Save money on petrol

High fuel prices mean driving your car could cost you over 20 per cent more this year. Here’s how to give your driving habits a cost-cutting makeover. By Sue Hayward

Find the cheapest petrol
Visit www.petrolprices.com to find the cheapest petrol in your area. Check supermarket prices too, as they're often cheaper than garage chains and some offer promotions when you shop there.

 

Pump up your tyres
Under-inflated tyres waste money. Half of us drive with at least one
under-inflated tyre, wasting nearly ten per cent of fuel. Find the correct tyre pressure in your car handbook, and have your car serviced annually. In addition to safety checks, a typical service includes changing the oil and filters, which will make your engine work more efficiently.

Take things slowly
Cutting your speed saves money. ‘Tests show that driving at 56mph uses 25 per cent less fuel than driving at 75mph,' says Tim Shallcross from the Institute of Advanced Motorists. Avoid harsh braking too, as this puts more pressure on the car and uses more fuel. In traffic queues, avoid stopping and starting - this also uses more fuel. Be aware and slow down earlier instead. When the engine is idling you're wasting fuel, so if you're likely to be at a standstill for more than three minutes, switch off the engine.

Forget the air con
In summer, turn the air conditioning off to save £100 a year*. Streamline your car by taking off the roof rack and emptying the boot, as both weigh down the car, costing you more in fuel bills. ‘And driving with a half tank of petrol, as opposed to a full tank, will save you around one mile per gallon', says Tim.

Drive less
‘A cold engine can use up to four times as much fuel as a warm one,' reveals Tim. So avoid short journeys and organise a car share with friends for the school run. And don't waste petrol getting lost on long journeys - get a sat nav or check the route in advance using the AA's Route Planner (www.theaa.com) - which measures mileage, time and fuel consumption.

Look after a cold car
Last thing at night, reverse into your drive or garage. It can save you
40p a day, if you usually reverse out on a cold engine in the morning. Using de-ice spray instead of running the engine to clear frosted windows on cold mornings will also save fuel. And keep windows
clean and grease-free to avoid relying on windscreen demister.

Check before you buy
If you're planning to buy a new car, check out how fuel-efficient it
is at www.direct.gov.uk. Among its top picks for family cars are the Mercedes-Benz A Class 5 Door, Renault Laguna Hatch, Volkswagen Passat Saloon, Ford Mondeo and Peugeot 407 Saloon†. 

 

*Research by Auto Trader  †Act on CO2 Campaign/What Car?  

 

 

---

You might also like...

Top money-saving travel tips: spend less on getting away

Keep it in the car: our guide to the really useful stuff to stash

Get behind the wheel with our driving special: where to go, finding your way and much more

 

 

 

Subscribe - SAVE over 25%