Easy Ways to Save Petrol and Money

This is a guest post from Hi Tech Diesel, with over 20 years combined experience in the diesel fuel injection industry

The most glaringly obvious answer is to suggest you sell the car and walk, but that isn’t appropriate, is it? Instead, keep your car but consider public transport as a means to get to work and home, or look for opportunities to car pool with your neighbours. And a walk is good for you, so if you don’t have far to go why not give it a try?

Cars cost money. It’s as simple as that. They cost a little or a lot to purchase, the price of petrol is rising every day, the cost of arts can often be prohibitive (depending on the make), and maintenance is also a money trap. So what measures can you take to reduce those costs?
Listed below is a series of suggestions you can consider:

• Whether you’re driving in city traffic or on the motorway, try to maintain as steady a speed as possible. The more you accelerate and then decelerate, the more petrol you consume. On the highways, use Cruise Control if you have it to maintain steady acceleration.
• If you drive a manual, use the gears sensibly so you avoid revving the engine, which wastes fuel. Learn to climb up the gears and down as fluidly as possible and with fewer revs.
• When you drive an automatic, check the speed limit and then watch your speed gauge. As soon as your vehicle nears the speed limit you can back off on the accelerator because the automatic gearbox drives the gears for you.
• Try to avoid peak hour traffic. Adjusting your departure time by as little as 15 minutes can take 30 minutes off your total travelling time. If you get caught in severe congestion avoid leaving the car idling for long periods of time. Turn the engine off.
• Use your air conditioning only when necessary. Air conditioning is very energy inefficient. On long trips, use the ventilation system when travelling over 50kph. Leaving the windows down creates enormous aerodynamic drag.
• Plan ahead every day so you’re not using your car unnecessarily. For example, you know you have to pick the kids up from school but you also have to get some fresh fruit; combine the two trips to save time, money and petrol.
• Avoid lugging around unnecessary gear in the car, particularly if it’s heavy. When snow season is over, it’s okay to remove the skis from the roof. Same goes for a luggage rack or roof racks. They cause drag and reduce efficiency.
• Don’t speed. Not only can it put a huge dent in your wallet if you get caught, it also increases wind resistance which affects vehicle performance.
• First and foremost, choose an efficient vehicle from the get go. Investigate smart cars and gas options, or click here for more information on diesel vehicles.