The drop in fuel prices is great for us road-trippers, but no one can forget the gloomy faces when they were soaring not too long ago. The trips may have reduced, but they didn’t really stop, even though people did feel the pinch on the wallet. Agreed, that the current crop of cars available today are rather fuel efficient on the whole, but more is always better, right?
With a wee bit of common-sense and awareness, one can always improve the car mileage they get. A few pointers on achieving that are given below:
A weekly tire check is the best way to ensure that they are properly inflated. Under-inflated tires burn more fuel and tend to contribute to mechanical wear & tear, thereby leading to higher repair bills.
Having a heavy foot may be great for those high-speed runs, but gradual inputs on the pedals sips less fuel. Go on, try it. You’ll be surprised.
Staying in the right gear is critical and a no brainer on the car care tips list. Too high and you’ll risk inducing engine knocking. Too low and you’ll simply be burning more fuel.
Start-stop conditions are where the most fuel is burned. Try a different, less-congested route, or leave at a time when the streets are free. If you arrive early, you can always take a walk or read a book instead.
One long trip is better than multiple short sorties. Consolidation is the key here and will pay you rich dividends in terms of lower fuel bills.
Used cars by virtue of being older (in most cases) will guzzle more fuel. All the more important to keep them well-maintained to ensure that the fuel losses are minimized.
Signals are a fuel guzzler. Quit idling unnecessarily and switch off the engine. Not only will you improve car mileage this way but you’ll be doing the planet a favour too.
Lastly, always make sure that the oil changes and filter clean-ups are carried out on a timely basis. Dirty air-filters and clogged oil lines increase the load on the engine, resulting in it running in a state of tune that’s far from ideal. All of this guzzles more fuel and leads to unnecessary expenses through increased wear and tear.
The above suggestions would work with new cars as well as on used ones that have been on the road for a while. So go on, try them out and let us know. Also, if you have a few tips of your own, do share them in the comments below.
