Have you ever thought of saving a little fuel?

Do you know why the Hummer has failed as a brand even though it has insane potential to massage any man’s ego to new heights with its audacious size, military image, and off-road capabilities?, Fuel. Every car owner at one point feels the pinch of fuel shortage once in a while, unless of course you are driving a nuclear powered spaceship.

Taxi drivers
For instance, many taxi drivers have this stereotype written all over them about filling up minute amounts of fuel every so often to save money, however, in my experience their driving habits totally blow away this rationale. Aggressive driving, including speeding, rapid acceleration and braking wastes fuel. It does lower your mileage and it goes without saying, sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than fuel money.

Tyre pressure
Keeping your tyres inflated properly and your engine running right is critical to efficient motoring. Under-inflated tyres can lower your fuel economy, whereas over inflated tyres increase risk of tyre damage when encountering bumps and potholes. Even if your car seems to be running well, that perplexing check engine light many chose to ignore could represent a dead oxygen sensor or some other emissions control problem that causes the vehicle to burn a hole through your wallet at the pump.

Regular servicing
Keep your vehicle well maintained with regular servicing to keep it operating at peak efficiency. An inefficient engine with things like fouled spark plugs, for example, will not make optimum use of fuel. Be sure the air filter and the fuel filter are clean. Put in new ones if they are not.

Ultimately, you simply need to be a different driver. Change your driving style. Accelerate gradually, drive smoothly and with care and you should see a gain in fuel economy compared with what you would get with your de facto driving style. Skip those traffic light race-type starts and sudden pedal-to-the-metal manoeuvres if you want to save fuel. Anticipate stops so you avoid sudden braking, and take a long view of the road ahead. That way you can chop off a big chunk off your monthly fuel bill.

FUEL EFFICIENT CARS
G lobally, there is a shift in the car industry to more fuel efficient cars using hybrid technology. However, the biggest fuel savings come from the old standards, carpooling and public transport. Cars have become so cheap that those who do not own cars immediately acquire one when able to, not knowing that a car’s really nothing without fuel. If you and your friend or neighbours share your cars using one at a time to and from work, you cut your fuel usage by about 50 per cent. No other step will save you as much money. Also, if you have two vehicles in the family, leave the thirstier one at home as often as possible.

Fuel saving tips
Unlike a car’s heater, which uses free engine heat, the air conditioner robs engine power and lowers fuel economy. So which approach is better? Well, there are days when the blazing sun pushes anyone with a faulty AC to have it fixed. If your car has been sitting in the sun, drive for a few minutes with the windows open, it should cool off. Then, if you are hitting the highway, close the windows and turn on the A/C. Aerodynamics are more important at high speeds.

IDLING WOES
Idling gets 0kms per litre. Cars with larger engines typically waste more fuel at idle than do cars with smaller engines. Do not let your vehicle idle as you wait outside the school to pick up your children. Idling uses more fuel than turning the engine off, period. Of course there is that person who will quickly point out that starting the car uses just as much as you idling. Well today’s cars have extremely efficient starting systems coupled with advanced fuel delivery mechanisms, that should not be a problem. By sayingtoday’s cars, I mean cars after 1996 with electronic fuel injection (EFI).