6 Little Known Facts That Can Boost Your Fuel Economy

27th June 2017

The summer holidays are upon us, and no doubt you’ll be jetting off in the car somewhere! As electric cars haven’t taken over (yet), petrol and diesel cars are still the most convenient. Especially if you have a big family, going on a 8-12 hour road trip to go on holiday or visit family with teens and kids who need their space in the back. So you’re looking for ways to boost your fuel economy?

Well scroll down to find out how!

Engine

1. Old Engine Oil? Low Fuel Economy.

You may have already had a hunch, but yes, old engine oil has an impact on the MPG of your car.

And I can personally vouch for that – I averaged 400 miles per full tank of fuel in my BMW 1 Series. After the cars first oil change in 4 years I’ve been rewarded with 570 miles per tank. No joke.

Make sure you change the oil in your car when it’s due and you’ll be visiting the pumps a lot less than usual.

 

White MG

2. Shed The Pounds

We’ve all been there, done it and left oodles of things in the boot of the car for months on end. Well the extra jump cables, snow chains from last winter and other junk are weighing you down. Travelling with excess weight makes your engine work harder and burn fuel faster.

Clean out your car and get rid of the junk that’s not being used. Less weight = better mileage.

 

Speedometer

3. Break the Driving Habits

Picture the scene. You’re waiting at the lights, ready to go. They turn green and you put the foot down to get away first. Looking back in the mirror, you smile as you leave your competitors in the dust.

It’s a great feeling, but filling up more isn’t. Did you know rapid acceleration by speeding decreases your mileage by 33%? (Eek!)

You don’t have to drive like Miss Daisy, but steady, consistent driving means you’ll be a lot more fuel efficient and this will boost your fuel economy.

 

Gear Stick

4. Cruise Control Isn’t Your Friend

Smooth and steady you say? We all think cruise control is exactly that – but it isn’t. The roads aren’t all flat, and the engine works harder to keep you at a constant speed. You can even hear how hard it works.

By doing it yourself you have much more control how your car handles the hills and dips on the road.

 

Traffic Jam

5. Waze Is Your New Best Friend

“What on earth is Waze?” I hear you ask? – It’s only the best app in the world.

You can chuck out the old sat nav, this is the future and the only thing you’ll need from now on. The sat nav app is owned by Google and is a live map constantly updated by other users (Called Wazers). You’ll be automatically redirected around traffic jams, potentially saving you hours of travel time if there’s a big accident (It’s saved me!).

The app will save you time and fuel as a result.

Tyre

6. Make Sure Your Tires Are Inflated Properly

This may be the most obvious tip, but a lot of people forget it.

Under-inflated tires not only low your fuel economy – they also wear the tires out quicker, lead to poor handling and can end up failing on the motorway!

Air pumps normally cost 20p for a few minutes (which is nothing), so pop over to a pump once a month just to double check they’re ok.

 

Follow these tips and you could save yourself a lot of money.

 

Martin

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