep Your Speed Constant
Did you know that motorways are more fuel efficient than country roads?
Try to keep your speed as steady as possible wherever you can, if you overuse your accelerator and change gear regularly, you could be reducing your efficiency and using more fuel. Using your car’s cruise control (if it has it), is a great way to monitor this.
Make sure that you avoid aggressive acceleration and braking whilst driving, one long journey is better for your car than several small ones.
Keep Up With Your Car Maintenance
Whilst it might sound contradictory to invest more money into your car’s maintenance, this can help you avoid expensive repairs in the future.
Even seemingly unrelated tasks such as changing the oil in your vehicle can make a difference, which is a huge part in keeping your vehicle functioning properly. It’s always better to act now to keep your vehicle in excellent condition, which gives you less to pay for later down the line.
Did you know that Stockton Kia has an in-house service team? We offer car services, MOTs and health checks!
Turn Off Air Conditioning
Unless you’re actively using the air conditioning, running it unintentionally might be using more fuel!
As well as this, driving with the windows down can actually make your vehicle less aerodynamic and cause a similar increase in fuel consumption. The best time to open the windows is when driving at a lower speed, and your car’s air conditioning is most effective when you’re driving on the motorway.
Stockton Kia is open 7 days a week and is located at Preston Farm Industrial Estate, with a full service and valet team also available feel free to give us a call on 01642 632299.