Saving some money while travelling to and from your holiday destination can be achieved easily by\u00a0simply keeping a few handy tips in mind.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the best ways to save on fuel consumption over the holidays:<\/p>
The faster you drive, the more fuel you use. Sticking to the speed limit is not only the most\u00a0important rule when it comes to road safety but will also save you a lot of money.<\/p>\n
If your car is an automatic, use moderate acceleration so that the transmission shifts into higher\u00a0gears. Gear shift drivers should shift down before accelerating. If you accelerate and need to put on\u00a0the breaks straight away, you are wasting precious fuel.<\/p>
In serious bumper to bumper traffic jams, the pace seems to slow down and then pick up again while\u00a0more heavy duty vehicles, especially trucks, seem to hang back and take their time driving along at\u00a0an easy pace. There is a reason why they do this. A steady pace and hanging back keeps gear shifting\u00a0to a bare minimum making travelling from point A to point B a far more economical journey. It takes\u00a0less fuel to keep a car moving than it does to get it going at an increasing rate.<\/p>\n
While new wheels and tyres can improve handling, they create more rolling resistance and increase\u00a0the amount of fuel used (if they are wider than the stock tyres). If you\u2019re looking to upgrade your\u00a0wheels, tyres and rims, then do yourself a favour and keep the old ones if they are in a reasonably\u00a0good condition. The stock tyres are best for longer road trips giving you a smoother ride and remains\u00a0one of the best ways to save petrol.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re in the market for a new vehicle, take a good look at how much car you actually need. A\u00a0basic rule of thumb to keep in mind: the smaller the car, the less fuel is used. Perhaps it\u2019s a good\u00a0time to consider buying a hybrid which saves even more fuel, making it a fuel-efficient option.<\/p>\n
Keeping an eye on your vehicle\u2019s tyre pressure is a good idea if you\u2019re looking to gain as much\u00a0mileage from your tank as you possibly can. Tyres with less pressure than they require create more\u00a0rolling resistance, meaning you will need to use more fuel to keep the car moving. Purchase a\u00a0reliable tyre gauge no less than once a month.<\/p>\n
Filter checks and changes are one of the best ways to save petrol. Dirty air filters restrict air flow to\u00a0the engine which doesn\u2019t make for great performance or fuel efficiency. Rather use filters that are\u00a0cleaned \u2013 they are far more cost effective than throwing away paper filters and have less impact on\u00a0the environment.<\/p>\n
Your air-conditioner can use up to 10% more fuel when operating, so roll down your window and let\u00a0the wind blow through your hair. That said, if you drive faster that 80km\/h the air-con may be more\u00a0efficient considering the wind resistance from open windows.<\/p>\n