Whether you an individual car owner or run a fleet of vehicles, we all are in a constant quest to maximise the fuel efficiency of our vehicles (and minimise the impact our driving has on the environment). After all, the surging fuel prices always bother us and we all want to extract maximum potency from every drop of fuel that’s there in the tank.
While practicing good driving habits and ensuring regular vehicle maintenance from certified experts certainly have a positive impact on the fuel economy of your car, there are a lot of other easy and effective tricks that can help you become a ‘super-miler’. Want to know them all? Come, let’s take a look at them one by one.
1. Keep Your Car Light and Easy
The heavier the car, the greater is its thirst. Excess weight always puts unnecessary pressure on your car’s engine, making it consume way more fuel than it actually should. In fact, for every 100 pounds of weight, there’s 1%-2% increase in fuel consumption. So, to save fuel, clean your car’s trunk at regular intervals.
- Remove all unnecessary stuff – golf kits, extra tool boxes, shovels, unused roof racks and other items – from your car and store them in your garage. The car has to work harder due to the wind resistance that these items create.
- Avoid modifying your car with rims or accessories that significantly increase the weight of your vehicle. Instead, if possible, replace your existing rims with lightweight alternatives.
- Fill the fuel tank only partially (unless you are driving on longer routes). It will help you to reduce the overall weight of your vehicle.
2. Keep the Tyres Well Inflated
Did you know under-inflated tyres lead to excessive fuel consumption? The reduced tyre pressure increases friction between the road and your tyre, leading to higher fuel consumption. So, check the tyre pressure at least once a month and keep the tyres properly inflated (as per the manufacturer’s recommended levels) to improve your car’s fuel efficiency.
3. Shift to the Highest Gear
Lower gears consume more fuel. So, as a thumb rule, whenever you are driving your car on empty roads or on longer routes, switch to the highest gear. It will help you attain the best possible speed and economy.
4. Turn off your Engine at Idle
Idling is a devil’s workshop. Running your car’s engine even while waiting leads to increased fuel consumption, while giving you a mileage of 0 kmpl. So, if your car is not powered with start-stop technology, it’s best to turn off your car’s engine while waiting to avoid unnecessary wastage of fuel.
5. Drive Smoothly
We all love to cruise our cars, but jackrabbit start and assertive braking consume a lot more fuel than otherwise, significantly bringing down your car’s fuel efficiency. So, keep things in control, smoothen out your drives on road and align it to the movement of the traffic, while using the brakes as less as possible.
6. Take Your Car for a Tune-Up
Regular servicing and tune-up of your vehicle is extremely important. It keeps your engine healthy and ensures smooth fuel injection. So, replace the spark plugs regularly, get the fuel and air filters cleaned and ensure that the oxygen sensors are functioning at their optimum levels. Even a regular engine tune-up can have a profound effect on the fuel economy of your car. In case you find it difficult to take your car for regular tune up, you can seek help from car service and maintenance experts at Vehpal, who can provide you comprehensive car service assistance at the convenience of your home or office.
7. Consolidate Your Trips
Short trips make your car consume twice the fuel it consumes during a single long trip because engine takes up extra fuel every time it has to start your car. So, to save fuel and improve your car’s efficiency, plan your trips ahead and try to complete as many errands as possible during one single go – the engine is warm and possibly at its efficient best.
8. Keep a Watch on the Traffic
To improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, avoid traveling during peak hours. It is difficult to maintain momentum and speed during rush hours, when the traffic is maximum and you have to keep switching gears to brave your way through traffic.
9. Use the Right Engine Oil
Whenever you take your car for an oil change, make sure the mechanic is filling the crankcase with the thinnest viscosity motor oil (or the one that’s recommended by your vehicle manufacturer). Thinner oils reduce resistance and improve fuel efficiency and mileage because they don’t break down as quickly as their thicker counterparts.
10. Keep Your Vehicle Well Aligned
Regular driving over potholes can severely affect the alignment of your car. This not only leads to frequent wear down of your car’s tyres, but also put extensive pressure on your engine, which has to work a little harder to propel your car further. This in turn reduces your vehicle’s fuel mileage by as much as 10%.
11. Get the Battery Cables Cleaned Regularly
Corroded battery cables make the alternator work harder, which in turn leads to higher fuel consumption. To improve fuel efficiency, get your battery cables cleaned and checked by expert service engineers.
12. Keep Your Foot Off the Break
To improve fuel efficiency of your car, never rest your foot on the brake pedal. Even the slightest pressure causes mechanical drag that not only leads to premature wearing down of car components, but also causes increased fuel usage to overcome the drag.
These tips, along with regular service and maintenance of your car, can help you easily save a lot of fuel and improve the efficiency of your car. At Vehpal, we strive to be your one stop shop for all your car service and maintenance needs. Our online portal offers you the best and most economical car service solutions that can help you maximise the fuel efficiency of your car. As your trusted partner, we thoroughly evaluate your car and optimise it for best performance. From denting-painting to wheel repair and from car tune up to providing doorstep re-fuelling services, we do everything to help you get your car up and running within few hours.
Call 800-834725 to book your service today!
