Five Tips to save money on fuel
Thursday 22nd December 2022
The cost of fuel hit record highs this year, and as the cost-of-living creeps up we’ve collated our top five tips to help you to save money on fuel. Our guide will give you everything you need to know to help make your tank last longer.
To save extra money on your fuel economy we also recommend our popular fuel saving service to help reduce not only your fuel consumption but maintenance costs too.
1. Find the cheapest place within a reasonable distance to fill up
First on the list is to make sure you’re filling up at the cheapest petrol station. It’s important to remember that even If you’re saving money when you’re filling up - if you’re driving miles to get to a garage, it might not make economical sense. There are various apps and websites that can help you to find the cheapest pumps in your area, including comparison sites like confused.com or Petrol Prices.
2. Get economical tyres
Did you know, tyres account for up to 20% of your car’s fuel consumption? Choosing the right tyres can feel like a minefield, but checking the tyre label before you purchase will help you to save money in the long run. Tyres lose energy through their rolling resistance, so choosing an A rated tyre could save your fuel efficiency by 7.5% compared to a G rated tyre.
3. Check your driving habits
Poor driving habits like revving unnecessarily, and speeding will impact your fuel economy. Not only does being a good driver affect the safety of you and others around you, but it will also help you put a few pounds back in your pocket.
Other good habits like not keeping heavy objects in your boot when they’re not needed will also help you save money. The heavier your vehicle, the more fuel is needed to push your car along. If you have cruise control on your vehicle it will help you to maintain a consistent speed, which in turn increases your fuel efficiency.
4. Check your tyre pressures
Under inflated tyres require more energy to keep them moving, checking your tyre pressures and making sure they’re inflated correctly will help you save money by increasing your fuel efficiency, it will also mean that your tyres last longer.
5. Regularly maintain your car
Regular car maintenance is one of the most important ways to increase fuel efficiency. This can include;
- Servicing: Regular servicing keeps your vehicle in good condition. A service will check over many of the things that impact your fuel efficiency like your brakes and quality of oil. A full service should be carried out annually, or every 12,000 miles (depending on whichever one comes first).
- Wheel Alignment: Misaligned wheels increases your tyres resistance, and in turn reduces your fuel economy. You should check your wheel alignment at least once a year or every 10,000 miles.
- Brakes: When your brake pads wear out, your fuel economy won’t be the first issue that you notice, as you’ll usually be able to hear when your brake pads need replacing. Hard braking is something that eats up fuel. If your brake pads are starting to wear out you’ll have to break harder, resulting in you using more fuel to come to a complete stop.
So, if you’re ready to start saving money on fuel, book our fuel saver service today. If you need new tyres, choose the most fuel-efficient ones in order to start saving money in the long run. Or, for any other servicing or vehicle maintenance find your nearest branch today.
