Motoring corner: “Saving on Fuel”

With the economic ups and downs we may have to choose between getting rid of our vehicles for good or adapting our lifestyles to accommodate that change. So, with this in mind, there are some things that can be done to help in keeping some money in our pockets. The most important thing is to use the Right Grade Oil as this keeps the vehicle running better for longer. Before you purchase oil for your vehicle, check the owners manual to see what the manufacturer recommends, and follow that. Check Tyre Inflation to ensure that, you have got the right pressure. Remember, a blunt knife will use much more effort to get the same job done as compared to a sharp one! Well, the same thing usually applies here. If the tyres do not have enough air, the more they will need to work and therefore the more fuel it will use. Additionally, if there is more air in the tyre than is necessary, it will help to ware-out the tyres life span. As is with human beings, vehicles also require a regular check-up, as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure! This would not only help to keep your vehicle in good working order and thereby save on fuel, but if there are any problems that you were not aware of, the mechanic may be able to detect them. Relax whenever you are driving and it will help to prevent any sudden and heavy acceleration and it will also help to prevent any sudden braking. Try to avoid keeping your vehicle idling because you will be unnecessarily using fuel that would have otherwise got you to some other place. If the above are not enough, why not think of changing over from the normal Fuel powered vehicle to a hybrid (fuel and electricity powered). For a hybrid, brisk acceleration to your desired cruising speed maximizes the efficiency from both the electric and petrol components, according to experts. This doesnt mean you can speed everywhere, but a quick scoot away from the light actually works better than a gentle touch. Avoid highways if surface roads are an option. Stop-and-go traffic lets your hybrid go further on less fuel because hybrids use regenerative braking to recharge the batteries. In addition, your hybrid may be able to drive from stop to stop at slower speeds on battery power alone, which means no fuel usage at all. Brake softly and for longer. This allows the regenerative braking more time to work. This also may let you spot opportunities to avoid coming to a full stop, which saves the extra energy needed to get moving again. Set your cruise control to electronically maintain your speed rather than using the fuel pedal whenever possible. Cruise control maintains speed much more smoothly and finely than most drivers can. If you zero in on the speed that best balances your fuel consumption with your forward progress, then your mileage may greatly improve. Minimize your use of, air conditioning, plug-in electronics, navigation, and even interior and exterior lights as much as possible. All of these use power that could be used by the electric motor. Just shutting off your air conditioning while going up hills may give you a noticeable improvement in fuel economy. motoringcorner@live.co.uk

Lifestyle

Motoring corner: “Saving on Fuel”