with subsidy removal by the Federal Government, it is time to devise
various means to survive. The fact that one now has to buy petrol at
prices above N140 per litre makes it imperative to get proactive.
With the increment, one question on the lips of many is how best to
keep the costs minimal. At a time like this, the argument may be in
favour of owners of smaller cars, as they consume less fuel. But in
the long run, it makes little or no difference if you drive a 1.0
litre car or a V8 SUV, as chances are that a driver may be forced to
buy more fuel than usual.
Luckily, some fuel saving tips can help a car owner achieve fuel
economy and, in turn, ease the effects of the price increment on the
'wallet'.
These work irrespective of the model of your car.
1. Slow Down: One of the most popular means devised by car owners to
conserve fuel is driving slowing. It is also a commonly known fact
that as speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially.
Although many drivers would not hesitate to drive fast, especially
when the road is free, a BBC report has showed that fast driving
increases the drag (turbulence) and, in turn, increases fuel
consumption.
Nationalgeographic.com also adds that aggressive driving, which
includes excessive acceleration and frequent braking, wastes fuel. In
turn, it is advised that the driver goes with the flow of traffic and
not try to always overtake other cars. This is not only a safer
option, but it can also improve your mileage by up to 33 per cent on
the highway or 5 per cent in town.
2. Reduce excess weight: It is also important to avoid keeping
unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones.
According to usatoday.com, an extra 100 KG in your vehicle could
reduce your Miles per Gallon (MPG) by up to 2 per cent. The reduction,
they say, is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the
vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
As a result, it is best to keep only what is necessary in the car, as
the heavier the car, the more the fuel consumption and this is
applicable to most cars.
3. Tyre Pressure: According to ehowhow.com, under-inflated tyres are
one of the most commonly ignored causes of heavy fuel consumption.
The website says that tyres lose air due to time (about 1 psi per
month) and temperature (1 psi for every 10 degree drop) while
under-inflated tyres have more rolling resistance. This analogy
translates to the fact that a driver burns more petrol to keep a car
moving. It is, therefore, important to buy a reliable tyre gauge;
check your tyres at least once a month when they are cold, since
driving the car warms up the tyres along with the air inside them.
Experts say that checking a tyre when warm naturally increases
pressure and gives a falsely high reading. Use the inflation pressures
shown in the owner's manual or on the data plate in the driver's door
jamb, the website advises.
4. Use less air conditioning: In a very hot weather, the internal
cooling system of a vehicle provides comfort to the occupants.
However, it is advised not to run the air conditioner regularly
because it puts more of a load on the engine, which can decrease fuel
economy. Some people opine that opening the windows at highway speeds
can increase fuel consumption as the air drags the vehicle further at
top speed.
Also, robinchung.com says that the truth is that turning on the AC
reduces fuel economy. So, it is best to switch off the AC when the
weather is cool and you are not in traffic. A driver can also park his
or her car under a shade so they do not have to keep the AC working so
hard and the car temperature is kept minimal.
Alternatively, one can
also turn off the AC five minutes before reaching one's destination
so the coolant is not kept working, until the last second.
5. Clean air filters regularly: Clogged air filters increase fuel
consumption by restricting airflow to the engine, and thus should be
cleaned and replaced when necessary.
Clogged air filters are said to increase fuel consumption by upto 10 per cent.
6. Reduce idle time in traffic: When in Traffic, and a driver can
foresee he/ she will not be moving for more than 30 seconds or 1
minute, it is best to turn off the engine. Keeping a car engine
running in traffic, especially with the AC on, increases fuel
consumption overtime.
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